Location: Town of Williamson, Wayne County
Size: 77 acres
Why You Should Visit: Located in the Hamlet of Pultneyville, Cornwall Preserve offers spectacular views of Lake Ontario, important habitat for plants and animals, active peach and apple orchards, and walking trails. Habitat highlights of the Preserve include 3/4 mile of high bluff lakeshore, 12 acres of mature woodlands, a 13-acre wildflower meadow, and 30 acres of early successional habitat. The Preserve provides homes for a variety of special plants and animals including migratory birds, raptors, pollinators, small mammals, and amphibians. Visit eBird here to see what bird species have been observed recently at the Preserve.
Named after the Cornwall family, the Preserve honors the agricultural legacy of the land with active apple and peach orchards managed by neighboring farmers. Please stay out of the orchard areas on your visit to the Preserve.
Please note Cornwall Preserve is closed on Wednesdays for orchard management.
Parking and Public Transit: The main parking lot is located at 3975 Lake Road in Williamson. The parking lot is compact gravel and accommodates eight to ten cars. There is a small compact gravel parking lot at the end of Hamilton Street Extension to the east that accommodates 4-5 cars. There are no designated accessible parking spots at either parking lot. There are no public transit options to the Preserve.
Trails: Beginning at the Lake Road parking lot there are approximately 2.0 miles of trails maintained for public access. The Cass Meadow Trail is approximately 0.5 mile and runs north towards Lake Ontario, winding through a native grass and wildflower meadow. The Cass Meadow Trail surface is grass that is mowed regularly between May and September and is approximately 6’ wide with 0-5% slopes.
The Throop Trail runs east off the Cass Meadow Trail leading you through young forest and shrub wetland. The Throop Trail surface is primarily grass with sections of boardwalk and bog board. The boardwalk has ramps but the bog boards do not. Slopes on this trail are between 0-5%.
If you pass the turn for the Throop Trail and you continue north on the Cass Meadow Trail, you’ll come to the Lake Bluff Trail, which stretches along the Lake’s edge to the east and west, offering spectacular views of Lake Ontario. The Lake Bluff Trail surface is grass that is mowed regularly between May and September and is approximately 6’ wide with 0-5% slopes.
By following the Lake Bluff Trail to the west, you will come to the Woods Trail that is a ½ mile rolling loop trail through a mature woodland. The Woods Trail surface is dirt/forest floor and varies between 3-6’ wide with 0-10% slopes, uneven terrain, and occasional roots and stones in the trail.
Going east on the Lake Bluff Trail from the Cass Meadow Trail will take you to the Hamilton Street Extension parking area and a stone beach. For a description on trail surfaces, visit this link on Trail Surface Types (Maine Trail Finder).
Cornwall Preserve is featured as a Wayne County Trail Works Passport hiking trail. To learn more about the Trail Works Passport and hiking opportunities in Wayne County, visit https://trailworks.org.
Benches and Shade: There are three benches at the Preserve, one along the Cass Meadow Trail approximately a quarter mile from the parking lot, one at the overlook before getting on the Woods Trail approximately a half mile, and another overlooking Lake Ontario on the Lake Bluff Trail to the east, approximately one and a half miles from the Lake Road parking lot, or 1/8 mile from the Hamilton Street Extension entrance to the Preserve.
The Cass Meadow Trail doesn’t have much shade, but the Throop Trail, Lake Bluff Trail, and Woods Trails all pass underneath trees offering shade on a hot day. Land along Lake Ontario is typically cooler on hot summer days due to the Lake.
Restrooms: There are no restrooms at the Preserve. The nearest public restroom is 0.3 miles east from the Lake Road parking lot at the Pultneyville Deli.
Access Barriers: The Throop Trail has a 5’ wide footbridge with ramps followed by narrow bog-boards which require stepping up to them and are 24” in width. All trails can be soft or have standing water after rainy days. To lower the chances of encountering outdoor hazards including thorns, poison ivy, and ticks, please stay on maintained trails.
For more details on accessibility: Visit the Birdability map here.
Photos by Adam Montoya, Nigel P. Kent, Lap Chung, Joe Wing, and Genesee Land Trust staff
History: The recorded history of the land dates back to the early 1800’s when the Martin family settled on the land and the farmer’s daughter, Elizabeth, fell in love with William Cornwall, a young man who had come west with his brother, Andrew, searching for a better life. Many generations, stories, and apples later the land was sold from the Cornwall family to Genesee Land Trust. As the new owners of the land, Genesee Land Trust will keep it in its natural state forever, preserving the history and agricultural heritage of the Cornwall farm alive. To learn more about the Cornwall family and to read stories from the land, visit the kiosk located at the parking area.
Getting There
Driving Directions: From Rochester, take 104 East through Ontario. Take a left (heading north) on Fisher Road. Stay on Fisher Road for 3.2 miles, then turn right on Lake Road. Follow Lake Road for another 3 miles. The parking area and kiosk for Cornwall Preserve will be on your left, right after the Lakeview Cemetery.
Address of Parking Lot: 3975 Lake Road, Williamson, NY 14589
GPS Coordinates: 43.279685, -77.192146
Do you have questions or feedback? Please email us at land@geneseelandtrust.org or call (585) 256-2130.