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High Tor Wildlife Management Area

Hi Tor WMA locator map

hunttrapfishbirdhikehand launchaccessible recreationParkicon key

The primary purposes of High Tor Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This WMA consists of approximately 6,800 acres. It has numerous ecological habitats with many steep wooded hills, gullies, eroded cliffs, and wetlands.

The largest part of High Tor WMA is approximately 3,700 acres just east of the Village of Naples and is primarily scenic, steep wooded terrain. It is intersected by administrative truck trails usable as foot access to the more remote sections of the area. Immediately north of this area are about 2,200 acres of lowland marsh, forested wetland, and grassland which lies between State Routes 21 and 245, bordering Canandaigua Lake and extending up West River valley. This area is drained by the famous Naples Creek. East of the southern end of Canandaigua Lake is a third part of the area known as South Hill. This portion is composed primarily of 900 acres of overgrown fields with steep wooded hillsides.

Featured Activities

Hiking

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General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Please stay on the designated trails to protect the diversity and richness of the plant communities found within this area.

Hunting and Trapping

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Wildlife Management Unit: 8N

General information on hunting and general information on trapping include how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules, and regulations.

The area offers a variety of wildlife, with the more important game species being white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbit, grey squirrel, waterfowl, muskrat, raccoon, mink, and beaver. Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view hunting seasons and trapping seasons).

Fishing

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General information on fishing includes how-to and safety tips and links to seasons, rules, and regulations.

Game fish common to the area are rainbow trout, bass, black crappie, chain pickerel, bullhead, and sunfish.

Wildlife

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General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

Numerous songbirds and marshland birds may be viewed on the WMA. Turkey vultures are commonly viewed near the wetland area and adjacent to South Hill. The State bird, the beautiful Bluebird, may be seen nesting in hollow snags adjacent to West River, as well as in artificial nest boxes placed for their use on the upland portions of the area.

High Tor Wildlife Management Area was designated as a Bird Conservation Area. Conifer stands, emergent marshes, and large blocks of forest provide habitat for pied-billed grebe (Threatened), bald eagle (Threatened), least bittern (Threatened), American bittern (Special Concern), northern goshawk (Special Concern), Cooper's hawk (Special Concern), common moorhen, Virginia rail, sora, prothonotary warbler, black-billed cuckoo, carolina wren, brown thrasher, blue-winged warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, indigo bunting, field sparrow, bobolink, eastern meadowlark, blue-headed vireo, yellow-throated vireo, hooded warbler, Canada warbler, blackburnian warbler, mourning warbler, orchard oriole, and many others. A small great blue heron rookery is also present.

Use both the Wildlife Management Area Vertebrate Checklist (PDF) and Wildlife Management Area Bird Checklist (PDF) as wildlife viewing guides.

Accessible Features

accessible recreation

General information on accessible recreation includes links to other locations with accessible recreation opportunities and information on permits for motorized access.

There is accessible parking and two floating docks/canoe or kayak launches. The Woodville boat launch has an accessible kiosk, concrete ramp, parking for 86 cars and trailers, and a floating dock canoe/kayak launch (see directions for Woodville, below). The West River boat launch is on Route 245 and has a concrete ramp, gravel parking area, and path to floating dock canoe/kayak launch (see directions for West River boat ramp Route 245, below).

There is also a gravel parking lot, path and platform next to the stream at the Mark Circle Fishing Access Site (see East Hill Road, Mark Circle, below for directions).

High Tor WMA Brown Sign

Directions

All Google links leave DEC website.

All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.

Rules, Regulations and Outdoor Safety

Practice Leave No Trace Principles (leaves DEC website) when recreating on state land to enjoy the outdoors responsibly; minimize impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts with other users.

All users of High Tor Wildlife Management Area must follow all State Land Use Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.

Activity Rules & Regulations

The following activities are not permitted in High Tor WMA:

  • Unless specifically stated, using motorized vehicles, including:
    • all-terrain vehicles
    • snowmobiles
    • motorboats
  • Swimming or bathing
  • Camping
  • Using metal detectors, searching for or removing historic or cultural artifacts without a permit
  • Damaging or removing gates, fences, signs, or other property
  • Overnight storage of boats
  • Cutting, removing or damaging living vegetation
  • Construction of permanent blinds or other structures such as tree stands
  • Littering
  • Storage of personal property

Outdoor Safety Tips

NOTE: Ticks are active whenever temperatures are above freezing, but especially so in the late spring and early fall. Deer ticks can transmit Lyme and several other diseases. More information on deer ticks and Lyme disease can be obtained from the NYS Department of Health (leaves DEC website).

Planning and Management

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Like most of the state's Wildlife Management Areas, High Tor WMA is managed by DEC's Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife conservation and wildlife-associated recreation (hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, and photography). Funding to maintain and manage this site is provided by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration or "Pittman-Robertson" Act, which is acquired through excise taxes on sporting arms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

View the Habitat Management Plan for High Tor Wildlife Management Area (PDF), approved in July 2016, which identifies the WMA-specific target species and habitat goals for the WMA.

DEC manages these lands in accordance with the management activities described in the Canandaigua Highlands Unit Management PlanUMP Plan (PDF). The Canandaigua Highlands Unit Management Plan is a ten year plan for approximately 8,214 acres of State Forest and Wildlife Management Area land in Yates and Ontario Counties. It is comprised of Italy Hill State Forest and High Tor Wildlife Management Area. In addition to management objectives, the UMP contains detailed information on natural features, recreational infrastructure, geology, natural & human history, habitats, wildlife, fisheries and much more.

A draft version of the next one is now available, 2019 Draft Canandaigua Highlands Unit Management Plan (PDF, 10 MB)

If you have questions and/or comments about this UMP, please email us.

Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities & Other Information

Web links below can provide information about other recreation, attractions, and amenities in this area.

State Lands and Facilities

Numerous guide books and maps are available with information on the lands, waters, trails, and other recreational facilities in this area. These can be purchased at most outdoor equipment retailers, bookstores, and on-line booksellers.

Additional information, outdoor equipment, trip suggestions and guided or self-guided tours may be obtained from outdoor guide and outfitting businesses. Check area chambers of commerce, telephone directories, or search the internet for listings.

Consider hiring an outdoor guide if you have little experience or woodland skills. See the NYS Outdoor Guides Association (leaves DEC website) for information on outdoor guides.


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