Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

Attractions - The relatively flat terrain encompasses 10,818 acres of habitat. The boundary of the refuge goes all the way to Salt Works Road on the west, Rout 77 and Casey Road and Roberts Road to the south (except for private in-holdings. Freshwater marshes and hardwood swamps border or are fed by Oak Orchard Creek which enters the refuge from the east and meanders in a westerly direction before leaving the refuge at the north boundary to empty into Lake Ontario 20 miles away. Forests, meadows and fields slope up gently from the wetland's edge.

The refuge is located in an area known as the Oak Orchard Swamp, locally known as "the Alabama Swamp". The Seneca Indians, one of the six tribes of the Iroquois Nation and the aboriginal inhabitants of this area, were the first to farm the area by clearing garden plots within the oak forests near their villages. To the first European settlers in the late 1700's the remaining clusters of oak trees resembled orchards. Thus the name, "Oak Orchard Swamp".

Recreation - The Iroquois NWR is managed for the purpose of protecting feeding and nesting migratory waterfowl. Bald eagles have been present at the Refuge since 1986. Visitors are welcome to enjoy 3 nature trails, 4 overlooks and a visitor center that depicts the Refuge's mission.

Climate - The Genesee Travel Region experiences average January temperatures above 22 degrees Fahrenheit (above -6 degrees Celsius). It is important to note that the Rochester area receives some of the heaviest snowfalls in the nation. Summer temperatures average around 72 degrees Fahrenheit (around 22 degrees Celsius). Precipitation in the region averages less than 36 inches of rain and snowmelt.

Location - Located in western New York, the Iroquois NWR may be reached by traveling SR 77 or SR 63. The Refuge is approximately 6 - 8 miles south of Medina off SR 63.