Top Paddling Locations in the Finger Lakes Region

On a warm summer afternoon, there is no better way to enjoy the beauty of the Finger Lakes than by boat. While many people are familiar with powerboating on the open waters of the lakes, exploring the region in a kayak, paddleboard or canoe can be incredibly rewarding. From eleven beautiful lakes—including two completely undeveloped lakes—to bayou-like swamps and a mighty river, the region boasts a diversity of opportunities for quiet water paddling. See our top favorites.

Chemung River

Wild rivers in New York are typically thought to be found only in the Adirondack Park, but the Chemung River is a great alternative for paddlers looking for a scenic trip local to the Finger Lakes region. The river is over 45 miles long, but many first-time visitors will prefer the six-mile stretch between Bottcher’s Landing in Big Flats and the Fitch’s Bridge pullout just west of Elmira. This stretch of the river is particularly picturesque and passes under the steep Palisades, a long sinuous cliff hundreds of feet high that looms over the river along its southern shore.

Paddling the six-mile stretch should take a couple hours but trips of a few days are also possible. It is even possible to continue along the Chemung to the Susquehanna and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay on a river adventure of epic proportions. Connect with one of many outfitters in the area to make your river trip easy.

Hemlock-Canadice State Forest

Paddlers are welcome to enjoy over 2,000 acres of tranquil water, free of the common boat traffic found on all of the other Finger Lakes. The shores of these gems are free of development and utterly wild, so exploring Hemlock-Canadice State Forest is like stepping back in time to behold the Finger Lakes in their natural state.

Please note: there is no swimming here. Otherwise, these preserved lands offer an abundance of recreational activities. With placid water to paddle and over 20 miles of multiuse trails surrounding the lakes, there is a lot to do and see and the opportunities are expanding.

West River

Over four miles long, the meandering West River at High Tor Wildlife Management Area provides ample paddling in an almost idyllic landscape. Tall cattails and thick lily pads carpet the banks throughout the 1,700-acre marshland. Surrounded by forested hillsides, the river and vast wetlands are truly peaceful and a world unto itself. In fact, paddling up the West River to the developed shores and loud motors on Canandaigua Lake feels a bit like stepping forward in time as the wilderness cedes to civilization. It is akin to Adirondack paddling trips and a true testament to how removed the river and wetlands actually feel.

Ambitious paddlers can explore the lake itself, but be advised strong north-south winds sometimes fill the center of the lake with tall waves. Various car top launch points are available along the river as well as on the southwest corner of Canandaigua Lake.

Howland Island

Paddlers will enjoy both the river and canal surrounding Howland Island with the added benefit that this is a “round” river trip. This type of configuration means you can paddle the river and canal and end up right where you started without retracing your course. As expected, these experiences are very rare and make planning a trip easy. The entire circuit would be about 10 miles and this includes the Seneca River, the Swift Water Channel, and the Erie Canal.

Longer trips can be created by navigating further along the Seneca River and looping back along the Erie Canal further to the southwest. While larger powered boats will be encountered along the canal these large boats tend to avoid the river due to thick weeds and other obstructions. The Montezuma Audubon Center, the informational hub for the Wetland Complex, offers regular, naturalist-guided, paddling trips to further enhance the experience.

Owasco Flats

At the southern end of Owasco Lake is an inlet and diverse floodplain that provide excellent birding, paddling, and a couple of short nature trails. Commonly known as Owasco Flats, the inlet serves as an important habitat for fish spawning within its emergent marshes, which also does double duty as a natural water quality buffer for Owasco Lake.

During the spring, runs of rainbow trout will find fisherman nearly shoulder to shoulder along the inlet trail. But paddling along the inlet is the activity that really shines here. The slow and quiet paddler will be rewarded with ample bird spotting and rare photo opportunities. When conditions permit, paddlers can explore the inlet all the way to Rt. 38 in Moravia.

Staghorn Cliffs

A paddle along Skaneateles Lake’s eastern shore will wow paddlers young and old. Leave from the boat launch at the Town of Scott Family Park, located just off of Glen Haven Road. From there, a two-mile paddle along the lake’s edge will bring you to the Finger Lakes Land Trust’s Cora Kampfe Dickinson Conservation Area which protects 1,300 feet along the bluffs known locally as the “Staghorn Cliffs.”

Here, the lakeshore bedrock contains staghorn coral fossils. Peer into the water or step out of your boat to see an ancient coral reef from the Devonian Period, ca. 400-350 million years ago.

Finger Lakes Museum

Along the picturesque west branch of Keuka Lake, lies a peaceful and biodiverse area awaiting exploration by boat. Paddling from the Finger Lakes Museum’s boat launch in Branchport gives you the opportunity to pass through a forested stream channel, wetlands, and into the open waters of the lake beyond. Choose your own adventure, which can, of course, incorporate all three.

Travel south from the launch and you will find yourself between two tracts of wetlands including the 16-acre Townsend-Grady Wildlife Preserve. This parcel has more than 1,400 feet of frontage on Sugar Creek, which is a navigable inlet to the lake. Paddle to the north on Sugar Creek and discover a forested wonderland.

Other excellent Finger Lakes paddling opportunities highlighted on gofingerlakes.org include:

Taughannock Falls State Park

In the summer, rent stand-up paddle boards and kayaks for a Cayuga Lake adventure.

Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area

A 300-yard portage is all that separates paddlers from the placid and tranquil inlet and wetland open waters.

