Overview
LOOP/SITE CLOSURE NOTICE: A road reconstruction project is scheduled for Fall 2023 - Summer 2024. During this time, Loop H (Heron) and the Eel Bay Cottages will be closed to reservations
Wellesley Island State Park has the largest camping complex in the Thousand Islands region. Secluded wilderness sites nestled along the banks of the St. Lawrence River are accessible only by foot or boat. Within this rustic paradise, fishing is excellent--particularly for muskie in autumn. To accommodate boaters, the park has a full service marina and four boat launches. A sandy beach on the river offers great swimming and sunbathing and there is a camp store, laundromat, arcade, and 9-hole golf course on the Island. One of the main attractions of the park is the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, which includes educational exhibits, varied habitats such as wooded wetlands, 10 miles of shoreline and open granite outcrops, and miles of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and nature education. The Nature Center provides educational and recreational programs for all ages.
Natural Features:
Wellesley Island State Park is located on Wellesley Island, in the St. Lawrence River. It is part of the Town of Orleans, in Jefferson County.
Recreation:
Considered a flagship facility, activities range from summertime beach swimming to wintertime hunting, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Visitors can enjoy many summer activities such as; biking, boating, jet & water skiing, fishing, golfing and hiking, the marina has motorboats available to rent.
Patrons can also visit the Nature Center, participate in park-organized recreation activities and picnic. The Nature Center has a handicapped-accessible trail with access to picnic tables and the seasonal butterfly house.
Facilities:
The park offers a beach, a marina, boat launch sites, boating, boat dockage, cabins, campsites, dumping stations, showers, camp store, a golf course, a nature trail, a nature center, picnic tables, 3 playgrounds, and playing fields. Laundry facilities and an arcade are also available at the camp store.
The park has facilities for group camping and twelve vacation rentals, which are fully outfitted cottages, with porches from which renters can enjoy the sunset.
Nearby Attractions:
Nearby attractions include Canoe-Picnic Point State Park, Grass Point State Park, Dewolf Point State Park, Waterson Point State Park, and Wellesley Island State Park Golf Course.