Structure: Pavilion
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Alden Town Park – Joe Panza Nature Trail
Location: Alden, NY This nature trail is located a bit over 1 hour west of Rochester, NY outside of Buffalo. The entire loop trail was around 1.5 miles and starts from the Alden Town Park Loop. The path was a mix of gravel and dirt and would not be considered very stroller friendly. The trail… Read more
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Beechwood State Park
Location: Sodus, NY This beautiful park is located 40 minutes east of Rochester, NY along the shore of Lake Ontario. Camp Beechwood used to be a girl scout camp and is now maintained by the town of Sodus. We parked at the gravel parking area on Gates Drive (off of Lake Road) and hiked the… Read more
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Blue Cut Nature Center
Location: Lyons, NY This beautiful hiking area is located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We parked at the parking lot near the restrooms and picnic area then walked along the line of evergreen trees and past the field to the next pavilion and picnic area. According to the official website there are several trails… Read more
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Brighton Town Park
Location: Brighton, NY This lovely park is located 10 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There are two walking areas here in addition to baseball fields, pavilions, a lodge, restrooms, and a new playground. There are picnic tables and benches as well. Trail Map: Trail Map AllTrails: Brighton Town Park Trail (this 1.8 mile loop includes the… Read more
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Buckland Park Loop
Location: Brighton, NY Buckland Park is located 10 minutes south of Rochester, NY. This park has many sports fields, picnic areas, pavilions, seasonal restrooms, three playgrounds, and a 1-mile stone-dust path around the perimeter. The path goes through some wetland areas with a few bridges, passes by a handful of pine trees, and some benches.… Read more
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Bullis Park
Location: Macedon, NY This park is 30 minutes east of Rochester, NY. Bullis Park also has a traditional playground, basketball court, tennis court, and two pickleball courts, two pavilions, bathrooms, and grass fields. Official Website: Macedon Recreation Department; Times of Wayne County Read more
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Cayuga Nature Center – TreeTops Treehouse
Location: Ithaca, NY We had so much fun visiting this nature center 1.5 hours south of Rochester! We especially enjoyed climbing the six-story treehouse in the woods! To reach the tree house, walk through the gate to to the left of the lodge and walk around back. Then follow the gravel path that winds back… Read more
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Channing H. Philbrick Park
Location: Penfield, NY This park is located 12 minutes east of Rochester, NY. Right by the parking lot is a bridge with a stunning view over the Irondequoit Creek. We hiked east along the trail for about a half mile until we reached the boardwalks and bridges. The trail was pretty flat but had some drop… Read more
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Chili Nature Trail
Location: Chili, NY We really enjoyed the Chili Nature Trail at the Town of Chili Nature Area, located 20 minutes west of Rochester. It was a nice 1-mile loop trail with grassy paths. There were also some inner cutoff trails that you could take – we used AllTrails to make sure we stayed in the… Read more
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Farmington Town Park
Location: Farmington, NY This small park located 25 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY has a short storybook walk around the playground. The walk is only through grass and doesn’t have a designated path. Official Website: Town of Farmington Read more
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Gates Memorial Park
Location: Gates, NY This basic park is located 10 minutes west of Rochester, NY. It has a 0.5-mile paved walking path around some fields that passes by small wooded areas. It can be connected with the paved path at Lions Park to make a 1-mile loop. The park has a memorial, sports fields, a pond… Read more
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Genesee Country Village & Museum – Historic Village
Location: Mumford, NY GCV&M is located 30 minutes west of Rochester, NY. It is the largest living history museum in New York State spanning 600 acres. The village and museum offer an immersive experience of 19th-century American life. It features 68 relocated and restored buildings from the Genesee Valley region, representing three time periods: Pioneer… Read more
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Genesee Country Village & Museum – Nature Center
Location: Mumford, NY GCV&M is located 30 minutes west of Rochester, NY. Next to the historic village is a nature center and trail system. The nature center has a peaceful pond out front with benches, a bridge, flowers, a picnic pavilion, and a little free library. Inside the nature center are some live turtles and… Read more
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Genesee County Park & Forest – Plantation Trail
Location: East Bethany, NY This beautiful trail is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. It is a 0.5 mile loop through several tree plantations planted throughout the late 1960’s. Larch, Norway Spruce, Red Pine, and White Pine. In some areas the trees are planted in perfect rows which is beautiful to look at! A… Read more
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Genesee County Park & Forest – Play Area
Location: East Bethany, NY This beautiful park is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. In the northeast corner of the park property is a parking area that is closed in the winter. There are pavilions to rent, public restrooms, benches, a traditional playground, and beautiful evergreen trees. From here, you can access the Plantation Trail… Read more
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Glen Park
Location: Williamsville, NY We visited this beautiful park on a recent trip to Buffalo, located 1.5 hours west of Rochester, NY. We parked near the Nature Play Playground which had fun signs for kids, a mural, a pavilion, a Little Free Library, and beautiful hand painted benches. We walked across the street to the view… Read more
