Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area
- Open for Recreation: Year-round
- Fee: Free
- Contact Information:
- DEC Region 9 Allegany Office (M-F, 8:00AM - 4:00PM), (716) 372-0645; region9@dec.ny.gov
- Search, rescue, wildfire, and enforcement matters: 911- or - 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264)
A local Forest Ranger is a valuable source of information for the state land you would like to visit.)
- Location: Town of Amherst, Erie County
- Wildlife Management Unit: 9C (Hunting is not permitted)
- Map: Great Baehre Swamp WMA Map (PDF) || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator
The primary purposes of Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) are for wildlife management, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife-dependent recreation. This 270-acre WMA is located adjacent to the Town of Amherst's Conservation Park. The area consists of nearly 260 acres of shrub swamp, emergent marsh, and open water wetlands and approximately 10 acres of brush and grassland.
The land was acquired in 1989 by the DEC with funding provided by the Environmental Quality Bond Act of 1986. As mitigation for wetland impacts, the Town of Amherst (under a stewardship agreement) built a 1,300-foot boardwalk through the area which connects state land to their neighboring town park.
Featured Activities
Hiking
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.
Trapping
General information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules, and regulations.
Trapping is allowed within Great Baehre Swamp. Please be sure to abide by all game laws (view trapping seasons).
Wildlife
General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.
Deer, turkeys, black bears, squirrels, and a host of songbirds frequent the area. Use the Wildlife Management Area Vertebrate Checklist (PDF) and the Wildlife Management Area Bird Checklist (PDF) as wildlife viewing guides.
Accessible Features
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 at neighboring Billy Watson Park. A 1,300-foot boardwalk leads from the park through Great Baehre Swamp and onto a blacktop path that runs along Hopkin Road. The town of Amherst build the boardwalk through a stewardship agreement to connect state land to the town park.
Directions
From Interstate 290, take exit 6. If coming from the east turn right onto Route 324. If coming from the west, turn right onto Route 240, then right onto Route 324.
Then turn left onto Hopkins Road and continue until you reach the parking area on the left at Billy Wilson Park (formerly Margaret Louise Park).
- Parking lot and boardwalk trailhead (43.013962°N, 78.738852°W) - Get Google Map Driving Directions (leaves DEC website).
All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.
Rules, Regulations & 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 Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area must follow all Wildlife Management Area Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.
Activity Rules & Regulations
- Wildlife Management Area Regulations (PDF) - updated in 2022
- Trapping Regulations
Boardwalk area at Great Baehre Swamp WMA
Prohibited activities at Great Baehre Swamp WMA include:
- Hunting
- Fishing
For a complete list of all WMA rules and regulations please see the Wildlife Management Area Regulations PDF above.
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).
How We Manage Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Like most of the state's Wildlife Management Areas, Great Baehre Swamp is managed by DEC's Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife conservation and wildlife-associated recreation (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.
One of the principal management objectives for this WMA is to provide habitat for a variety of resident and migratory species and to permit compatible wildlife-related recreational use.
Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities & Other Information
Web links below can provide information about other recreation, attractions, and amenities in this area.
- Visit Buffalo Niagara (leaves DEC website)
State Lands and Facilities
- Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area
- Amherst State Park (leaves DEC website)
- Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
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.
