Great Swamp Conservancy
Canastota, Madison Co.
This special place near Oneida Lake in Central New York has been designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. See ospreys perched atop nesting platforms and roam several miles of trails through diverse habitats looking for a variety of birds, as well as other wildlife.
Wildlife to Watch
- Ospreys, bald eagles, and great-horned owls
- Great blue herons, including a heron rookery
- Many varieties of migrating waterfowl
- Turkey, bobwhite quail, bluebirds and a variety of other field and forest bird species
- Beaver, muskrat and white-tailed deer, frogs and other amphibians, garter snakes and turtles
- Bass, sunfish, bluegills and bullheads
Where to Watch
- Forested wetland
- Grassland and shrubland
- Upland woods
- Wet meadow, marsh, flooded swamp, and a restored pond
Recreational Opportunities
- Visitor center (accommodates large meetings and educational programs)
- Accessible nature trails, with brochures, a boardwalk, photo blinds, lookouts and interpretive signs
- Anne V. Pickard Wildlife Overlook
- Accessible fishing platform at Simpson Park
- Parking for buses and motor homes at the main nature complex
Accessible Features
This site has accessible features, including an accessible fishing platform and picnic area. Contact the facility for more information. A full list of DEC's accessible recreation destinations is available on the DEC website.
Size
About 302 total acres on several properties. However, access to the 100-acre wetland visible from the Anne V. Pickard Wildlife Overlook is limited to the parking area only.
Closest Town
Canastota
Directions
See Google Maps for step by step directions to Great Swamp Conservancy (This link will open a page outside of the DEC website. Hold "Shift" down while clicking on the link to open it in a new window.)
Contact Information
Address: 8375 North Main Street, Canastota, NY 13032
Telephone: 315-697-2950
Website: The Great Swamp Conservancy, Inc. (link leaves DEC website)