Buffalo Outdoors: The perfect time for a hike is … Now!

By Catie Keller
(Image above: Delaware Park. Photo via Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.)

When the stars are aligned on a sunny day in Buffalo, it’s the opportune time to get outside!

For those looking for a change of pace from your go-to walking place, there are more than a few convenient alternatives!

These destinations make for the perfect picnic spots in the summertime, or if you just need a new spot to lounge on a blanket under the shade and appreciate the scenery on a quiet afternoon.

South Park Botanical Gardens Trail

For those who are familiar with the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, there is an inclusive, fee-free park on the garden grounds waiting to be explored.

The 1.4-mile loop trail goes around the perimeter of the Botanical Gardens, circling around South Park Lake and the Bog Garden. 

This 156-acre park holds many flora features to admire beside the peaceful pathways, loved by locals and pollinators alike!

Some plants to be on the lookout for are: 

• The weeping European beech tree 

• Black Lace Elderberry shrubs

• Rose Garden 

• The Peace Garden, featuring their European Beech Grove trees, peonies, sweet shrubs, and a Katsura tree

• Native garden, featuring milkweed, blue false indigos, and Eastern Redbud tree

The area is handicapped-accessible and great for kids, with very little elevation.

For anyone looking to bring along a furry friend, leashed dogs are allowed, making this an ideal spot for the whole family to have a peaceful afternoon and marvel at the variety of wildflowers.  

Tifft Nature Preserve

In the outskirts of the city lies the Tifft Nature Preserve, a 264-acre nature refuge that is home to hundreds of plant species and many local critters.

The main loop trail is roughly 1.8 miles, with no elevation, yet there are about 5 miles of trails that are available to the public.

This includes the boardwalk trail, which is handicap-accessible.

There is also a 75-acre marshland encompassed in the preserve, where frogs, turtles, toads and docile snakes have been spotted. 

The education center hosts a variety of events, and there are lots of guided walks offered here, great for all ages! 

Many visitors have seen white-tailed deer, bats, foxes and beavers here.

For avian enthusiasts, well over 200 bird species have been seen here at Tifft, including herons, osprey, hawks, goldfinches, warblers, kestrels and the elusive bald eagle.  

Delaware Park (Hoyt Lake)

In the heart of Buffalo, tucked behind the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, is the famous Hoyt Lake section of Delaware Park.

The loop trail around the lake itself is about 1.1 miles, with various offshoot trails amongst the trees, connecting with a playground and small hilly areas where Shakespeare in the Park periodically takes place.

This spot is a favorite among dog-walkers, and many people come to watch the foliage in the fall, go sledding in the winter and enjoy the sunset all year round. 

The park contains a variety of mature trees, including white pine, red maple, oak, European beech, weeping willow and crabapple trees.

Decked out with a rose garden fit for royalty, this is a popular photography destination, where many newlyweds come to snapshot some of the magic. 

Flamingo and pedal boat rentals are available, and leashed dogs often enjoy walking along the paths.

Hoyt Lake offers events like Delaware Flow Jam, which is hosted on Monday evenings in the summer and complete with DJs and live music, a variety of flow artists and food trucks. 

Delaware Park (Parkside)

Next door to the Buffalo Zoo sits the Parkside section of Delaware Park. It’s a 1.8-mile loop trail, perfect for jogging, biking, roller skating or taking the family (including your dogs!) for a stroll.

Be sure to check out the bison enclosure along the way, and if you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the monkeys in the enclosure behind them. 

Around the corner of the enclosures, there is plenty of open green space dotted with trees off the trail, perfect for hammocking with a book or picnicking. There’s also a playground by Colvin Ave. and Amherst St, where the giraffes can be spotted in the distance. 

The Juicery serves as a convenient, halfway stop for refreshments that also connects with Meadow Rd and Nottingham Tier. This makes for a peaceful resting place to rehydrate and relax, where “Pints in the Park” has been hosted in the past. 

A popular connecting trail with cyclists is the Jesse Kregel Pathway, which continues along the Scajaquada Expressway over to the Japanese Gardens, Hoyt Lake and all the way down the Scajaquada Creek.

The pathway is roughly 4.5 miles long and 111 feet steep, and it’s a common route for fitness enthusiasts. 

Japanese Gardens

Home to the bustling Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring, our city boasts a beautiful floral display, right across from Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park. 

Behind the famous Buffalo History Museum lies a gorgeous ensemble of nearly 100 cherry blossom trees aligned with beautiful Japanese stone sculptures along Mirror Lake.

The garden trail is roughly 0.75 miles long and connects to the Jesse Kregel Pathway, making the experience versatile for those who want to extend their journey. 

Japanese pine and maple trees also bloom in the area, along with azaleas, lavender and majestic willow trees.

Local birding enthusiasts have spotted herons, nighthawks, chickadees, orioles, woodpeckers, warblers and osprey in the area, as well!

While springtime is the most popular time to visit, this magical hideaway is truly a wonderful spectacle in every season.

Freedom Park (Broderick Park)

Overlooking the Canadian border along the Niagara River is a multi-mile stretch of land that is a versatile oasis on the Westside.

Associated with Unity Island Park and the Bird Island Pier, this park has amble space for lots of activities, including jogging and fishing. 

There is an amphitheater and a large gathering shelter, where many families come every year to host cookouts, picnics, reunions and other gatherings.

This destination was the last stop on the Underground Railroad and was renamed to Freedom Park in 2023 to memorialize the African Americans who sought refuge in Canada, taking the Black Rock Ferry.

In the underpass facing north, there is a powerful mural of Harriet Tubman, leading the way to liberation with a child in tow to honor the Black Freedom Movement and fight for civil rights.

The Bird Island Pier pathway is roughly 5.4 miles long out and back, giving visitors a great view of Lake Erie, the Peace Bridge and the city skyline.

Many enjoy a peaceful walk along the water or a leisurely day listening to the river. You can even catch a glimpse of the Canisius rowing team practicing!

Swimming is prohibited and leashed dogs are allowed.

For local birdwatchers, double-crested cormorants, warblers, swallows, flycatchers, hawks and the occasional bald eagle and Peregrine falcon have been spotted here. 

Wilkeson Pointe

Just outside Buffalo Harbor is a 3-mile loop trail along Lake Erie, complete with a beer garden, a volleyball court, plenty of seating and open space, and amenities for folks of all ages!

It’s a great place to take dogs for a walk, go for a bike or relax by the waterfront. 

Visitors get a sprawling sight of the city skyline and Buffalo Lighthouse, along with a nature-based playground accompanied by swirly, kinetic wind sculptures featured on the park grounds.

There are also designated fishing areas, including bikes and kayaks available to rent.

The snack counter is a perfect pick-me-up, featuring tacos on their Tex-Mex menu, along with refreshments and ice cream! 

Wilkeson Pointe is featured on the Buffalo Waterfront events, with occasional live music shows hosted in the past and the upcoming Yoga Fest on Sunday, Sept. 20.

The park was the first stop in the Flotsam River Circus in 2025, and they recently hosted “The Sounds of Buffalo” back in July. 

This is a local favorite for birdwatching, as the native flora helps attract migratory birds. 

Some birds that have been spotted here include swallows, wrens, cardinals, herons, mockingbirds, hawks and sandpipers. 

Always remember to go at your own pace, and leave no trace!