Fallbrook is posted private property with no trespassing allowed. Trail Otter in Leicester…read moreprovides exclusive guided hikes into the gorge without needing to take the dangerous hillside path to the bottom. They offer access year round with recommendations for clothing and footwear, depending on the season.

For the bottom of the fall, there is a notably, VERY, steep climb to get down! As in holding on to…read morea rope and almost fully going vertically down! The day we went, it was kind of muddy which made it that much harder. I have participated in indoor rock climbing for years but this scared me. There were times were my full body weight were on these ropes. Ropes someone else tied, who knows how well and how long ago! The fall itself is stunning but it is a little dangerous. Naturally there was tons of trash down there as well. If you take the path to the left, it is a easy walk to the top of the falls. Very beautiful and easy!

This hike is on State land across from hemlock lake. Small dirt parking area leads to a beautiful…read morenature trail along the creek. The water fall is not far and has a nice little swimming hole perfect for kids. Slippery rocks and can be buggy especially after a rain.

After hiking in Stony Brook Park, we had a bit of energy left, so stopped for a quick 0.5 mile…read moreout-and-back hike to see the beautiful waterfalls that are in Reynolds Gully. Fairly easy, but some climbing and stooping (that yoga will pay off for your flexibility to scoot under a fallen tree!) toward the end .... but sooooooooo worth it! Rocks can be a little slippery, but worth it to get a little dirty, in order to be awed by nature! GPS/Locations: Waterfall: (N 42.66758 / W 77.58907) Parking: (N 42.66833 / W 77.59166) Directions: Located on the south-east end of Hemlock Lake, on the east side of Rt. 15A. Take I-390 south to Rush and follow 15A south along Hemlock Lake. After passing Johnson Hill Road, Reynold's Gully will be a mile down on your left. Parking: Park in the small dirt area near the gully. Space for a few cars.

The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is a cool little spot. The staff are super…read morenice. Inside the center you can hear wildlife sounds and learn what to look for. The standout for me was this amazing topographic map where you move the sand and it updates the contour lines live. I wish I had that when learning maps. They also run a bunch of events... I've done a luminary walk and an owl prowl, plus there are eagle nest outings and birding stuff. The gift shop is small but nice. Overall, if you're looking for a good nature outing, this(and the other sites they manage are great. Swallow Hollow is my favorite trail, but the whole area is awesome.

This is one of my favorite places to come hiking and birding. I always see things I don't see…read moreelsewhere while I'm here and it's one of the most reliable places to see eagles. The reserve itself is huge and I haven't covered all of the resist but have a few go-tos. There are bathrooms and porta-potties available at various trail entrances. There is ample parking as well.

This is such an underrated Rochester park! With beautiful views and a variety of hike options, it…read moreis hard to go wrong with a trip to Lower Falls Park. It is a little tricky to find and negotiate where the best views are, which I think is what keeps people away and maybe slightly intimidated. I took on this park after exploring the Maplewood Rose Garden, and found that jaunt to be perfectly doable, if you're thinking about making an afternoon of it. When I was there, we took some time to explore the artwork, which includes some great and unbiased pieces about Rochester's past. We hopped a small railing to get up close and personal with the falls, which provides a great view. If I am remembering correctly there are some tents and a community making their home in this part of the park, so just be aware of that. I highly recommend taking your next park trip to Lower Falls!

It was about an hour and a half paddle from Charlotte boat launch. You see hardly anyone fishing…read moretill the end and just a few other boats early in the morning. It's a whole different view of Rochester.

What a fantastic park, lots of great hiking trails along the Oatka Creek with such beautiful views…read more Trails are easily marked. Love how they even spray paint uprooted tripping hazards.. bright pink and white. Loved hiking to the bridge overpass , great view over the creek. So much fun rustling through autumn leaves and fall weather!

I have such conflicted feelings about this review, because part of what makes Oatka Creek Park so…read moreamazing is that it's off the beaten path and not very well known. But a good Yelper doesn't hoard the knowledge, and the physical location of the park is still going to be off the beaten path, so I can be confident in sharing why Oatka Creek Park is a gem. Oatka Creek Park is a little hard to find if you haven't been there before. Luckily, Waze actually recognized the address and got us there in one piece. Basically, you go through an intersection and the park is right there. There was a decent sized parking lot right away, and down the road another, closer to the trail. It's your call which lot is best. The main trail is a loop around the park, the goal to get you down to Oatka Creek itself. And let me say, it's worth the hike. Moving water is the best, for so many reasons. It's not the fastest moving creek, but it's a great one to stop at and take in the sights. I found the trail to be fairly simple, a little uphill and downhill at times, but not the strenuous kind (at least in my eyes). You could even go on horseback if you wanted, and I've seen the horses on the trail. It's a good one for horses, but be advised that with horses comes the not so little presents they leave behind. Watch where you step. Oatka Creek Park is a true gem, so I don't feel too bad about letting the world know about it. Somehow, I feel the serenity and woodland creatures won't go anywhere on a day with more hikers and horses than usual.

We were the only ones there so parking was easy. There are only about 4-5 actual parking spaces but…read morecars can also park along the right hand side of the road. The rocks in some area in the creek are tough so water shoes or crocs are recommended. There is a ton of flat spaces though once past the rocks and it's really awesome to just play there on the edge of it with the current pushing you along to the deeper side.

It's a cute little park that's known for the large dam. It offers beautiful views and a nice quiet…read moreatmosphere. Trout fishermen love it here during the spring and fall months best known for trout fishing. People will pile ontop of eachother while casting. It's also a nice park for a quick hike or picnic with the family! There are two parking lots, one on each side of the creek but please be mindful of where you are walking/fishing. There are lots of posted signs for private property.

This is a lovely hike early in the day. Tons of stairs, you have to go up them on the way back…read more The path is fairly well marked, but has plenty of areas with a drop off so pay attention. I'm pretty familiar with this hike and enjoy it. Easy parking nearby.

Devil's Hole State Park is just a short distance from Whirlpool State Park…read more Tip: From the overlook, you can't see Devil's Hole; you'll have to hike down the trail to see it. The rocks along the wall on the trail are VERY sharp, so excercise caution while you're hiking here - it's a LONG way to the store for band-aids ;-)