Chimney Bluffs State Park- Wolcott, NY

Chimney Bluffs State Park is a natural wonder located on Lake Ontario’s southern shore in Wolcott. These giant formations were created by glaciers in the last ice age and have changed over time due to erosion from the weather. They are an impressive sight when viewed up close. This state park is in, more or less, my own backyard, so I can tell you all the tips and tricks to visiting!

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Visiting Chimney Bluffs – Tips from a Local

• Visit early in the morning to beat the crowds! I know I use this a lot, but in this case, it has never failed me. You couldn’t pay me to visit Chimney Bluffs on a sunny Saturday at high noon because it’s packed (and just an FYI -the bluff trail is fairly narrow.) It’s not a great time to really enjoy the bluffs. We always arrive early in the morning, and we are often rewarded with a sunrise. (late afternoon is good too!
• Explore the other trails. I know that everyone wants to get that money shot from the top of the bluffs, but there are quite a few other trails that offer visitors stunning scenery away from the hustle and bustle.
• I prefer to visit the Bluffs in early Spring or late Fall, a) Not as crowded b) the lack of leaves allows you to get a better view from the Bluff Trail. Winter is also really stunning here, although proper footwear like microspikes and Yaktrax are essential if you plan to explore.
• There is a parking area at the end of East Bay Road (on the east side of Chimney Bluffs) that is not only FREE but offers direct access to the beach as well as the Bluff trail.
• If you are visiting the Bluffs after October 1st and before April 1st, there are no bathroom facilities available. The closest towns are Sodus Point and Wolcott (about 10 miles away)
• This is not a flip-flop park! The trails at the top of the bluffs can be muddy -I’m talking standing mud puddles (especially after it rains and due to the large amount of foot traffic.) Proper footwear, such as hiking boots or sneakers, are a must here. On the beach, you can get away from less, but it is a rocky beach and stuff does float up on shore (including dead fish.)
• Chimney Bluffs is a great place to get a sunrise and/or sunset photo. If you want to get the bluff in the photo: For Sunrise – Park in the main parking lot and head down to the beach, (you will have to walk a little bit to get the Bluffs into the picture up close.) For Sunset – Park in the free lot on East Bay Road, and walk right down to the beach.
• We like to visit this park when it’s really storming, and the lake is rolling. Mighty Lake Ontario can get very intense, and you can get incredible pictures and videos from the safety of the picnic area.
• If you are a bird watcher, explore the areas outside the park. Chimney Bluffs is situated near Lake Ontario’s Lake Shore Marshes. Take a drive around some of the backroads, and you will find numerous places to pull off and see the natural beauty of this area. We always see all kinds of birds when we visit.

Chimney Bluffs State Park Trails

Chimney Bluffs State Park has two ways to see the bluffs. Visitors can either follow the trail that winds through the woods and follows the top of the cliff, or they can walk the beach.

I highly recommend that people with small children walk on the beach. The trail at the top comes very close to the cliff’s edge at certain points, and I can be dangerous as well as slippery at certain times of the year.

Also, the trail is mostly covered in shade, so if it has rained in recent days, it’s likely to be muddy and slippery. There were places along the bluff trail where full mud puddles had formed.

As I said before…Proper footwear for this park is a MUST, especially if you plan on hiking the Bluff Trail. You want to make sure to wear sneakers or something equally sturdy. The beach often has debris washed up on it, so sneakers are essential here as well.

Some of the original Bluff Trail has been re-routed on account of the erosion. Some places along the Bluff Trail have also been fenced off between the trail and the cliffside to protect the delicate plant life.

The Beach

On warm days, my kids love walking the beach. The multitude of different colored rocks is amazing. They have a blast looking for cool colors and patterns and find some unique ones. The water is fairly shallow, close to shore, and perfect for wading. Be aware that there are no lifeguards on duty, so you are swimming at your own risk.

The view of the bluffs from the beach is the most impressive, as you can truly appreciate their size. If you plan to walk the beach, I recommend getting down to it from the picnic area or from the free parking lot on the east side of the park.

There are places along the cliff-top trail where people have made makeshift trails leading down to the beach, but not all of these are easy to traverse. Some of them are quite steep, and the loose dirt can make them treacherous.

Picnic Area and Parking

Chimney Bluffs State Park has a really nice picnic area with lots of trees for shade and concrete picnic tables. There is no visitor center, but a nice restroom is on site. There is a charge per vehicle for visiting the park (April 1-October 31 only). You can pay with a credit card or cash at the automated machine in the parking lot. A pass will be dispensed to you, which needs to be placed on your windshield. I have not seen park employees checking cars for this ticket personally, but I’m sure they are out there.

There is additional parking on the far side of the park (on East Bay Rd), which happens to be free. There are restrooms and steps leading up to the Bluff Trail. We could reach the beach more easily from this side of the park.

Small Children and Chimney Bluffs State Park

Chimney Bluffs State Park is a must-see for any nature lover. The bluffs are incredibly impressive and well worth a visit. Chimney Bluffs State Park NOT a stroller-friendly park. I recommend using a frame pack for really small children. I can’t emphasize enough that you need to be especially diligent in keeping your eyes on your children in this park. I would not recommend letting small children run ahead of you. There are places where the trail changes direction swiftly.

Out and About With Nova

This is a tricky place to bring a dog. We visited early in the morning, just after dawn, and had the entire park to ourselves. It made hiking with Nova so much easier. Due to high spring lake levels, the beach was smaller than usual, and the Bluff Trail was also narrow; we found it so much easier to navigate without having to deal with lots of people on the trail, and Nova wanting to introduce herself to everyone we passed.

If you have a dog who is not good around people or other dogs, you’ll want to plan on visiting early in the morning or consider leaving your four-legged friend at home.

Dogs are permitted at Chimney Bluffs but must be leashed. As always, please clean up after your pets (and this doesn’t mean bag up their poop and leave it on the side of the trail!)

Kayaking at Chimney Bluffs

Truth be told, there is no better way to see Chimney Bluffs than from the water. However, this is easier said than done. You need to exercise extreme caution. The lake can be tricky or downright dangerous to paddle, especially when the water is rough. The Lake can change from calm to rough very quickly, so you always need to be on your guard and make sure you wear a lifejacket. Otherwise, this is an amazing place to paddle, and you can get some great pictures from the water that truly show the full beauty of Chimney Bluffs. We took a sunrise paddle here, and it was spectacular.

Chimney Bluffs in the Winter – A Winter Wonderland

Chimney Bluffs is nothing short of amazing during the winter. We love visiting here on a sunny winter day and walking the frozen beach. There are ice formations over everything, which look like magical works of natural art. The snow-covered Bluffs loom over the beach, creating an incredibly amazing backdrop. If you decide to visit it in the winter, you should consider wearing microspikes or yaktrax.

The park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Helpful links: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/43/details.aspx

Address: 7700 Garner Road
Wolcott, NY 14590

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Other Places to Visit in the Area

Have you visited Chimney Bluffs State Park? What is your favorite feature of this park? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.