Wildlife Refuges
The Nature Center
The Nature Center at Robert Moses State Park, in Massena, NY is open year-round, 7 days a week. There is no admission fee to the center or the park itself. Hours are generally 8am – 4pm, although during July & August hours are extended until 7:30pm. Trails are open dawn to dusk. The center offers the only paved handicap accessible trail in the North Country!
Inside, the Center features rooms full of environmental educational displays, live and mounted animals, aqauria, a live honey bee display and much, much more. This hidden treasure features the most extensive environmental educational displays in the North Country! Year round programs focus on environmental education, arts and crafts, recreation and more, and are based on the NYS Standards for education.
More than 9 miles of trails await visitors, along with an outdoor classroom. Educational panels featuring digital photos and written descriptions lead the self-guided hiker through the gently rolling terrain. During winter months, cross-country skis and snowshoes are available for rent.
The Friends of the Nature Center, Inc. welcome you to visit their website at: www.rmspnaturecenter.org for more information and a calendar of events.
Fish Creek
Fish Creek Wildlife Management Area, located a mile south of Black Lake is a natural wetland which is primarily an emergent marsh, with a hardwood swamp on the edge. The upland portion contains almost 100 acres of softwood, which the deer uses as wintering grounds. There is also 93 acres of open grassland for ground nesting birds.
Expect to see a variety of birds, whitetail deer, turkey, cottontail rabbit, grouse, as well as waterfowl, beaver, muskrat, mink and otter.
Recreational opportunities include hunting, fishing, trapping, bird watching and canoeing. There are two canoe launches - one near Pope Mills and the other near Macomb/Depeyster town line on State Route 184. There are no developed hiking trails in this area.
For more information about the Fish Creek WMA go to DEC's website.
Upper & Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area
This area is a located between the Grasse and Oswegatchie rivers about 3 miles west of the village of Canton. It consists of 4,341 acres of wetlands, shallow and deep water emergent marsh. It is a valuable nesting area for water dependent birds, and has a concentration of migratory birds, as well as many wetland animals such as fisher, beaver, muskrat, snowshoe hare, whitetail deer, raccoon, mink, muskrat, otter and cottontails. Bird watchers can expect to see: grouse, turkey, pheasant, and woodcock, northern harrier, common loon, black tern, sedge wren, and osprey.
For more information on the Upper and Lower Lakes WMA visit DEC’s website.
The Indian Creek Nature Center
The Indian Creek Nature Center is located at the east end of the refuge off County Route 14, with observation tower, walkway and year-round trails, boardwalk and observation areas.
Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area
This open water wetland is about 6 miles west of Massena along State Routes 37 and 131 and next to the St. Lawrence River. There are several large water areas. It is an ideal waterfowl and migratory bird nesting area. Expect to see dabbling ducks, diving ducks, and geese, as well as wading birds, shore and song birds. Also reported are raptors including bald eagles and osprey. The area is also a good habitat for cottontails, deer, turkey, snowshoe hare, grouse, and ringed-neck pheasants.
There are two observation towers that are open all year. Controlled hunting and trapping are allowed in the fall and winter with special registration. Be sure to check for more information through the New York DEC on restrictions at the Wilson Hill WMA.
