Turning Point Park is located on Boxart St, off Lake Ave near Charlotte Furniture & Appliance. The trail’s most striking feature is a 3,572 ft-long bridge over the Genesee River Turning Basin.
You can begin your exploration of Turning Point Park either at the Boxart St parking lot and walk downstream, or on River St. near Stutson St. and the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse walking upstream.
Turning Point’s boardwalk takes you out into the river, close to blue herons, swans, turtles and other wildlife and is part of the greater Genesee Riverway Trail extending from Ontario Beach Park south through the City of Rochester to Genesee Valley Park.
Turning Point in Winter
While you are visiting
Turning Point Park
Ontario Beach Park is a focal-point for the Charlotte neighborhood, while the Hidden Sidewalk is just out of the public view. In addition, the Genesee Riverway Trail, south of the O’Rorke Bridge, runs parallel with River St where you will find Charlotte Cemetery and the grave of infamous Rochesterian Sam Patch.
Bill Davis,
Champion of the Genesee
In 1939, a man named Bill Davis, along with his wife, Lois Davis, moved to Rochester’s Charlotte neighborhood and began his career with Kodak. Upon retiring in 1976, Bill became involved with various community groups, including one he started–Charlotte Action Plan whose goal it was to promote and protect the area we know today as Turning Point Park. Davis initiated our current “Genesee River Romance” weekend in October that continues to serve the mission to promote and protect.
His passion for history and the environment helped to preserve the quality and usability of the Genesee River as a system. Bill’s efforts to save the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse is why it still stands today for us to enjoy.
Here are few places you can learn more about Bill’s life and legacy: Historical Marker Project, and lowerfalls.org.
More information about Turning Point Park
- Cost: Free
- Located in the City of Rochester (get directions)
- More information: cityofrochester.gov/turningpoint/
Lake Ontario Beach Park is located at the northernmost tip of the city of Rochester, and is bordered on the East by the mouth of the Genesee River.
The Lake Ontario Seaway Trail is the portion that runs along the southern Lake Ontario shoreline, from Fort Niagara in Youngstown to Fort Ontario in Oswego.
Many of our City of Rochester parks have beginnings embedded in Rochester’s youth. Some were designed by (and later inspired by) notable landscape architects such as Frederick Law Olmsted and Lawrence Halprin.
5 Places in the City to Enjoy the Genesee River
At Genesee Valley Park, the Genesee River begins her journey through the city, racing over a dam and three waterfalls before emptying into Lake Ontario.
You can climb the 40-foot tower in the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse and enjoy the view of Lake Ontario, the Genesee River, and Ontario Beach Park.
When is your favorite time of year to walk through Turning Point Park?
Share with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!