Address: 492 Bennett Road (County Rd 220), Town of Parma, Monroe County
Size: 29 acres
Why You Should Visit: One of Genesee Land Trust’s newest nature preserves, opened in September 2022, Salmon Creek Nature Preserve is located along Salmon Creek and is adjacent to the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area, conservation land owned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Salmon Creek Nature Preserve is a mix of habitats including grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands. Exploring trails, birding, fishing, and passive recreation are all encouraged. See the links below for the trail map and list of current preserve rules (hunting is not allowed). Visit eBird here to see what bird species have been observed recently at the Preserve.
Genesee Land Trust purchased the property in November 2021 from Roger Koss and opened the Preserve to the public in September 2022.
Parking and Public Transit: The parking lot is located at 492 Bennett Road (County Rd 220) in Parma. The parking lot is made of recycled asphalt and accommodates eight cars. There are no designated accessible parking spots. Information on public transit options is available through Google, at this link.
Trails: Beginning at the parking lot the trail runs east before forking into two trails, one running north and another east. The northern trail runs along the northern tree line towards the northeast corner of the Preserve and is approximately 0.25 mile. The trail that continues east from the parking lot continues towards the pond, approximately 0.13 mile. These two trails are new (formerly agricultural land) and are a combination of grass and hard packed soil and are slightly uneven.
Eventually both trails transition to established grass trails that circle around the Preserve. The total length of trails is approximately 2.5 miles, with trails winding through meadows, around Koss Pond, along adjacent conservation land, and along Salmon Creek. See the Salmon Creek Nature Preserve trail map for locations of all trails. towards the interior of the property. Grass trails are mowed regularly between May and September and are approximately 6’ wide with 0-8% slopes. For a description on trail surfaces, visit this link on Trail Surface Types (Maine Trail Finder).
Photo by Jacalyn Meyvis
For more details on accessibility: An elevated, accessible observation deck with a ramp, benches, and shade is located about ⅓ mile from the parking lot along a wide, grassy trail, which is still bumpy in some areas. Genesee Land Trust plans to smooth the trail and make other accessibility improvements to Salmon Creek Nature Preserve and other properties.
Rochester Birding Association provided funding to help create the accessible observation deck and volunteers from Rochester Davis-Fetch and the Carpenters Union Local 276 built the deck as part of their workforce development training.
WXXI highlighted the accessible observation deck at Salmon Creek and the Land Trust's commitment to making nature accessible for everyone. Read WXXI’s story here.
Visit the Birdability map here.
Benches and Shade: There are three benches at Salmon Creek Nature Preserve, one along the northernmost trail underneath a beautiful hickory tree that offers shade, a second observing Koss Pond (no shade), and a third down by Salmon Creek. Additional benches and shade can be found at the elevated observation deck. See the trail map for locations of benches. On a warm summer day, find shade from trees along the northernmost trail and through the woods surrounding the historic cemetery.
Restrooms: There are no restrooms at the Preserve. The nearest public restrooms are approximately 1.5 miles away in Hilton (options include Parma Library, Tops, McDonalds, etc.).
Access Barriers: On warm days there is limited shade on the Preserve. 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.
Photos by Adam Montoya, Lap Chung, and Genesee Land Trust staff
Do you have questions or feedback? Please email us at land@geneseelandtrust.org or call (585) 256-2130.