The Nature Conservancy in New York - Central & Western: Thousand Acre Swamp

How You Can Help

From the rugged forests of Zoar Valley to the sand dunes of Lake Ontario, with your help we can keep central and western New York protected for nature and for people.

Thousand Acre Swamp Preserve

Location: Monroe County, New York. Find out how to visit!

Size: 500 acres.

Take a virtual tour of Thousand Acre Swamp with our preserve slideshow!

Fast Fact:
Thousand Acre Swamp is managed by an active group of volunteers – the Thousand Acre Swamp Preservation Committee – that manages the preserve, coordinates all public hikes and provides overall guidance and direction to our conservation efforts.

For information on how to participate, please call (585) 546-8030.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact:
The Central & Western Chapter
1048 University Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 546-8030

With a history reaching back to the Ice Ages, the Thousand Acre Swamp in Penfield is full of unique habitats ranging from marshy lowlands to forested upland tracts.

An extensive boardwalk and trail system winds through the preserve, allowing visitors to observe a unique variety of plants and wildlife. The swamp is one of Monroe County's largest wetland systems, and plays a particularly vital role due to its location and immense biological diversity.

What to See

Animals: Thousand Acre Swamp boasts a remarkable variety of animal wildlife, including some rare or unusual species. You may see foxes, white-tailed deer, weasels, and coyotes.

The preserve is also a great place to do some birdwatching. Visitors have spotted, among other species, eastern bluebirds, great blue herons, green herons, black-throated green warblers, wood ducks, woodpeckers, and ruffed grouse.

Plants: As you walk the trails, look for red and white trillium, jack-in-the-pulpits, trout lilies, marsh marigolds, blue cohosh, witchhazel and cattails. Thousand Acre Swamp also features a number of large silver maple and ash trees.

What to Expect

The Thousand Acre Swamp preserve is located in the Town of Penfield, just outside of Rochester. Ten trails on the property show you a world of wildflowers, animals, birds and other natural wonders.

Join us for more than 30 different professionally guided hikes and field trips every year. Please contact the Central & Western Chapter for a free brochure.

How to Visit

Directions:

At the intersection of I-490 and I-590 east of Rochester, take I-590 north one mile to NY-286.
Drive east on NY-286 approximately 4.9 miles and then turn left (north) on Jackson Road.
Drive approximately 0.5 miles on Jackson Road.
The entrance to the Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary is indicated by a wooden sign on the west side of Jackson Road (just north of the Sheriff's substation and adjacent to the Penfield Volunteer Ambulance.
Turn left and follow the narrow driveway, passing to the left of the house at the end of the drive. Parking is available in the gravel lot (closed in winter).
Please do not park in the driveway at any time. A well-traveled path leads about two hundred yards to the forest edge and the beginning of the trail system.

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