Lakeview WMA
Lakeview WMA is part of the largest natural fresh water barrier beach system in New York State. Located in southern Jefferson County, Lakeview WMA is bordered by Southwick Beach State Park to the north and Lake Ontario to the west. This 3,461-acre area is located on state Route 3, 20 miles southwest of Watertown, or 15 miles northwest of Pulaski.This area’s diverse habitat includes: open fields, shrub lands, woodlands, wetlands and a natural barrier beach. Lakeview is open to the public year round, but public use restrictions apply to the sensitive barrier beach system. Some of the most beautiful areas in this WMA can only be seen by boat. There are three designated boat launch sites for canoes or car top boats with a 10-horsepower limit.
Accessible Features
This accessible trail is approximately .7 miles in length. It travels through an upland wooded segment of the Lakeview Wildlife Management Area and Southwick Beach State Park. The trail provides opportunities for wildlife observation and access for hunting. An accessible parking lot is located at the west end of the trail and is open year round. An additional parking lot located at the east end of the loop offers public access on a limited basis – between sunrise and 9 AM from Memorial Day until September 27 but open to the public all daylight hours the remainder of the year.
Full listing of DECs Accessible Recreation Destinations.
What to do at Lakeview WMA
Lakeview WMA, with its diverse habitat, provides excellent recreational opportunities. Fishing, hunting, trapping, bird watching and boating are some of the activities pursued. Two of the main creeks (Sandy and South Sandy) are well known by fishermen for steelhead trout in the spring and chinook salmon in the fall. Northern pike and yellow perch are often caught through the ice on several of the ponds, and anglers can also enjoy catching panfish, and smallmouth and largemouth bass during the summer months.
With so much habitat diversity, there is also a variety of wildlife. White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, cottontail rabbit, red fox, beaver, mink, grey squirrel, eastern coyote, waterfowl, reptiles and amphibians are some of the residents found on this area. If you are interested in hunting, observing wildlife, or just exploring, several gravel roads and trails lead into the area. Designated as a Bird Conservation Area, Lakeview WMA is a great place to view bird species such as: American Bitterns, Caspian Terns and Northern Harriers. With a little persistence, protected bird species such as Black Terns and Least Bitterns can also be found at this area.
If boating is not an option, Lakeview WMA also offers over three miles of foot trails and two viewing towers. The main trail (Lake Ontario Dune Trail) can be accessed via the road into Southwick Beach State Park. This trail begins in a section of hardwoods and ends on the shorelines of Lake Ontario. This trail can also be accessed from the parking area at Lakeview Pond. Two dune walkover structures enable visitors to actually walk over the fragile dunes and enjoy the shoreline of Lake Ontario. On a clear day, the observation tower on Montario Point Road allows a bird’s-eye view of the management area.
Lakeview WMA
Andy
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