Artpark State Park (Earl W. Brydges)

River Trail and Gorge Trail

Visited April 8, 2021

450 South 4th Street

Lewiston, NY 14092

(Note: to get the right driving directions, be sure to enter Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park into Google Maps.)

79 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny

Bathrooms were open to the public. Great views of the concert area from the area by the bathroom and a sweet dog ran up to greet us with big doggie smiles.

You can park in the lot by the bathrooms or continue on the gravel roadway to a small parking lot at the trailhead; this gravel lot has parking space for approximately 10 cars. The big lot by the bathrooms will hold 50+ cars.

Dogs on leash are welcome. Come prepared to pick up after your dog.

Artpark is part of the WNY Summer Hiking Challenge. I joined the Summer 2021 challenge and this was the fourth trail I completed for the challenge. https://outsidechronicles.com/challenge

The trail is well travelled and easy to find; no real worries about getting lost. The trail is gravel and dirt; it was wide enough that Melissa and I could walk side by side for most of the trail. There is a section of stone steps that connects the upper trail to the lower trail; we climbed up it and it is not for the faint of heart or for anyone with trick knees. There were many people enjoying the trail on this unseasonably warm day. Other visitors were courteous and shared the trail well. There is no access to the water and it would be dangerous to be in this part of the Niagara River. The cliff is right next to the trail. Please be careful with small children and your dogs on leads. The current is clearly visible and the roar of the water was really wonderful to hear. I can not say enough about how spectacular the color of the water was and how beautiful the water eddies were; I could see and feel the power of the river...such energy from Mother Nature is so invigorating. There was a cool breeze from the river to ease the heat and sunshine today. I would allow 1.5 to 2 hours so that you can enjoy your visit. There is no foliage encroaching on the trail so long pants are not as necessary as they are on the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails and Overland Trails.

It was still early enough in the year that mosquitos were not a problem for us today.

No cost to access this park during the winter months. There is a parking fee during summer months.

We enjoyed beautiful views of the Niagara River; it was a startling shade of aquamarine. The Niagara gorge is full of fun for people who enjoy geology; in particular there was a giant rock that was painted black with no signage to explain why. Bridge or architecture junkies will love the opportunity to see the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge’s underside. While in the park, we saw a salamander, a Canada goose, blue jays, an entire flock of turkey vultures, and robins.

For more information about the park and for trail maps: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/113/details.aspx

Nearby:

In Lewiston Hennepin Park is a sign stating that Lewiston was the first European settlement in western New York in 1720.

Also in Lewiston are a number of inviting eateries.

We enjoyed the outdoor area at the Brickyard Pub and BBQ. As a testament to their popularity, we had a twenty-minute wait for our table on a weekday around 3:00 PM! Their Brickyard Brewing Company Lewiston Porter was fantastic, their Memphis Po' Boy (pulled pork topped with coleslaw on a baguette roll) was a delight, and their service was efficient and polite. The fries on Melissa's plate looked amazing.

https://www.brickyardpub.com/