Discover Fayetteville: Limestone Creek, Canals, and Green Spaces

In Fayetteville, outdoor experiences meet traces of the region’s industrial history. Historic Limestone Creek shapes several of the green spaces described here; the Limestone Creek Greenway runs along the creek to the boundary of the Village of Fayetteville. Walks, wildlife watching, and a range of outdoor activities are a different focus here from the history of the canal system. When planning your vacation, you can choose whether you’d rather spend most of your time outdoors or explore the history of the area.

Limestone Creek and Protected Green Spaces

The Limestone Creek Greenway is a natural area along historic Limestone Creek. Visitors can walk, kayak, and fish there; cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also listed activities. This range includes both time on the water and winter outings. The Gramlich Bird Sanctuary was established in 1933 as a “forever wild” area along Limestone Creek. It welcomes occasional birdwatchers as well as experienced ornithologists. For anyone interested in birds, it offers a particular reason to explore Fayetteville’s natural side.

The creek is also a feature of Limestone Plaza: historic Limestone Creek flows through the plaza. Limestone Plaza is part of the Limestone Plaza Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. People often fish from the bridge at Limestone Plaza. Nature watching, fishing, and the plaza’s historic character come together here without prescribing the same kind of outing.

The Ledyard Canal Greenway offers another connection to nature. Visitors can explore the trail and see waterfalls, nature, and wildlife. At the same time, this greenway is not currently set up as a recreational area. Nearby, Round Lake and Green Lake are located in Green Lakes State Park; both are meromictic lakes. The park offers a guided hike around the Green Lakes. This gives you the option of choosing between a trail with waterfalls and wildlife watching and a guided loop around the lakes.

Canals, Parks, and Trails

The Ledyard Canal connects Fayetteville with a specific story of hydropower: it was built in 1849 to supply mills and factories in Fayetteville with hydropower from Limestone Creek in Manlius. At Canal Landing Park, a pedestrian bridge leads to the historic Erie Canal, its associated trails, and other amenities. The park itself offers a large playground for children of all ages, a shaded picnic area, fitness stations, and trails. Visitors with different interests will find specific options there for play, picnics, and exercise.

At Duguid Park, trails for non-motorized trail riding, walking or running, and cross-country skiing are marked and maintained. The park is also home to Do Good Dog Park. These designated activities differ noticeably from the water activities at Limestone Creek: visitors who like to plan their outings on foot, running, or on a non-motorized trail will find a particular focus here. Which of these options matters to you may help determine your choice of a vacation rental in Fayetteville.

The Huntington Beard Memorial Park is generally known to locals as “Beard Park.” It offers residents and visitors a spacious green area, as well as pond wildlife, including ducks, geese, birds, and fish. The Fayetteville Festival is held there every year. Green space, wildlife watching, and the annual festival are different reasons to include the park in your travel plans.

Other places you may also want to explore: Tully, Warners, East Syracuse, Liverpool, Lakeland, Skaneateles, Baldwinsville, and Syracuse.

For the broader travel overview: Onondaga.