Hiking Owasco Lake

The Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary offers you something in the Finger Lakes that is pretty uncommon: plant and animal species that exist at higher elevations than in most of the region.

When you walk the trail in the Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary, you’ll walk among hemlock and yellow birch, tree species common in the Adirondack Mountains and areas of higher elevations.

You’ll also experience the uncommon peat fen swamp habitat that proliferates at the bird sanctuary and nurtures regionally uncommon flora - including multiple species on the New York State protected species list. 

Please note: You’re encouraged to take photos from the trails, but collecting plants and foraging are strictly prohibited to protect the sensitive nature of this area.

Highlights

• Hiking
• Viewing wildlife

Getting there

• 📍Lake Como Rd, Moravia, NY 13118
• 📞 (607) 275-9487
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• Bird sanctuary: 230 acres
• Hiking trail: 1.1 miles

• Peat fen swamp habitat
• Plant collecting is prohibited
• Dogs allowed on leash
• Free entry

If you do an online search of Owasco Lake in images, you’ll probably get one- or many - hits for an iconic pier with candycane-shaped light posts. This is Emerson Park.

Located in Auburn, Emerson Park has well maintained walking trails, areas for picnicking, playgrounds, boat launches, and more. 

Without a doubt, you’ll want to take a stroll out onto the piers for your best view of the lake!

Highlights

• Hiking
• Swimming
• Boating
• Paddling

Getting there

• 📍6877 E Lake Rd, Auburn, NY 13021
• 📞 (315) 253-5611
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• Park: 135 acres
• Walking trails

• Iconic pier
• Picnic grills
• Playground
• Swimming area with lifeguard
• Facilities
• Boat launch
• Dogs allowed on leash
• Free entry

To get your waterfall fix while visiting Owasco Lake, head to Fillmore Glen State Park, south of Moravia. 

You’ll find four marked trails to hike, plus an unmarked trail and a snowmobile trail. As you hike, you’ll pass five picturesque Finger Lakes waterfalls.

Pack a picnic for before or after your hike, let the kids play on the playground, and the dogs loll in the sun. You don’t want to to miss this beauty!

Highlights

• Hiking
• Camping
• Swimming
• Viewing Wildlife
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Snowmobiling
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowshoeing

Getting there

• 📍1686 NY-38, Moravia, NY 13118
• 📞 (315) 497-0130
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• State Park: 941 acres
• 4 marked hiking trails

• Waterfall viewing
• Stream-fed swimming area
• Playgrounds
• Picnic areas
• Facilities
• Max 2 leashed dogs allowed
• Entry fee

Looking for a cold, winter hike? Haha! Well, you can get that and more at Frozen Ocean State Forest, on the eastern hills of Owasco Lake. Frozen Ocean State Forest gets its name from the frigid winds that blow across the grounds of this high elevation park.

Frozen Ocean State Forest has no maintained trails, but as a state forest, you are welcomed to hike anywhere on the property you wish, unless otherwise posted.

Head out during the warmer months to explore the two ponds on the property or don your winter gear for some winter hiking in a northern latitude-like atmosphere.

Frozen Ocean State Forest gets some frigid winds and snow cover - so is great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.

Getting there

• 📍 Quarry Road, Moravia, NY 13118
• 📞  607-753-3095
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• State forest: 753 acres

• No maintained trails
• Hiking allowed anywhere in forest unless otherwise posted
• Dogs allowed
• Free entry

Owasco Bluffs Nature Preserve has - you’ll never guess - bluffs. Yes!

When you walk the trail that winds along the top of the gorge, you get to experience these bluffs up close and personally. Luckily, you don’t have to traverse the gorge, instead the trail leads you to two different lookout points that provide excellent photo ops of Owasco Lake. 

Later, you can tell your friends you’re really good at bluffing.

Highlights

• Hiking
• Viewing Wildlife
• Paddling

Getting there

• 📍 4364 Sam Adams Ln, Auburn, NY 13021
• 📞  607-275-9487 
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• Nature preserve: 74 acres
• Hiking trail: 1 mile

• Photo opportunities
• No facilities
• Dogs allowed on leash
• Free entry

Owasco Flats is another name for the Owasco inlet and the area surrounding where the water enters the lake. According to information provided by Cayuga County, the town of Moravia used to be called Owasco Flats.

Today, you can hike about two miles of trails in the Owasco Flats Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This WMA is actually cut into three different parcels, with one being closer to the tip of the lake, one resting right on the inlet, and another just north of Moravia.

The Flats are considered an Important Bird Area (IBA), so bring your binoculars to spot some waterfowl and shorebirds.

Highlights

• Hiking
• Padding
• Viewing Wildlife
• Hunting
• Trapping
• Fishing

Getting there

• 📍2799 Firelane, Moravia, NY 13118
• 📞 (315) 253-5611
• 🗺 Find on Google Maps

Features

• Wildlife Management Area: 54 acres
• Three separate parcels of land
• Hiking trails: 2 miles

• Important Bird Area (IBA)
• Dogs allowed
• Free entry