What once was a former girl scout camp called Camp Beechwood,
this undeveloped 150 acres of land became Beechwood State Park in 1999.
The park is located on the shores of Lake Ontario and has 3500 feet of shoreline
and bluffs to explore as well as the old camp. The old buildings of the camp are still there
although many are falling apart.
There is no entry fee to enjoy this state park.
Beechwood operated as a girl scout camp from 1929 until the
state purchased the land in 1999. There are no marked trails, but at times
some paths are mowed. There are also the old dirt roads used for the camp
that are now grassy paths that can be hiked. You can
explore the old camp. We explored all the paths that we saw (on the map
below) which created a 3.5 mile overall hike of the whole area.
There is a gravel parking area on Lake Road near the bridge for
Maxwell Creek, which includes a canoe/kayak access point as well as fishing
access.
You can see a few of the old lean to's nearby. This is a great place to
explore. Take the well worn path to the main camp. This is a great
place to practice your compass, orienting, mapping or gps skills.
For more information on this remote state park, check out the
hiking guide book
Take A Hike - Family Walks in New York's Finger Lakes Region
.
The park is featured in the book. Some of the trails are maintained by Trail Works, Inc., a not for profit organization founded in
Wayne County in 1997. We also have a map of the area below as well as
pictures and a video.
