Indian Fort Preserve

Photo at the Indian Fort Preserve courtesy of Nicholas Deya

You don’t have to travel far to find beautiful sights in and around SUNY Geneseo, as the campus itself comes with plenty of scenic views of its own. From the nationally recognized Letchworth State Park to the gorgeous Stony Brook State Park, there is plenty to do in the immediate area as far as outdoor recreation goes. These locations are doubtlessly and definitely worth a visit, but there are also plenty more sites worth discovering, including Indian Fort Preserve. 

While the natural beauty of the preserve alone is worth the visit, the history that comes with it makes it just as worthwhile. This preserve is located on land historically occupied by the Seneca Nation and once housed a fort. With two palisades, the fort was essentially enclosed with two sides being protected by ravines. The types of structures came into existence between the years 1100 and 1400, making their history almost a thousand years old. These structures were constructed with logs that were upright in a raised earth embankment. 

Along with the history, Indian Hill Fort Preserve is less than two miles away from campus and is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. The site comes with several well-marked trails and brings you right to the shore of the Genesee river. While the sound of the highway is prevalent, it becomes a minor distraction in the midst of the large, thick trees.

During the fall, the preserve is a great location to see a change in the colored leaves. Shortly into the hike, there is a dramatic ravine. It’s an impressive change in elevation, considering the rest of the property doesn’t provide nearly as significant an altitude drop. 

Once at the river, you’re able to enjoy the sounds of a trickle of water, rather than a roaring gush of water. For a river that flows over a hundred miles, starting in Pennsylvania and flowing to Lake Ontario, the Genesee is definitely a critical natural element to the landscape of this region and is a scenic body of water to gaze at. 

There are a couple of benches placed across the trails which allow for a couple of stops along the way to sit and admire the preserve. The benches are placed not far from the ravine, where you’re able to sit back and appreciate the views. 

One of the best aspects of this location is the fact it is still a relatively hidden gem. As stated previously there are plenty of other locations that people consider the sites in Livingston County that are worth visiting, which allows plenty of room for people who are aware of the site to check it out without the hassle of excessive amounts of human traffic.  

With Indian Fort Preserve not being excessively large, it is definitely worth the visit, as you’re able to truly discover much of the property in a relatively short amount of time. For those who do not have a car, Indian Fort Preserve is within walking distance and could make for a great half-day visit.