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Great Embankment Park
Location: Pittsford, NY This park is located along the Erie Canal 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We parked in the lot by the bathrooms and walked up the steep, gravel path to play on the really nice playground! We then continued along the stone dust path to the canal and walked along the stone… Read more
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Green Lakes State Park – Green Lake Trail
Location: Fayetteville, NY This beautiful state park is located 1.5 hours east of Rochester, NY just south of Syracuse. The Green Lake Trail is a 2 mile loop trail that circles Green Lake with beautiful views and some informational signs. The path is stone dust and is stroller friendly. It can be combined with the… Read more
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Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area
Location: Springwater, NY This beautiful park is located about an hour south of Rochester, NY. There are wooded hiking trails and an amazing scenic view with a bench overlooking Honeoye Lake. According to their website “Overlook Road leading into the park from the parking lot passes by a spectacular view of the length of Honeoye… Read more
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Harris Whalen Park
Location: Penfield, NY This park is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We started at the playground that had a few older metal structures and a more modern structure with slides and a bridge. We then hiked along the winding network of short trails through the woods. The full loop consisting of the East… Read more
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Hemlock Lake Park
Location: Hemlock, NY This beautiful park on the north end of Hemlock Lake is located 40 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There is a pine tree grove, picnic area, pavilion, restrooms, pond and some basic playground equipment. Then there are stairs and an inclined gravel path up to the beautiful views of the lake and… Read more
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Holley Canal Falls
Location: Holley, NY Holley Canal Falls is a waterfall located 40 minutes west of Rochester, NY that can be viewed without any hiking. You can park right near the falls (porta potty at the parking lot) and enjoy the view from your car or one of the benches, picnic tables, or the pavilion. There are… Read more
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Holley Canal Park
Location: Holley, NY This is a lovely park located on the Erie Canal in Holley, NY. Up near the canal there is a gazebo, a pavilion, a Little Free Library, restrooms and a porta potty, accessible parking, informational signs, benches, and a paved path along the canal. There is a paved path or a gravel… Read more
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John L. Brown Memorial Park – Dr. Henry Foster Trail
Location: Clifton Springs, NY This park and trail are located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This is a super short, mostly flat dirt trail. To reach the trail, we parked at the library and walked past the pavilion and playgrounds to cross the cute bridge over Sulphur Creek. (FYI the bridge is steep and… Read more
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Kent Park – Hiking Trails
Location: Webster, NY This park is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. Behind the Webster Arboretum at Kent Park is a network of short hiking trails. The paths are grassy and can be very muddy and wet after rain. There is a bench, a boardwalk, a small bridge, a swamp area with a poem,… Read more
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Kent Park – Webster Arboretum
Location: Webster, NY This park and arboretum is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There are gazebos, multiple benches, a pond with a fountain, a playground, and a narrow stone dust path. There are a large variety of trees and plants planted around the arboretum. This is a great park to visit in the… Read more
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Krull Park
Location: Olcott, NY This park is located on the shore of Lake Ontario, 1.5 hours west of Rochester, NY. It’s a lovely view with the lake down below, with many benches and picnic tables as well as an observation deck overlooking the water. There are many shady trees, restrooms, pavilions, and tic tac toe shelters.… Read more
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Leolyn Woods and Fairy Trail at Lily Dale
Location: Lily Dale, NY This trail is located in Chautauqua County – 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo. Leolyn Woods is a peaceful old-growth forest with towering trees that are hundreds of years old. The Fairy Trail is a beautiful trail through the woods with many fairies, fairy houses, gnome… Read more
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Legion Eyer Park
Location: East Rochester, NY We enjoyed this peaceful park located 15 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. We first parked at the small parking lot just outside of the park entrance. From here you can hike part of the the Rochester, Syracuse, & Eastern Trolley Trail (RS&E Trail). This was a pretty flat dirt and grass… Read more
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Letchworth State Park – Highbanks Recreation Area Playground
Location: Mt Morris, NY This park is located 1 hour southwest of Rochester, NY. The Highbanks Recreation Area is located at the northern end of the park, near the town of Mt. Morris. The playground is fantastic – with unique, nature-themed features, informational signs, and some inclusive elements. Behind the playground is access to the Highbanks… Read more
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Linear Garden
Location: Rochester, NY This lovely pocket park is located in the North Winton Village neighborhood of the City of Rochester. There is a short and narrow stone dust path, about 500 feet long, that is stroller friendly. There are some benches, beautiful flowers, and garden beds. There is a small wooden structure with chairs underneath… Read more
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Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua – The Point Trail and Minturn Trail
