The RMSC Cumming Nature Center is a 900-acre preserve located 40 minutes south of Rochester, New York in the Finger Lakes region near the village of Naples.The center features groomed trails for hiking in spring, summer and fall, and for snowshoeing and classic cross-country skiing in the winter months.Restrooms and snacks are available in the visitors center.
Trail Exploration
Outdoor enthusiasts explore six miles of gentle and maintained hiking trails, including the wetlands and forest. Each trail has a different theme:
- The Beaver Trail introduces hikers to the important cycles of nature. See forest, stream, marsh and meadow habitats rich with plant and animal life on the way to an observation tower overlooking a 35-acre beaver pond. Discover first-hand one of the most stunning examples of an animal’s interaction with its environment.
- The Helen Gordon Trail is an outdoor art gallery with paintings by artists Jerry Czech and Helen Edinger that acquaints hikers with the birds and other animals of the area.
- The Haudenosaunee Trail features paintings by Seneca artist Ernest Smith that introduce the fascinating culture and tradition of the Haudenosaunee and evoke images of a time long past.
- The Pioneer Trail features a reconstructed 18th-century homestead and interpretive signs that tell of the lives of early settlers.
- The Conservation Trail communicates forest conservation and management practices. Trail signs identify tree species and explain their uses to both wildlife and humans. These signs, along with a working sawmill and a replica of a fire tower, show how informed management practices can result in a sustainable, mature forest.
Trails are open five days a week: Wednesday through Friday, 9am-3:30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9am-4:30pm (closed Monday and Tuesday). Guided hikes are free. Regular Cumming Nature Center admission is free for RMSC members and a $3 donation is requested for the general public, $10 requested per family.
The Cumming Nature Center is located at 6472 Gulick Road, Naples, NY 14512. Phone: 585.374.6160. The complete Cumming Nature Center offering is available atwww.rmsc.org.
