Westmore: Willoughby Lake, cliffs, and winter trails

Westmore appeals to travelers who want to center their stay around nature and outdoor activities. Its natural highlights include Willoughby Lake, Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area, and Sentinel Rock State Park; in winter, trails in Willoughby State Forest are another option. If you are looking for a hotel in Westmore, your planned activity can be a useful starting point for deciding where to stay. The natural attractions differ in their landscapes and the activities they offer, giving you concrete ways to shape your stay.

Lake and protected areas

Willoughby Lake is a prominent natural feature of Westmore: it is more than 5 miles long and 328 feet deep. Its length and depth give two different measures of the lake. Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area covers 950 acres in Willoughby State Forest and is located in the Town of Westmore. Sentinel Rock State Park covers 356 acres and is also located in the town. In area, the Natural Area is more than twice the size of the State Park. Alongside the lake’s measurements, comparing the two areas offers another way to understand the scale of Westmore’s natural areas.

Cliffs and plant life

The boreal calcareous cliffs in Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area are home to rare and endangered plant species. The area has excellent hiking trails with sweeping views of the entire region. A hike brings together two perspectives: a panorama of the region and an opportunity to explore the cliffs’ distinctive plant life. For travelers who value plant life as a natural attraction as well as sweeping views, this combination is a highlight in its own right.

Trails to The Rock

In Sentinel Rock State Park, trails lead visitors through a meadow and the woods to the rock known as The Rock. The trails were created in partnership with the Northwoods Stewardship Center. The park also offers sweeping views of Westmore and the Green Mountains. For planning a hike, the destination and the sequence of meadow and woods provide a clear route; the views add two distinct landscape features to look out for.

Trails in Willoughby State Forest

Willoughby State Forest is easily accessible via State Routes 5 and 5A. Around Bartlett Mountain, it has about 12 kilometers of groomed trails. These are suitable for both classic cross-country skiing and skate skiing. The approximate trail length and the two skiing styles provide concrete points of reference for planning a winter trip. Trail grooming is seasonal, so bear this in mind if you are planning your stay around cross-country skiing.

Choose your nature-focused activities

To help decide where to go, compare the destinations and activities: at Sentinel Rock State Park, the trail passes through meadow and woods to the named rock, The Rock; at Willoughby Cliffs Natural Area, the cliffs and sweeping views of the region take center stage. In winter, the State Forest has trails for classic cross-country skiing and skate skiing. This lets you shape your stay around whether you would rather hike or include a seasonal cross-country skiing option.

Discover more destinations: Jay

View the broader travel guide: Orleans County.