Park trails like Mendon, Letchworth and Webster are excellent, but sometimes you need something less populated, more rustic, or in an unusual surrounding. Here are a few trails around Rochester that will inspire you to not take a walk in the park!
Rail-Trails Around Rochester
- Erie-Attica Rail Trail
- Genesee Valley Greenway Rail Trail
- Lehigh Valley Rail Trail
- Keuka Outlet Trail and Preservation Area
- Ontario Pathways Rail Trail
- Auburn Rail Trail
- Auburn-Fleming Rail Trail
- Perinton Trolley
- Pittsford Rail Trail Loop
- Cato-Fair Haven Rail Trail
- Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rail Trail
- Great Gorge Rail Trail
49 New York State Parks Within a 2-hour Drive of Rochester, NY
Venture into one of these New York State Parks within a 2-hour drive of Rochester and discover what makes them each unique!
Waterside & Wetland Trails Around Rochester
- Genesee Riverway Trail
- Beatty Point
- Rob’s Trail Hemlock Lake
- Manchester Gateway
- Seneca Meadows
- Thomas Creek Wetlands Walk
- Braddock Bay Marina
- Tifft Nature Preserve
- Outer Harbor and Greenway
- Sterling Nature Center
- Bergen Swamp
- Huckleberry Swamp
- Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
- Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
- Whistlewood
- Wolcott Falls Hiking Trail
- Palmyra Wetland Nature Trail
- Hidden Sidewalk
- Butterfly Nature Trail
Monroe County parks are free, so take advantage of 12,000 acres of natural, zoological, horticultural, historical and geological experiences!
Genesee Land Trust Public Trails
- Gosnell Big Woods Preserve
- Manitou Beach Preserve
- Hipp Brook Preserve
- Eva and Harlan Braman Preserve
- Brookdale Preserve
- Island Cottage Woods Preserve
- Christine Sevilla Wetlands Preserve
- Kraai Preserve
- Corwall Preserve
132 Day Trips from Rochester, NY
We’ve pulled together a diverse list of day trips from Rochester, NY within an hour-and-a-half of Center City–perfect for quick getaways!
Finger Lakes Land Trust Public Trails
- Wesley Hill Nature Preserve
- Bahar Preserve & Carpenter Falls
- High Vista Nature Preserve
- Grimes Glen
- Great Hill Nature Preserve
- Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve
5 Roadside Attractions Worth Going Out of Your Way For
There are so many interesting roadside attractions near Rochester. As you’re driving around the area, you should at least see these five!
Inland Natural Trails Around Rochester
- Finger Lakes Trail
- Brickyard Trail
- Indian Hill
- Historic Erie Canal Trails
- Whiting Road Nature Preserve
- Mackay Wildlife Preserve
- Indian Fort Nature Preserve
- Little Rock City
- Great Bear Recreation Area
- Monkey Run
- Domine Trail
- Turtle Pond
- Royal Coach Trails
- Groveland Secondary
- Baltimore Woods
- Trail of Hope
- Town of Lockport Nature Trails
- Alasa Farms
- Sanctuary at Crowfield Farm
Water Trails: 58 Places to Explore Rochester’s Waterways
Depending on your definition, water trails are either formally marked routes along a navigable waterway, or simply any waterway suitable for canoes, kayaks, and small motorized watercraft.
Department of Environmental Conservation Lands
- Sugar Hill State Forest
- Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area
- Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve
- Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forest
- Bare Hill Unique Area
- Rush Oak Openings Unique Area
- Hemlock-Canadice State Forest
- Sonyea State Forest
- High Tor Wildlife Management Area
- Catharine Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area
48 Nature Centers, Preserves, Refuges, and Observatories Around Rochester
Our nature centers, wildlife preserves, management areas, etc., all serve to protect and sustain life, while making nature accessible to people to enjoy and learn from.