Hiking the Thousand Islands - Wellesley Island State Park
1000 Islands #1000islands
We are pretty sure that almost every time we hike a new
trail it becomes our new favorite. One of the advantages to hiking at
Wellesley Island State Park is that there are enough beautiful trails that one
could have a new favorite on every visit. After hiking on Wellesley
Island for several years now, we have hiked almost all of the trails in this
beautiful State Park. However, we also learned that the park has purchased some
more land and is planning to add several more new trails in the near future.
One of the features we appreciate about the trail system in addition to the
trails themselves is how detailed the trail maps are, and how well marked the
trails are. There is a delightful variety of habitats to choose from among the different trails so that one can essentially choose your own adventure on each visit (or choose a lot of adventures on the same visit). There are miles of river shoreline, deep woods, wooded wetlands, boardwalk marshes, granite outcrops, and several other features unique to this park.
Also note that like the Otter Creek Trail System, Wellesley Island State Park has a quarter-mile accessible trail that includes access to picnic tables and the butterfly house. In addition to the trails, you should make a point to visit the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center which is essentially a nature museum filled with displays and interesting information for nature lovers of all ages.
It
is hard to recommend just one favorite place to start but we love the Pond Loop
which is accessed from the lovely Middle Trail, and also the breathtaking views
along the Narrows.
Wellesley Island State Park Update: Well, it happened again. We have a new favorite trail at WISP. We hiked the East Trail which takes the hiker on one of the most scenic paths we have hiked in the Thousand Islands.
It is a good
workout going up and down hills, with breathtaking overlooks of wetlands and
fields, through deep forestlands and ending up at South Bay (and then back to
the Nature Center). We figure makes for about a three mile loop, and it is
definitely our new favorite!
Link to trail map:
Be sure to see...
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Foster Blake Woods Preserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grand Lake Reserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Kanik Nature Trail
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Lonesome Bay State Forest
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Redwood Hill Preserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Introduction
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Foster Blake Woods Preserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grand Lake Reserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Kanik Nature Trail
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Lonesome Bay State Forest
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Red Lake Indian River Trail
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Redwood Hill Preserve
Hiking the Thousand Islands...Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail
