Casey Park is a great family park located on Knickerbocker Rd, north of Route 104 in the Town of Ontario, NY. This park has a wide variety of activities that families can participate in. There are 2 playgrounds with modern playground equipment. There is also a small water park, and a roped-off swimming area with lifeguards in a canal, that was created from the strip mining for iron ore. Visitors can rent canoes and paddleboats to sail on the canal. People can also fish at many places along the canal.
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The best feature of this park is the 1.9-mile loop trail known as the Casey Park Trail. The first half of the trail is a wide, flat, and open path that is surrounded by wood and has small offshoots that lead directly to the water. A stroller can easily travel over this trail. There are often wet, muddy spots after it rains but for the most part, this is a beautiful and wonderful place to go hiking with young children. This part of the trail ends at a bridge that stretches over the end of the canal. This is a popular place to fish.
The second part of the trail is not small children nor stroller friendly. This trail should only be walked with older children (at least five years old). The trail is very narrow, and hikers must walk in single file. The trail also comes precariously close to a drop-off that can be dangerous if you aren’t paying attention. You are almost guaranteed to break something, if not worse if you happen to fall over the side toward the canal. I caution against bringing young children up this part of the trail. However, for those able to hike this end of the trail, it really is quite lovely and peaceful.
Update: A bird blind has been added to the trail. If you aren’t familiar with what a bird blind is, it provides visitors with the opportunity to absorb birds in their natural habitat without the birds realizing they are being observed.
From the looks of it, they are adding more trails, and this park will be growing. As a final tip, I would also suggest that you bring some mosquito repellent if you decide to hike this trail. While most of the time, the trail is fine; it is shaded for 90% of the trail, so the mosquitoes can be numerous if it is a wet summer. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Winter at Casey Park
This beautiful park isn’t on most people’s radar, so it is often entirely empty in the winter. When we visited, we found evidence of other people but never saw another soul. It was quiet and peaceful along the water as we hiked through the woods. We visited just after a snowstorm, and the trees were covered in snow, which made the trail look like a winter wonderland.
If you want to explore during the winter, you might want to consider wearing microspikes or yaktrax.
Ice Cleats Traction Snow Grips for Hiking and Walking
Don’t let the ice and snow stop you from enjoying the breathtaking beauty of winter. These traction grips help outdoor adventurers explore icy terrain safely.
The path along the water isn’t plowed or shoveled, so if there is a lot of snow, you will have to trample through it. The snow can be pretty deep; you will definitely need to wear winter boots. This is a great park for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, as the terrain is basically flat, at least on the north side of the park.
Out and About With Nova
This is a popular choice for dog walking. When we visited during the spring, summer, and fall, it wasn’t unusual to see quite a few people walking the dogs on the park trails. Nova loves this trail because it has a little bit of everything; woods, water, and wildlife. I think her favorite visit was our most recent winter visit; she loved the snow. She had the best time running down the trail, sniffing every tree in sight, and basically sticking her face in the snowdrifts.
Dogs need to be leashed at Casey Park, and please remember to leave no trace and clean up after your pup if they poop.
Helpful Links: http://www.ontariotown.org/
Address:
6551 Knickerbocker Rd. Ontario, NY 14519
Google Map Link
Have you visited this hidden gem of a park? What did you like best? Did you have the chance to hike the entire trail? What did you think of it? We want to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.