The Whiting Road Nature Preserve is without a doubt one of my favorite places to hike. This trail system is located on Whiting Road in Webster, New York, Just off Lake Rd. We found this system of trails purely by accident. We were driving down a back road in Webster, New York, and there it was. It is one of those hidden gems that only the locals know about. My children refer to this place as The Color Trails because each trail in this trail system is a different color.
Whiting Road Nature Preserve Features
Whiting Road Nature Preserve is a fantastic hike because of the varying scenery. This trail system has meadows, a creek, hills, and lots of beautiful wooded scenery. I always feel refreshed after hiking here. It is very peaceful and serene. One of my children’s favorite activities on this hike is eating. There are hundreds of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes throughout this park and they enjoy eating the berries as we are hiking.
Butterflies
This is also a great place to find monarch butterflies and monarch caterpillars because the meadows are loaded with milkweed. Monarchs are not the only species of butterfly to call this park home. The park is home to at least 13 other species of butterfly.
Hiking with Small Children
Whiting Road Nature Preserve is not stroller friendly as there are big roots that stick up out of the ground. If you choose to take small children on this hike, I would recommend using a frame pack..These carriers are excellent for hiking with very small children and especially if you plan on doing a lot of hiking. We took our kids everywhere using a frame pack. It allowed us the freedom to continue to hike when our kids were small and introduced them to the great outdoors at the same time.
Whiting Road Nature Preserve is great for families with children who are mobile on their own. It is very safe and there are very few places where small children can get into any trouble. Word of warning, The trails can be slippery and muddy in places after it rains.
Other Activities
This is a great place for all activities. We have found people mountain biking here and trail running. They even allow dogs here. I only recommend mountain biking here if you are a serious biker. The terrain is too rough and hilly in places for the casual cyclist.
Getting to Whiting Road Nature Preserve
Address: 403 Whiting Rd, Webster, NY