Location: Bemus Point, NY This park is located in Chautauqua County – 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo. Long Point, which juts into Lake Chautauqua, is one of the moraines left by a retreating glacier long ago. A highlight of the park is the Point Trail or Minturn Trail,… Read more
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Luensman Overview Park
Location: Portland, NY This park is located in Chautauqua County – 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo. Just near the parking lot you can find a pavilion, a large mowed sloped area, and two observation decks with wide views of the surrounding hills and Lake Erie in the distance.… Read more
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Mendon Ponds Park – Devil’s Bathtub Trail
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This beautiful trail is located in Mendon Ponds Park, 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. According to the park website, Devil’s Bathtub Trail is a loop and is described as a ”easy 0.67 mile walk with one steep climb and stair and boardwalk sections.” It has a small viewing platform with benches… Read more
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Northampton Park – Victory Fairy Trail at Springdale Farm
Location: Spencerport, NY This short fairy house trail is located at Springdale Farm 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. To reach the fairy trail, follow the 0.2 mile paved path with a slight incline through the farm and toward the woods. There are some beautiful apple trees and a lovely pond with a nice deck… Read more
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Onondaga Lake Park – West Shore Trail
Location: Liverpool, NY This park is located just over an hour east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Onondaga Lake near Syracuse. The West Shore Trail is a paved path along the western shore of the lake. The trail is 4.5 miles of woodlands and open areas and goes through the Empower FCU Amphitheater. … Read more
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Onondaga Lake Park – Willow Bay
Location: Liverpool, NY This park is located just over an hour east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Onondaga Lake near Syracuse. The Willow Bay area of the park is located at the northwest end of the lake. From Willow Bay you can walk or bike on the East Shore Recreation Trail which connects… Read more
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Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill – “The Jump Off”
Location: Naples, NY Ontario County Park is located less than an hour from Rochester. The “Jump Off” is a 0.1 mile stroller friendly, ADA accessible trail and is one of our absolute favorite hikes in the area. It’s a flat, stone dust path through beautiful woods that leads to a viewing platform with a stunning… Read more
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Panorama Valley Park – Irondequoit Creek Panorama Plaza Trail
Location: Penfield, NY Panorama Valley Park is located 10 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This little park is located behind Panorama Plaza. There is a small grassy area with a covered picnic table. This is one end of the Irondequoit Creek Panorama Plaza Trail. The trail continues 1 mile along Irondequoit Creek to Channing Philbrick… Read more
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Parma Town Park
Location: Hilton, NY This park is located 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. There many amenities in this park, listed below. In addition there is a beautiful area with a nature trail. I did not complete the entire hike because much of the trail was closed due to a cross country meet. The website says… Read more
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Powder Mills Park – Fish Hatchery
Location: Pittsford, NY The fish hatchery is located 15 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. This is a nice spot to walk around to see the fish, feed them, or just enjoy the park. There are machines to buy fish food for a quarter. Be sure to read all of the signs and follow directions. There… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Boardwalk
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. There is a short (less than 0.1 mile), accessible boardwalk trail that starts near the main entrance. The end… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Lily Pond Loop
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. This 0.3 mile flat path over crushed stone and mowed grass circles Lily Pond. The trail has views of… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Play Area
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. The play area had some benches, a tiny wood bridge, logs, stumps, and fire pit. The nature preserve entrance… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – State Symbols Trail
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. The State Symbols Trail is a 0.1 mile flat stone dust path but can only be reached by hiking… Read more
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Richard P. Outhouse Memorial Park
Location: Canandaigua, NY This small park is located 30 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. This basic park has a 0.75 flat paved perimeter path with several benches and very little shade. There is a small fitness station, a pirate theme playground, several pavilions, and public restrooms. The path is stroller friendly. Leashed dogs are allowed.… Read more
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Rothfuss Park
Location: Penfield, NY This park is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There is a ~1 mile flat, stroller-friendly gravel walking path around the perimeter of the park and a QR Fit Trail. There is an inclusive playground (with recycled rubber safety surfacing that is wheelchair accessible) as well as a dinosaur theme “JACK’S… Read more
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Royalton Ravine Park
Location: Gasport, NY This beautiful park is located 1 hour west of Rochester, NY. The park starts with a pavilions, restrooms, grassy fields, and a beautiful pond. There is an opening through the trees beyond the pond that leads to wooded trails. Along the trails are a suspension bridge, a wildflower meadow, a small waterfall… Read more