Texas Hollow State Forest

A man-made pond is a short distance from the parking area along Texas Hollow Road, so boaters can easily portage in for some tranquil paddling and excellent fishing.

Green Lakes State Park

With two pristine lakes, boat rentals, and a sandy swimming beach there are numerous ways to enjoy Green Lakes State Park from the water.

*Please remember that paddlers should make every effort to minimize the disturbance of wildlife.

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Portions of this article also appeared in Life in the Finger Lakes magazine.

Best Birding Spots in the Finger Lakes Region

Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the Finger Lakes region. If you are a beginning birder, it’s a great place to get started. If you are already a diehard, you can devote hours and hours, week after week, to birding here and never run out of rewarding discoveries. And whether you live in our region or are here just for a short visit, you have endless options about where to find the birds, all year round.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

Montezuma is the crown jewel of the area’s birding sites, almost literally at the top center on the map of the region at the north end of Cayuga Lake, within an hour’s drive of Syracuse, Rochester, and Ithaca. The refuge itself encompasses almost 10,000 acres, but is only one part of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, a vast patchwork of almost 50,000 protected acres, or about 78 square miles. Most people begin their visit at the refuge’s visitor center and then proceed slowly on the Wildlife Drive around the Main Pool. During spring and fall migration, these open waters host hundreds of thousands of migrating ducks, geese, swans, grebes, coots, cormorants, and every now and then, even local rarities such as American White Pelicans. Montezuma also hosts a dazzling array of charismatic breeding birds throughout the summer, and in winter, the area is still excellent for roadside birding, perhaps most notably for wintering Snowy Owls and Northern Shrikes.

Sapsucker Woods

Located in Ithaca, this 220-acre sanctuary is the home of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, one of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to the study and conservation of birds. Sapsucker Woods is a particularly good place to start if you are new to birds and birding. The sanctuary itself has more than four miles of trails, which are all wide and flat, making for easy walking even for young children. Comprising beech-oak forest, swampland, brushy edges, and ponds, Sapsucker Woods typically hosts more than 150 bird species per year. During peak migration in May and September, birders collectively find 20+ species of warblers, plus vireos, thrushes, and much more. Summer is less of a riot of diversity, but still, with a well-trained ear, one can find 50 or more breeding bird species in Sapsucker Woods, including Barred Owls, Northern Waterthrushes, Scarlet Tanagers, and of course eponymous Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

High Tor Wildlife Management Area

With ponds, waterfalls, rivers, gorges, forests, and open fields, there is an abundance of wildlife habitats within the 6,315-acre wildlife management area in Yates County. Numerous songbirds and marshland birds may be viewed here.  No doubt the rich habitat and all the wildlife it supports is why the Audubon Society has recognized High Tor as an Important Bird Area.

Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area

The Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area is 1,120 acres of broad, flat floodplain nestled between two glacially steepened hillsides at the foot of Conesus Lake. Its marshland habitat is a favorite stopover for numerous species of migratory birds, and Bald Eagles have been nesting within the area and can be seen fishing the lagoon.

Bell Station

Located on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, Bell Station is a remarkable property that features 3,400 feet of pristine shoreline, wooded hillsides, extensive fields, and several small streams with cascading waterfalls. Bald Eagles are frequently seen on the property and waterfowl seasonally congregate off the shoreline.

Finger Lakes Land Trust Nature Preserves

The Finger Lakes Land Trust owns many lesser-known nature preserves, open to the public and much beloved by locals but often overlooked by visitors. Here you can really discover the variety in our regional landscapes, and accordingly, the diversity of our breeding birds. See our top three below.

Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve

Located in West Danby, Tompkins County, this preserve covers more than 500 acres of meadows, hedgerows, hardwood forest, hemlock woods, and streams and ponds. Over 70 species of birds nest here in a typical year, including both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, plus Prairie Warblers among 17+ breeding warbler species.

Hinchcliff Family Preserve

The Hinchcliff Preserve in Spafford, Onondaga County, has a similarly impressive mix of habitats and bird species across its 206 acres, plus a sweeping view of Skaneateles Lake.

Wesley Hill Nature Preserve

And in the 390-acre Wesley Hill Preserve between Canandaigua and Honeoye Lakes, you can expect to find Hermit Thrushes, Eastern Bluebirds, and up to three dozen other species on a slow morning walk through the mature hardwoods and conifers in spring and summer.

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Portions of this article also appeared in Life in the Finger Lakes magazine.

Over 950 Miles Long and Covering Some of the Most Scenic Land in New York

Since 1962, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference has worked to build a continuous footpath across New York State.

Here on Gofingerlakes.org, you can learn about the following locations which contain portions of the Finger Lakes Trail.

• Birdseye Hollow State Forest
• Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve
• Buttermilk Falls State Park
• Danby State Forest
• Erwin Wildlife Management Area
• Finger Lakes National Forest
• Gannett Hill Park
• Hammond Hill State Forest
• Hi Tor Wildlife Management Area
• Jim Schug Trail
• Lick Brook Gorge
• Shindagin Hollow State Forest

The Finger Lakes Trail system runs from Allegheny State Park on the Pennsylvania border to the Catskill Forest Preserve, with branch trails to Niagara Falls, the Genesee River valley, the Great Eastern Trail, the central Finger Lakes, and the Syracuse region.  This system is built and maintained almost entirely by volunteers.  The Finger Lakes Trail Conference (FLTC) invites you to hike the trail and volunteer to keep it beautiful; see their site for maps and tools.

See some of our Favorite Hikes on the Finger Lakes Trail.

Happy exploring!