Hiawatha Island

Hiawatha Island

The 112 acre historic Hiawatha Island rests in the Susquehanna River between Owego and Apalachin. It was once a popular recreational site for locals, a riverboat destination, a working farm and the site of a grand hotel. The island is now a nature preserve and home to hundreds of flora and fauna species, including several listed on the state endangered species listing. Currently, a nesting pair of bald eagles calls Hiawatha home. Remnants of the hotel and farm buildings are accessible from the trails that allow guided exploration of the island on foot.

Brick Pond

Brick Pond

The pond comprises 30 acres of open water surrounded by emergent plants and a wet woods. A trail includes an earthen berm and leads visitors around the pond. An active beaver colony is easily visible from the trails. The Pond is known as one of the best birding sites in New York State, due to its tremendous warbler population in the spring and fall. Numerous other songbird and waterfowl species are also easily observed at this site.

Apalachin Marsh

The Marsh is also recognized as one of the best birdwatching sites in New York State. Each year, countless hawks, herons, egrets, wood ducks, mallards, warblers, and other wildlife species visit the Marsh. This site is visitor friendly, with interpretative signs, benches and a trail system.