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High Tor Wildlife Management Area
Three Landscapes Above and Below the Naples Valley
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High Tor Wildlife Management Area is a large Finger Lakes conservation landscape near Naples, with wooded heights, a wetland valley, and another upland section toward the southern end of Canandaigua Lake. It is distinct from High Tor State Park in the lower Hudson region. That naming difference matters before any route planning: photographs, trail descriptions, and facility information from the state park do not describe this management area.
DEC divides the property into three principal sections. The large upland east of Naples contains steep wooded ground and administrative truck trails that support foot access. A lower section follows the West River valley between the surrounding highways, with marsh, forested wetland, and grassland. The South Hill section adds overgrown fields and steep woodland above the lake's southern end. These are different starting points and experiences, rather than stages in one straightforward circuit.
For a first walking visit, choose a mapped upland route and understand the climb and return. The Finger Lakes Land Trust describes a mix of gravel roads and rougher footpaths, including the Bristol Hills Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail. A road-like surface near the start should not become a promise that the whole outing is gentle or easy to navigate. Match the selected route to the group’s experience, available time, and physical needs, and leave a more ambitious extension for another visit if it would blur the return plan.
The West River lowlands provide a contrasting theme. Open wetland and wooded margins make the valley's relationship with Canandaigua Lake easier to appreciate. Paddling is a separate undertaking with its own access, weather, water conditions, and return. Do not infer a lawful put-in from the management area's boundary or a scenic river photograph. A person interested mainly in landscape observation can keep the outing centered on established land access without turning it into a multi-activity challenge.
An original November 2015 account by Alli Mincher describes an enjoyable but demanding walk around the Conklin Gully area, including views toward the lake. The writer also reports early route confusion, hunting-season gunfire, and litter. Those are one person's historical observations, not a current condition report or representative verdict. The useful planning lesson is to carry the current map and take the terrain and the management area's different uses seriously. Historical accounts of ropes, ledges, or creek climbing are not route instructions to copy.
For photographs, let the chosen section determine the story. An upland visit can emphasize woodland, slope, and any view available from a lawful route; a lowland visit can focus on water and habitat edges. Do not approach a cliff or leave established access for a more dramatic composition. High Tor's interest lies in the contrast between the valley and the land rising around it. A clear choice of section makes that contrast understandable, while leaving enough time to observe. The result can be a substantial Finger Lakes outing without combining every gully, hill, and marsh into a single day or borrowing an experience from the similarly named state park.
Fun facts
- The WMA is separate from High Tor State Park.
- DEC describes upland, West River lowland, and South Hill sections.
- The Bristol Hills Branch trail passes through part of the upland.
Before you go
- Select a particular section and a mapped return.
- Prepare for the terrain of the chosen route.
- Do not copy old rope or creek-climbing descriptions.
Visitor perspectives
- Alli Mincher’s 2015 account appreciates a challenging walk and lake views, while reporting initial route confusion, hunting-season gunfire, and litter. This is one historical visit; it does not establish current conditions or endorse the improvised climbing described.
Capture
- Show the selected section’s slope or wetland setting from lawful access.
- Keep well away from exposed edges.
Social
1/8 High Tor Wildlife Management Area: Three Landscapes Above and Below the Naples Valley.
2/8 The WMA is separate from High Tor State Park.
3/8 DEC describes upland, West River lowland, and South Hill sections.
4/8 The Bristol Hills Branch trail passes through part of the upland.
5/8 Select a particular section and a mapped return.
6/8 Prepare for the terrain of the chosen route.
7/8 Do not copy old rope or creek-climbing descriptions.
8/8 Save High Tor Wildlife Management Area for a future New York outing. #Cre8Travel
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