I think we’ll be doing a lot of hiking this summer. I want to explore state parks that we’ve never been to as a family before. We picked a direction and looked up a park!

This time we decided to visit Chimney Bluffs State Park (right on Rte 414 N) on the shore of Lake Ontario.

The geography of NY state was heavily influenced by the activity of melting glaciers. The bluffs are primarily composed of clay and were formed by erosion. They are amazing to see! I visited here as a kid at least once and I thought the boys would enjoy seeing a Great Lake and the unusual scenery.

My 6 yr old son is in cub scouts so before the trip – we reviewed the six essentials together and he decided to bring a notebook to write about the things he saw. Most people didn’t have snacks or drinks or even a bag, so maybe we were a little over prepared but we ended up hiking the whole park! I was really proud of my sons for carrying their own packs the whole way.

We arrived about 2:20 pm and we waited about 10 minutes to park. There was a machine to pay for a parking pass which cost $5.00. 

The park has bathrooms which are open and they seem clean – currently they ask that you wear a mask to enter.

People were very polite during the whole trip; some wore masks and some did not but everyone kept their personal space. 

We played in the picnic area from which you can see the Bluffs in the distance. It is a pleasant, sunny area with very nice stone tables and benches. We took the opportunity to view the bluffs through binoculars and pointed out interesting features to each other. It was about 70 that day but the wind coming off the lake made it feel cooler. I was glad we packed sweatshirts. The waves were also very high.

We hiked to the Bluff Overlook via the East-West trail (heading East) where it connected to Drumlin Trail and then continued on the Bluff Trail which was marked as closed on the side we exited but not on the side we entered. We enjoyed identifying trees, talking about ferns, listening to the birds, and counting dragonflies. 

I don’t recommend taking the Bluff trail with young kids. We had our 6 yr old who feels nervous with heights and you could see the drop almost the whole way down. It was also not well cleared, narrow and muddy in places.  I would do that particular trail again with my husband or another grown up because I loved seeing the water which was particularly dramatic when we visited.

There is another parking area at the opposite end of the Bluff Trail and there is more direct access to the lake. After we finished our hike, we drove to that area and got a closer look at the water and the beautiful rocks on the shore.

It was a beautiful day! The kids enjoyed the park and were fascinated by the landscape. As we hiked up the bluffs – the air seemed to smell cleaner. It was refreshing to see the sunlight streaming through the trees and to watch my sons practice balancing on logs. We also saw many hawks and on the short ride to the other side of the park – we were surprised by a pair of swans on the marsh and two fawns.

I definitely recommend this park if you are in the area – most of the hiking trail was easy and the views aren’t to be missed! We appreciated the bathrooms being open and we didn’t feel like there were any social distancing concerns.

Amenities: Bathroom, Picnic Area, Hiking Trails

Extra things I was glad we packed: binoculars, sweatshirts, a journal and pencil

☆☆☆☆ 4/5

Pokemon Go fans: 
There are two gyms and two pokestops in the main park area and another pokestop in the other parking area. My husband and I both have Pokemon Go on our phone and we make it *part* of our adventures.We discussed it after this trip and feel that it helps heighten the appeal of new places. Sometimes it also serves as a positive distraction but we don’t let it stay the main focus.