This beautiful natural area is set right on Cayuga Lake. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of the lake and several trails that feature local trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. We accidentally stumbled upon this natural area while looking for a new place to walk Nova (while visiting the kiddo in Ithaca), and it was such an amazing find.
Trails & Lakeshore
This is a newer park that is being leashed to the Town of Lansing by the State of New York. There are several groups working in tandem to make this a beautiful place to walk, enjoy Cayuga Lake, and nature in this 32 acre park. This park hugs the lakeshore of Cayuga Lake and you can walk a long stretch of shoreline.
There are several trails that travel through the park. I have read that in the spring and summer, this park is busting with colors from the flowers and butterflies that love those flowers. I will definitely be back to check that out. We happened to visit on a beautiful sunny day in February, and even though nothing was in bloom, this park was just gorgeous.
Other Things to Do at Salt Point
Picnic
This is a great place to enjoy a lakeside picnic. There is a lovely picnic area with an amazing view of the Lake.
Fishing
This is a great fishing spot. There are numerous species of fish in Cayuga Lake: lake trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, chain pickerel, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie, channel catfish, brown bullhead, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar, white sucker, longnose sucker, alewives, rainbow smelt, gizzard shad, round goby, and lake sturgeon.
Bird Watching
This park is an excellent spot for bird-watching. Over 230 species of birds have been sighted around the park.
Boat Launch
There is a small craft, non-motorized boat launch is located at the very end of Salt Point Rd. Kayaks and Canoes can easily launch here. If you have a motor boat you will need to launch at Myers Marine Park.
History of Salt Point
This park was once the site of a salt factory that produced table salt from 1891 until 1862. The DEC acquired the land in 1962, and it remained unused until the 70s when they opened a fish hatchery on the site. After that, it was left to go wild and was a party spot for locals. In recent years, the park has been reclaimed as a place to walk and enjoy beautiful views of Cayuga Lake.
Out and About with Nova
Dogs are very welcome in this park if they are leashed. Nova loved walking around this park, especially since she could walk along the water. There is nothing she loves more.
As always, it feels like my mantra: please pick up after your dog. This park has numerous places to deposit poop bags, so you don’t have to haul them too far.
Myers Marine Park
This is another fantastic park that is just a hop, skip, and a railroad bridge away. Myers Marine Park is an fantastic place to visit if you have time to take the short walk. There is a lighthouse, playgrounds, a historic cabin, and a fishing pier.
If you decide to walk over the railroad bridge, please use extreme caution. I don’t know if this railroad is still active or not.
Getting to Salt Point Natural Area
Address: 1 Salt Point Road, Lansing, NY