Beat Cabin Fever

For those craving an off-the-grid escape, Sonyea State Forest offers over 900 acres of rustic woods and winding streams. Keshequa Creek Falls Trail is a highlight, leading hikers on a 2.9-mile journey past multi-tiered waterfalls and along the scenic Keshequa Gorge. This hidden gem follows the historic path of the Genesee Canal and Pennsylvania Railroad, providing a blend of natural beauty and local history. It is a prime destination for primitive camping, fishing, and finding true solitude under the shade of oak and pine trees.

Just south of Dansville, Stony Brook State Park is a masterclass in gorge geology, featuring three major waterfalls—Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. The Gorge Trail is famous for its intricate stone staircases and footbridges, hand-carved by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. Visitors can enjoy a natural swimming pool fed by the creek or utilize the vast picnic areas and modern playgrounds. It’s a perfect spot for families to spend an entire summer day amidst "rock-carved beauty".

Nestled between the Genesee River and Letchworth State Park, Al Lorenz Park is an 80-acre hidden gem, with trails, ponds, and bridges that are secluded and peaceful. Enjoy free parking, restrooms, playgrounds, pavilions, sports fields, and courts.

This 60-acre forest between Geneseo and Mount Morris has several miles of beginner-friendly trails with multiple gullies and a creek, shoreline views of the Genesee River, and the remnants of structures built by the Onon:dowa’ga tribe, a member of the Haudenosaunee League of Nations.

Nestled between the Allegany foothills and the Finger Lakes, nothing compares to the dynamic beauty of Letchworth State Park. Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East”, the park transforms with the seasons. Springtime brings roaring changes, turning waterfalls into powerful displays of nature. Many trails open in the spring, giving you 66 miles of majestic woodland to explore. Along the way, you’ll see signs of new life everywhere, from the buds on the trees to the early spring blooms. Camping opens for the season in May, so you can stay the night if one day isn’t enough.

Winding south from Rochester, Genesee Valley Greenway State Park is a 90-mile outdoor space connecting people to the natural world and providing a vegetated buffer between human and natural habitats. The route follows old canal trails and railroad beds, creating a level surface that’s perfect for hiking, biking, running, horseback riding, fishing, or any other kind of adventuring. Spend hours exploring the woods, wetlands, river valleys, steep gorges, rolling hills, and past historic villages along miles and miles of trails.