Clara M Stevens Wildlife Refuge

This nature preserve is a quieter, more wooded hike than the Erie Canal Park across Devoe Rd. You will see less people, more nature. A great place to take your family on a short walk/hike, birdwatching, or for you to escape for some peace and quiet. There are benches along this path. With parking right off from DeVoe Road in Camillus NY, you follow Dill’s Trail (natural surfaced path) out and around a body of water. You will walk over a boardwalk and follow the trail to the signage and fork. Stay to the left (the right will take ypu to two other trails) until you come to a man-made overlook. You do have to climb a flight of stairs to get up to the overlook, but it has wonderful views of the water, which has many duck boxes to nest ducks. It has a large bench to rest on. A wonderful place for birdwatching, watching nature and solitude. On the return I took a left at the fork and went up to the old Dill Mansion foundation. There is a bench along the way. You could veer off from that trail and go to the boat slip if you’d like. The is a small foot bridge over the creek. This is perfect for families with younger children to introduce them to hiking. Not stroller or wheelchair friendly.