There are so many gorgeous spots hidden away in New York State. Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area is one of them. While the name may not be enticing, it is a stunning place full of natural beauty.
Hiking Rattlesnake Hill WMA
We absolutely loved our hike here. If you drive through Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area, you see lots of trailhead markers. You can simply pull off the road and start hiking.
There are lots of ponds hidden away at Rattlesnake Hill and we were able to use our GPS to help locate a trail that would lead us right by some. The ponds were really magnificent and they just seemed to go on forever. Surprisingly, even though there are dense woods surrounding the ponds, there were very few bugs trying to eat us.
Scenic Drive
If you aren’t a hiker, you can still enjoy an exquisite scenic drive through the wildlife management area. There are a number of roads that traverse Rattlesnake Hill WMA and although quite a few are dirt, the scenery surrounding them is fantastic.
There is a scenic lookout deck located on Route 70. You can pull in, park, and walk out on an observation deck and enjoy an amazing view.
Wildlife and Natural Beauty
Like all of New York State’s Wildlife Management Areas, this is a great place to spot all kinds of wildlife such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, cottontail rabbit, mink, beaver, raccoons, and the occasional snowshoe hare.
The superb scenery of Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area is a combination of mature woodland, overgrown fields, conifer groves, old apple orchards, and open meadows. This is a gorgeous place to get away from the chaos of life and find the natural beauty of New York’s sylvan wildness.
Getting to Rattlesnake Hill WMA
Have you visited Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area? What did you think of it? We would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave us a comment.
Living close to Rattlesnake Hill, we have hiked many of the trails. Generally, we encounter very few people and the trails are good for children. The Finger Lakes trail crosses through part of the preserve continuing with great hiking around Swain.