Location: 7474 Seaman Street, Village of Sodus Point, Wayne County
Size: 34 acres
Why You Should Visit: Macyville Woods offers shade on hot days and has a winding trail for intermediate hikers through a diverse array of trees including oak, cherry, maple, and beech. Highlights of the Preserve include a trail along ‘Malt Marsh’—a wetland with ties to the historic Sodus Point Malt House, once owned by the Genesee Brewing Company of Rochester. At one location along the trail, you can even spot the old Malt House. Other highlights along the trail include an observation deck completed by Ambrose Weidmann in Spring 2022 and the ‘Macy Tree,’ a massive old oak tree that is likely over 250 years old!
Parking and Public Transit: Parking for the Preserve is located off Seaman Street, perpendicular to the red barn and fence. The trail entrance is located directly south of the parking area. Please do not block the entrance to the Highway Department facility. There are no designated accessible parking spots. There are no public transit options to the Preserve.
Trails: The trail from the parking lot starts out as packed gravel and transitions to a grass surface, approximately 5’ wide. As you enter the woods, the trail becomes compacted soil and splits to the left and right. The trail to the right will lead you to Sentell Street and involves a steep downhill and steep uphill ranging from 0-10% slopes, passing by wetlands and a vernal pool.
If you take a left as you enter the woods, a compacted soil trail will lead you towards the east half of the Preserve. You will eventually arrive at another fork in the trail which will lead you around a compacted soil loop trail that is for intermediate and advanced hikers due to the uneven terrain; 0-10% slopes with roots and leaves, and is approximately 3-4’ wide. To reach the observation deck, stay to the left and follow the trail down to the wetland. To reach the Macy Tree, stay to the right at this intersection. The entire tail system on the preserve is approximately 1.5 miles. See the Macyville Woods trail map below for locations of trails. For a general description on trail surfaces, visit this link on Trail Surface Types (Maine Trail Finder).
Benches and Shade: The only benches on the Preserve are at the observation deck that overlooks Malt Marsh, approximately 0.5 mile from the Preserve entrance.
Restrooms: There are no restrooms on site. The nearest restrooms are located approximately 1.5 miles east into the Village of Sodus Point.
Barriers: The trails to the observation deck and the Macy Tree have uneven terrain, with varying slopes, and roots and leaves in the trail at times. Trails can be wet in the spring.
For more details on accessibility: Visit the Birdability map here.
Photos by Adam Montoya, Annette Weidmann, and Genesee Land Trust staff
History: The name ‘Macyville’ recalls Sylvanus Macy, a New York City businessman who believed the Sodus Point area had great potential to be featured prominently in local development after the Civil War. It was Macy who built the bank that later became the customs house which stood on Sentell Street until 2001. The site of the new nature preserve is close to where Macy lived while in Sodus Point on what is now the corner of Seaman and Macy Streets. Tom Lightfoot, Village historian, has written an article about Sylvanus Macy and his impact on local development. To learn more about the history of the land and the Village of Sodus Point, visit the Historic Sodus Point.
Getting There
Driving Directions: From Rochester, follow 104 East for approximately 27 miles into Sodus. Take a left and head north on Maple Avenue (134) for 1.2 miles and bear right on Maple Avenue Cutoff to connect to Lake Road. Turn right on Lake Road and head east for 3.3 miles into the Village of Sodus Point. Look for Seaman Street on your right, and your destination will be on your left. Please either park in one of the spots along the chain link fence or safely along the side of Seaman Street.
Approximate Address of Parking: 7474 Seaman Street, Sodus Point, NY 14555
GPS Coordinates: 43.269015, -76.998162