Explore these five family-friendly hiking trails in Genesee County
Get outside to explore all that spring has to offer! Step out to enjoy these five great hiking hot spots in Genesee County:
1. Dewitt Recreation Area, Batavia, NY
Located in the City of Batavia, this 64-acre park offers four main trails (the longest being one mile), and a handful of short up and back trails. Most of the pathways travel around Dewitt Lake for some nice views of the water and of wildlife. To learn more about Dewitt Recreation Area, click here.
2. Bergen Swamp, Bergen, NY
For a more primitive hiking experience, the Bergen Swamp is your place. Listed on the National Registry of National Natural Landmarks there are two hiking trails that take you through and around the swamp. Wildlife galore resides in the swamp, so you are bound to have some encounters. More information about the Bergen Swamp can be found here.
3. Conservation Trail, Genesee County
For the hiker looking for a backpacking adventure this trail traverses across farmlands, rolling hills and mature woods of Genesee County. The trail is 177 miles and extends from the Pennsylvania border to the Canadian border in Niagara County. There are several trail heads along the way where you can park your car and join the trail, including at Darien Lake State Park. For more information about the Conservation Trail, click here.
4. Genesee County Park & Forest, East Bethany, NY
If you want to experience a lot of trails in one day, this is just the place for you! This beautiful park has no less than 20 trails throughout its confines. While the trails are not super long (2.1 miles being the longest), there are several smaller trails that lead hikers to special areas including ponds and forests. To learn more about Genesee County Park & Forest visit here.
5. Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, NY
There are four notable trails in this massive 10,000+ acre nature preserve that is shared by both Genesee County and Orleans County. With over 300 species of animals, you are poised to see lots of wildlife. Two hiking trails of note are the Onondaga Nature Trail (2.2 miles total, up n’back) and the Swallow Hollow Nature Trail (1.3 mile loop). To plan your visit to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, visit here.
