Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Hours of Operation

• Park is open year-round, sunrise - sunset.
• Beach/Swimming 2023:
  Swimming closed for the season. Beach will reopen for the 2024 season June 15, 2024
• Boating:  Direct access to a lake is available for launching personal non-motorized boats. Trailers are not permitted.

• Camping Season: Currently closed for the season. Re-opens May 17, 2024

  
  Campsites - 132 Campsites, maximum 6 people per site.
  Cabins - 24 Cabins (Minimum age of 21 required for rentals)
  
  
  *Please note within the camping season time frame, some loops/sites may open later or close earlier. For more details, please call the park or visit
  
  Reserve through ReserveAmerica 800-456-2267
  http://www.newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com
  

• Hunting:  Archery only; Call park for details.
• Park Office Hours: Call for winter hours
• Rec Hall:
  Open Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend
• Shelter Rentals:
  Re-open May 17, 2024 8am-8pm. To make a reservation, go to Reserveamerica.com
  
  Enclosed Shelter, capacity 299
  Open Shelter, capacity 100

Fees & Rates

Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. Fees vary by location and season. A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.

The easy-to-use Empire Pass card is $80- and your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation including forests, beaches, trails and more. Purchase online or contact your favorite park for more information. Learn more about our Admission Programs including the Empire Pass.

• Camping:
• Campsites:
  $22-$28/night
  Additional $5/night for non-NYS residents
  
  Cabins:
  $434-$672/week
  daily rate is 1/4 the weekly charge
  Additional $28/week for non-NYS residents
  Additional $7/night for non-NYS residents
  *Minimum age of 21 required for rentals

Maps

New! Download this park's digital map to your iOS Apple and Android device.

• Selkirk Shores State Park Trail Map

Firewood source maps show a 50-mile radius from which untreated firewood may be moved to this campground. For more information see firewood restrictions.

• Firewood Source Map (pdf)

• Selkirk Shores Hunting Map (pdf)
• Snowshoe 5K Ramble Course Map (pdf)
• Trail Map (Winter) (pdf)
• Trail Map (pdf)
• Campground Map (pdf)

Highlights of Selkirk Shores State Park:

• Two rivers flow into Lake Ontario through Selkirk Shores State Park. The Salmon River flows along the north end of the park and Grindstone Creek along the south end. Both of these rivers form distinctive natural communities.
• The Salmon River just north of the park offers world class salmon and steelhead fishing.
• A portion of the wooded area between the campground and the Enclosed Shelter is considered original old growth forest, as it has never been harvested.
• The Selkirk Shores Bird Conservation Area supports populations that are associated with marshes, forests, and shrubs. This area protects marsh-dwelling birds such as Pied-billed Grebes (threatened), American Bitterns (special concern), Least Bitterns (threatened), Black Terns (endangered), as well as other birds.
• Selkirk Shores State Park encompasses part of the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland System, an irreplaceable natural area consisting of beaches, dunes, wetlands, wetlands and embayments. These areas form a coastal barrier protecting inland areas, both natural habitats and human structures, from the direct effect of Lake Ontario's waves, currents, and high water. The coastal barrier is especially important to maintaining the natural productivity of the coastal environment and in providing habitats for fish and wildlife.
• The area contains some of the highest quality freshwater marshes in New York State. In addition to state parks, the entire Eastern Lake Ontario Wetland complex has been deemed a "significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat" but the Department of State, an Audubon "Important Bird Area," a New York State "Bird Conservation Area," and a "National Natural Landmark."

What will you see? Plan your visit today!

Look and listen for these birds at our Park:

• Bald Eagle
• Osprey
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Scarlet Tanager
• Wood Duck

Everyone is a Steward: Be a Selkirk Shores State Park Hero!

• Know the rules and concerns for the area you'll be visiting. 
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them. Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers
• Use extra caution when using headphones. You may not be able to hear warnings.
• Don't litter.
• Hike and camp on established, durable trails and campsites.

For more information, please read our Trail Tips!

When you enter or leave Lake Ontario:

• Clean and remove all visible plants, animals, fish and mud from your boat, trailer and other equipment and dispose of it in a suitable trash container or on dry land.
• Drain water from bilge, live wells, ballast tanks and any other locations with water before leaving the launch. Disinfect when possible.
• Dry your boat, trailer and all equipment completely. At least 5 days of drying time is recommended. Drying times vary depending on weather and material.

Ask a Naturalist!

Q: Are the snakes on the Lake shore and in the creek venomous?

A: No! The snakes are most likely to be garter snakes, one of the most frequently seen snakes in New York. Garter snakes are harmless, though you should always keep your distance from wildlife.

Q: Are the snakes by the water cotton mouths or copper heads?

A: No, they are most likely non-venomous northern water snakes. However, they can be aggressive and should be avoided.

Q: Are there any invasive species at Selkirk Shores State Park?

A: Unfortunately, yes. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), frog's bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) and forget-me-not (Myositis scorpiodes) are all exotic species which can be found in the park. These plants threaten marsh communities because they replace native plants and may be filling in the small pools that some birds use for nesting.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fish:

• Salmon born in the rivers around Selkirk Shores State Park spend their adulthood feeding and growing in Lake Ontario. After around four years, the salmon return to spawn in the rivers where they were. The majority of salmon die after their first spawning.
• There are two types of steelhead trout that run up some of Lake Ontario's tributaries? The Skamania run from May into September and the Washington steelhead run mid-September through February. Both spawn in late March to the end of April and then return to the Lake.

History:

• A large portion of the park was once a potato farm. After the land was made into a park, most of the farm land was planted with trees.
• The log structures and the cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and '40s. Many are made from American chestnut trees felled during the early years of the chestnut blight.

The Central Region Environmental Education Team offers a variety of programs in our parks. Each park offers their own free public programs.

We also offer guided programs for groups (of 10 or more) and field trips. Please email Environmental Education Team (Ladders@parks.ny.gov),  We offer several program topics to choose from, but if you don't see what you are looking for let us know. We are working on adding to our lesson plans and will gladly create something teachers request, if time permits.

Selkirk Shores State Park: Located on the shores of Lake Ontario makes this the perfect place to learn about watersheds, water quality, and current issues like micro-plastics. Many schools incorporate beach clean-ups and nature walks to the nearby frog pond into their field trips.

Connect Kids to State Parks Field Trip Grants: Looking for ways to make field trips more affordable? Our Connect Kids to Parks Transportation Reimbursement Grants cover most of the costs associated with a field trip to state lands; including busing, entrance and program fees, or contracting for special programs

Key BCA Criteria:

- Migratory concentration site

- Diverse species concentration site

- Species at risk site

The Selkirk Shores BCA is part of Selkirk Shores State Park. It is located on Lake Ontario about 0.3 miles south of Port Ontario, which helps it support New York State species at risk. During spring migration Neotropical migratory songbirds concentrate along lake. The BCA supports assemblages of birds associated with marshes, forests and shrub/scrub including more than 80 species that have been confirmed as breeders. The BCA has supported at risk breeding marsh birds such as Pied-billed Grebes (threatened), American (special concern) and Least Bitterns (threatened), and Black Terns (endangered). Other regularly occurring species at risk include Osprey (special concern), Sharp-shinned Hawk (special concern), Common Tern (threatened) and Golden-winged Warbler (special concern).

Download a copy of the BCA map.

Hunting Permit

Hunting Map