If you are looking for an easy, fairly short hike in the woods, you can’t go wrong with this pretty little preserve in Sodus Point. This is a nice place to take the kids exploring and stretch their legs without having to hike a far distance. Even in the middle of winter, this was an excellent place to get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and shake off those winter blues.
We recently returned in the summer and found that this trail is amazing year-round. The trail is surrounded by ferns and low-growing scrubs. We visited on a hot and humid day and the shaded trail was perfect for escaping from the heat.
Hiking Macyville Woods
This preserve is a great place for a leisurely stroll through mature woods and by the “Malt Marshes” that surrounds the preserve from almost all sides. The trail is clearly marked, although there isn’t a trail map in the parking area. The trail slopes here and there but, for the most part, is fairly flat.
While you are walking keep a lookout for painted rocks. People like to leave them here in random places. If you are a bird watcher, you will want to add this Macyville to your list of places to visit. This is a preserve for Lake Ontario migratory songbirds. Macyville Preserve, is part of the Genesee Valley Land Trust and is a habitat for small mammals.
The Old Malt House
Along the trail, visitors can see the old Malt House (house actually seems to be an extreme understatement – more factory building.) The Malt House was built in 1880 and was eventually purchased by the Genesee Brewing Company in 1936.
If you visit in the summer, you can’t quite see the Malt House for all the trees. This was a very different hike in the summer with all the green. The preserve seemed much more open in the winter when the trees were bare. In the Summer, the green fills in and it is really quite stunning.
The Macy Tree
Along your hike, you will encounter the Macy Tree. The Macy Tree is a huge 250-year-old oak tree that’s almost smack dab in the middle of the preserve. I wasn’t sure if we would be able to pick out the Macy Tree in the sea of trees. However, it stood out quite clearly. This massive tree is a tree hugger’s dream. I felt quite minuscule next to it.
One of the neatest things we found here was interesting fungi. There were massive mushrooms growing on the forest floor that looked like incredible sculptures.
This preserve is an amazing place to take a short hike and see some incredibly beautiful nature. The trail is just under one mile long, so this is a great destination if you are looking for a nice casual hike.
Getting to Macyville Woods
There are two entrances to this preserve. We entered through the entrance on Seaman St. There really isn’t much of a parking area.
Address: 7474 Seaman Street, Sodus Point, NY 14555
Google Map Link
Other Places to Visit
Beechwood State Park
This is one of the most interesting state parks in all of New York State. It has a gorgeous view of Lake Ontario with the remains of an abandoned Girl Scout Camp. This park has a lot of natural beauty.
Wolcott Falls
This is a lovely spot located in the Town of Wolcott just off Main St. This park is small and at first glance doesn’t look like anything special. However, as so often is the case, things aren’t always as they appear. This park has a glorious surprise for those who are willing to look beyond the parking lot.
Sterling Nature Preserve
The Sterling Nature Center was one of those hidden New York gems. This nature center has so many different habitats; lakeshore with bluffs, wetlands, woodlands, conifer forests, orchards, and meadows. Sterling Nature Center is truly an amazing destination.