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Places We Protect

Rob's Trail Preserve

New York

Bird's eye view of a forest with green, burnt orange, and yellow trees and a river on the upper righthand side.
Rob's Trail Hemlock Lake Aerial view of Rob's Trail in the fall. © Mat Levine/TNC

Set out on trails that connect two undeveloped Finger Lakes.

Overview

Description

Please Note: If you are planning to visit Rob’s Trail on April 8, 2024 for the solar eclipse, please follow signs to the Rob’s Trail Hemlock Lake parking lot.  Visitors can watch the eclipse from the nice open parking area with long distance views of the region (recommended) or hike down to Hemlock Lake (1.5 miles each way).  While there is no large clearing at the lake, there are many secluded rocky shoreline locations where visitors can gaze across Hemlock Lake to experience the eclipse. Please remember to carry out what you carry into the preserve.

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Rob’s Trail Preserve is a collection of memorial trails nestled among the high ridges and rolling hills of the Finger Lakes. 

Learn more about the wonders of Rob’s Trail via the tabs above.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This 170-acre preserve is located in Livingston County, NY.

Highlights

Rob’s Trail passes through several types of habitats, from old-field herbaceous plants to mature hardwood forest, a journey that mirrors the changes that will happen here over the next 100 years.

Size

170 acres

Explore our work in this region

Visit Rob's Trail Preserve

  • Rob’s Trail Preserve is open year-round from dawn to dusk.

    NOTE: Rob’s Trail remains open to hikers during the hunting season.  It is currently early bowhunting season (no rifles).  Rob’s Trail is located on both TNC and NYSDEC lands – both landowners permit hunting on their lands and keep trails open to all trail users throughout the year.  We recommend visitors wear blaze orange while enjoying trail system during hunting season.  TNC requires written permission to hunt in addition to a NYS hunting license.  Keeping trails open to all users (hunting and non-hunting outdoor recreation enthusiasts) throughout the year is the standard for the millions of acres of publicly accessible NYSDEC lands.  The data on hunting safety on those millions of acres overwhelmingly supports this management decision to share the trails.

  • Animals: Bald eagles nest at the south end of Hemlock Lake and may be seen kettling overhead. In the successional woodland keep an eye out for migrating warblers, turkeys and ruffed grouse. Deer and weasels can also be spotted on occasion. Bees and butterflies harvest nectar from the abundant asters and goldenrods in the fall.

    Plants: Rob’s Trail passes through several types of habitats, from old-field herbaceous plants to mature hardwood forest, a journey that mirrors the changes that will happen here over the next 100 years. Mature trees include white oak, sugar maple, and shagbark hickory. Clones of green ash form uniform stands. Goldenrod, buckthorn, native gray dogwood, turtlehead and closed gentian can also be found here.

  • Rob’s Trail Preserve is open during hunting season (Oct 1 – Dec 21, Dec 26 – Jan 1). Written permission is required to hunt on TNC lands. To learn more about our hunting program or to obtain permission to hunt, please visit our New York hunting information page.

    NOTE: Rob’s Trail remains open to hikers during the hunting season.  It is currently early bowhunting season (no rifles).  Rob’s Trail is located on both TNC and NYSDEC lands – both landowners permit hunting on their lands and keep trails open to all trail users throughout the year.  We recommend visitors wear blaze orange while enjoying trail system during hunting season.  TNC requires written permission to hunt in addition to a NYS hunting license.  Keeping trails open to all users (hunting and non-hunting outdoor recreation enthusiasts) throughout the year is the standard for the millions of acres of publicly accessible NYSDEC lands.  The data on hunting safety on those millions of acres overwhelmingly supports this management decision to share the trails.

  • The preserve features the following trails: Loop Trail (1.75 miles), Canadice Lake Trail (.75 miles), Hemlock Trail (4.8 miles; to shoreline is 1.5 miles, to boat launch is 4.8 miles), Connector Trail (.28 miles).

    Be careful on the trails as they may be wet or uneven. Please be advised the spur trail to Canadice Lake is a challenging trail that is steep and minimally maintained.

  • Take a moment to review the trailhead kiosks, which describe the trails, the property’s import role in protecting drinking water and the geological forces that created the Finger Lakes. See our full preserve visitation guidelines for more information. 

A grouping of purple flowers with green stems in bloom.
Rob's Trail Flowers in full bloom at this scenic preserve. © Mathew Levine

Our Work

Completed in 2008, Rob’s Trail—Canadice was built to connect two undeveloped lakeshore properties that protect Hemlock and Canadice Lakes, the main source of Rochester’s drinking water supply. With the help of donors and volunteers, a new trail, Rob’s Trail—Hemlock Lake, was built in 2016 that makes it possible to hike from one lake to the other.

The Nature Conservancy in New York built these trails to honor the memory of Rob van der Stricht, our esteemed board chair who passed away in 2006. Rob was an avid birder, canoeist, and fisherman who carried a broad smile and a pair of binoculars everywhere he went. He was especially fond of the Finger Lakes, particularly Hemlock and Canadice. His commitment to preserving nature inspired us all, and The Nature Conservancy officially dedicated this trail to his memory.

Once a hardwood forest converted to cropland, Rob’s Trail showcases ecological communities, scenic vistas and geological features typical of the Finger Lakes Region.

Hemlock and Canadice are the only Finger Lakes with undeveloped shorelines. In the 1890s the City of Rochester began acquiring lakeshore properties to prevent the development of the watershed and to safeguard its primary source of drinking water.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

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