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Places We Protect

Thousand Acre Swamp

New York

A woman pruning a row of plants in a garden.
Thousand Acre Swamp planting Volunteer planting day © Mathew Levine/TNC

Explore a range of habitats from marshy lowlands to forested upland tracts.

Viewing

Overview

Description

PLEASE NOTE: Thousand Acre Swamp is open during hunting season (Oct 1 - Dec 22) to bowhunters only. Written permission is required to hunt on Conservancy lands. To learn about our hunting program or to obtain permission to hunt, please visit our New York hunting information page.

With a history reaching back to the Ice Ages, the Thousand Acre Swamp in Penfield is full of unique habitats ranging from marshy lowlands to forested upland tracts.

An extensive boardwalk and trail system winds through the preserve, allowing visitors to observe a unique variety of plants and wildlife. The swamp is one of Monroe County's largest wetland systems and plays a particularly vital role due to its location and immense biological diversity.  

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Highlights

A remarkable variety of animal wildlife, including some rare or unusual species, call Thousand Acre Swamp home. You may see foxes, white-tailed deer, weasels, and coyotes.

Explore our work in this region

Thousand Acre Swamp is managed by an active group of volunteers—the Thousand Acre Swamp Preservation Committee—that manages the preserve, coordinates all public hikes and provides overall guidance and direction to our conservation efforts. Ten trails on the property show you a world of wildflowers, animals, birds and other natural wonders. Join us for more than 30 different professionally guided hikes and field trips every year. 

For information on how to volunteer, please call 585-546-8030.

Thousand Acre Swamp boasts a remarkable variety of animal wildlife, including some rare or unusual species. You may see foxes, white-tailed deer, weasels, and coyotes. 

The preserve is also a great place to do some birdwatching. Visitors have spotted, among other species, eastern bluebirds, great blue herons, green herons, black-throated green warblers, wood ducks, woodpeckers, and ruffed grouse. As you walk the trails, look for red and white trillium, jack-in-the-pulpits, trout lilies, marsh marigolds, blue cohosh, witch hazel and cattails. Thousand Acre Swamp also features a number of large silver maple and ash trees.

This 500-acre preserve is located in the Town of Penfield, just outside of Rochester within Monroe County, NY.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See the Complete Map