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Sanctuary at Crowfield Farm
Location: Arcadia, NY NOTE: The Sanctuary is closed to hikers during hunting season. This beautiful nature trail is located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. While there are 1.6 miles of trails, we only did a short section of them. There was a grassy road down to a trailhead sign and a porta potty. I… Read more
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Sandy Bottom Park and Nature Trail
Location: Richmond, NY This park is located 40 minutes south of Rochester, NY at the north end of Honeoye Lake. There is a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding hills with benches and picnic tables, two playgrounds, swimming beach, boat launch, fishing area, porta potty, and informational signs. Be sure to look for signs… Read more
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Sawyer Park
Location: Greece, NY This lovely 16.4 acre park is located 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. Tucked away from the busy Long Pond Road, this park is actually quite peaceful. Near the entrance there is a nice area with tall evergreen trees, a pavilion, bathrooms, and a brand new playground as of summer 2025. If… Read more
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Schoen Place
Location: Pittsford, NY This Erie Canalside spot is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There are old warehouses that have been turned into shops and restaurants. You can walk the Erie Canalway Trail (bikes must be walked in this area), take a boat ride, or enjoy a meal. There is an informational sign and… Read more
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Shadow Pines
Location: Penfield, NY This former golf course is now a hiking and walking area as well as located 10 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There are a few different areas of this large park. The map below shows the different sections (the STAR is the parking for the recreation/playground area, the SQUARE is the parking… Read more
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Spencerport Nature Center
Location: Spencerport, NY NOTE: This nature area is located on school grounds and its availability to the public is shown below. Check the official website for any updates or changes. Public Hours of Operation: This nature area is located 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. Parking for the Spencerport Nature Center is located in the… Read more
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Stewart Park
Location: Ithaca, NY This park is located in Ithaca along the shore of Cayuga Lake, 1 hour 45 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. This beautiful park has so much to offer. This park includes a section of the paved Cayuga Waterfront Trail with beautiful views of the lake and many benches. This path connects to… Read more
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Taughannock Falls State Park – Lakefront Area
Location: Trumansburg, NY NOTE: Deer hunting (bow only) is permitted in this park in season. Take precautions. This beautiful state park in the Finger Lakes is located 1.5 hour southeast of Rochester, NY along Cayuga Lake near Ithaca. Across the road from the waterfall trails is the lakefront area. This is not a hiking trail,… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Woodland Trail
Location: Pittsford, NY This is a beautiful park located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The woodland trail is the outer loop, shown in the map below. The loop is 1.2 miles via the exercise path or 0.78 miles long if you take the cut through path along the boardwalk next to the pond. The… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Arboretum
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. Down the road a bit from the interpretive center is an arboretum. There is a lean-to, picnic area, benches, fields, a small stream, and a variety of… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Nature Playground
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. A short walk from the interpretive center is the nature play area. There are some neat features for kids such as a swing, a willow tunnel and… Read more
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Veterans Memorial Park (Henrietta)
Location: Henrietta, NY This park is located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. To access the hiking trail, park in the lot near Bushman Cabin or walk down Cabin Rd from one of the other parking areas. This short ~0.75 mile loop trail is part of the Lehigh Valley Multi-Use Trail (North Branch). The path… Read more
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Webster First Responders Park – Chiyoda Paved Loop
Location: Webster, NY This trail is located at First Responders Park 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. According to the website: “The Chiyoda Trails are located at the Webster Recreation Center. They consist of a paved trail (one-mile loop) around the ball fields and the First Responders Memorial Playground, plus a packed-dirt trail through the… Read more
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Webster Park – Beeches Trail
Location: Webster, NY This hiking trail is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY near Lake Ontario. We recently were sledding at Webster Park off of Holt Road and decided to hike the short Beeches Trail to the Webster Pier. There were a few pine trees, bridges, and walking through the tunnel under Lake Road.… Read more
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Webster Park – Ridge Trail
Location: Webster, NY Webster Park is located 25 minutes northeast of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. The Ridge Trail is a beautiful 1.4 mile trail that follows a mowed lane and dirt path through the woods. I especially loved the grove of spruce trees located near the sign for Wolf Cabin. There… Read more
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Wolcott Falls
Location: Wolcott, NY This roadside waterfall is located 50 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There is a viewing platform right next to the parking lot to view the waterfall from above. There is also a trail down to the bottom. I did not hike this trail, but according to CNY Hiking: “The short 0.18 mile… Read more