Activities

Walks and Hikes

with Genesee Valley Audubon Society are family friendly opportunities to explore nature first-hand with other environmental enthusiasts.

GVAS is celebrating its 50th anniversary! 50 years of advocating for birds and the environment! Come celebrate with us.

Email update: Use Contact@GVAudubon.org for email change requests or other communication with us. Please add this email to your contacts list.

As part of our mission Genesee Valley Audubon Society wants to encourage all to get out and appreciate nature. To support that mission, we offer several local bird walks throughout the year. Our hope is that you will see something that peaks your interest enough that you will want to come out and experience one or more of our offerings, and bring along your family and friends. Everyone is welcome.

Registration is required for all activities. Please check here or our Facebook page for updates on upcoming GVAS activities and programs. 

Bird Walk at Mount Hope Cemetery
1133 Mt. Hope Ave.
Sun. May 17
8:00am-9:45am
Register after April 16th at https://fomh.org/tours-events/tours/, or in person morning of walk.

The mature trees of this 200-acre 1838 Victorian cemetery are very attractive to migrating birds. Join us for a 1-mile stroll that is partly on pavement and partly on an uneven dirt path, with a hill. This is not accessible for strollers or wheelchairs. Meet at the gatehouse by the North Gate, the entrance that is across from Robinson Drive (NOT the entrance opposite the Distillery Restaurant). Parking is available inside the cemetery next to the 1862 chapel that is visible when you drive in the Gate. There is a $15 per person charge for this tour, which goes toward restoration work at the cemetery. Pre-registration will be available one month ahead of the tour at https://fomh.org/tours-events/tours/ or participants can just show up on the day of the tour. For questions, contact June at summers@frontiernet.net

Bird Sanctuary Trail
Meet in parking lot 1225 Orchard Road Webster 14580
Sat. June 6
9 am – 11 am
Register by Thurs June 4 at https://mobilize.us/s/EWy7Sr

GVAS would like to invite everyone to see and hear what birds might be spending their summer in our region. Nesting and raising of young will be in full swing. No binoculars? No problem. We have options for you to borrow adaptive equipment for the duration of this field trip. You will also want to bring along a hat, sunscreen and water. We suggest that you wear enclosed footwear that may get wet, and long sleeves and pants and socks to protect against ticks. Staying on the trail will also help. Our outings are rain or shine unless report of dangerous conditions.
Parking and Meet Up: The parking lot is on the side of 1225 Orchard Road just east of Holt Road. The Bird Sanctuary Trail is accessed off the Hojack Trail less than 1/4 mile east of the parking lot. We will meet in the parking lot.
Amenities and Trail Conditions: There is no restroom on this trail. There is a full restroom available on the south end of the Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park accessed off 104, if needed. There is no public transportation to the park. The trail itself is natural or well-packed crushed stone, but can be soft surfaced through woodland, along Mill Creek, and often near wetlands. There are four benches along the trail. One is at the parking lot. Two are on both sides of the pond on grass, and the fourth one is tucked into the woods off trail. While easy overall, there is one steep grade (5%). It is an out-and-back trail (2 miles). We will go as far as time allows. The pace will be slow as we look and listen for birds and other wildlife. We would love to hear from you if you have any specific questions about accessibility or needs, we may be able to assist you with. All questions and concerns can be directed to Cathie Rainwater, c_m_rainwater@hotmail.com or loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com

Thomas Creek Wetland
Meet in the Box Factory Parking Lot
2 Liftbridge Lane, Fairport 14450
Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28
9:30am -11:00am
Register for either date by Thursday, June 25 at https://mobilize.us/s/3wEbEJ

In celebration of the 2026 Accessible Adventure Extravaganza on the Erie Canal, we join our partners in offering you an opportunity to meet us and experience a morning of enjoying the birds of Thomas Creek Wetland. Come explore a pocket of nature within a busy village setting. We plan to have you back to the canal and the Extravaganza in plenty of time to enjoy all the activities our partners have planned for you. No binoculars? No problem. We have options for you to borrow adaptive equipment for the duration of this field trip. We also suggest you bring along a hat, sunscreen and water. All our outings are rain or shine unless report of dangerous conditions.
Parking and Meet Up: This is a busy municipal parking lot located behind the Box Factory at 2 Liftbridge Lane. We will park as close to the canal as possible. We will notify participants in advance of what vehicle to be on the lookout for, and signage will be in place. Accessible parking with van access is available. Restrooms are available inside the Box Factory during business hours or on the west side of Main Street near the lift bridge.
Amenities and Trail Conditions: Our outing will begin on the canal footpath. Our route is out and back. Trail length is less than two miles. Thomas Creek Trail is a combination of tarmac, fine crushed stone, and boardwalk. While the boardwalk is relatively flat, the railing will more than likely hinder views for wheelchair users. The boardwalk is 50 inches wide. The pace will be slow as we look and listen for birds and other wildlife. We would love to hear from you if you have any specific questions about accessibility or other needs for which you may need assistance. All questions and concerns can be directed to loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com or Linda Howell h31884@rochester.rr.com

Hidden Sidewalk in Charlotte
Meet in parking lot 180 Beach Avenue, Rochester 14612
Sun. August 9
9 – 10:30 am
Preregister by Friday, August 7 at https://mobilize.us/s/BVAfep

Join GVAS in exploring one of the worst kept secrets in Rochester. The Hidden or Secret Sidewalk runs between several beautiful homes and the shore of Lake Ontario. If we are lucky the winds will be calm and we could enjoy butterflies taking advantage of several private pollinator gardens. Purple Martins should be a guarantee, as there has been a successful colony in more than one previously established Martin house. All of our outings are rain or shine.
Parking and Meet Up: We will meet up at the Abbott s parking lot across from the Roger Robach Community Center, 180 Beach Avenue.
Amenities and Trail Conditions: There are facilities available in the community center or off to the east side of the building. The full duration of the outing is on municipal sidewalk or tarmac. Sidewalks are uneven in places. We will be crossing Beach Avenue at the crosswalk at the beginning and end of the walk. Traffic is relatively light in the morning. Trail details are listed on the Birdability website (birdability.org) for full assessments. Hidden Sidewalk: http://tinyurl.com/2rzuf3pt Hat, sunscreen and a water bottle are recommended. There is limited shade most of the distance, and none along the Hidden Sidewalk itself. No binoculars? No problem. We have options for you to borrow adaptive equipment for the duration of this field trip. Parking options are available for this walk. We would love to hear from you if you have any specific questions about accessibility or other needs for which you may need assistance. All questions and concerns can be directed to loretta.morrell.gvas@gmail.com

Follow Genesee Valley Audubon Society on Facebook or Twitter for updates.

Programs, Presentations & Events

are a great way to learn about a variety of environmental topics and get involved with nature.

Sneak Peak:

For our October 2026 program (Oct. 27 @ 7:30 pm), we will be showing the film Extraordinary Caterpillar – Home Grown National Parks. More information in our Fall newsletter.

To participate as a volunteer with any of these activities, please visit our Get Involved page.

Genesee Valley Audubon Society
P.O. Box 15512
Rochester, NY 14615

Email: summers@frontiernet.net