ATTRACTIONS

A Place For All Seasons

West Wind Motel & Townhouses lies at the foot of the Tug Hill Plateau on New York State Route 26 North. We are located slightly south of east of Lake Ontario. I mention this here because it has a big impact on our winter weather. Remember our name, "West Wind".

Our four seasons are the best. In the middle of one of our winter blizzards with four or five feet of snow on the ground, it is hard to imagine that in less than six months our woods and fields will be lush with deep green vegetation. Conversely, in the throes of a beautiful spring/summer green, it seems impossible to think that in six months the color will be gone on all but the evergreens and we could be in the middle of snow storm dropping four feet of snow in less than 24 hours! The colors of fall are spectacular and while people seem to love the reds, I think the gold's are warmest and richest of all.

Winter in Lewis County:

Thanks to prevailing winds and "Lake Effect Snow," we are blessed with the some of the best natural snow in the Northeast. Our average snowfall is 265” a year. On a good year we can see 300++ inches. On a “bad year” we usually still have our share of snow. On a good day we can see a lot of snow and maybe not see our hand in front of our face.

Snow Ridge Ski Area is just next door to us. With nature's snow and their snowmaking the season can extend into some great spring skiing. The snowmobiling trails pass just behind us. There are miles and miles of groomed trails for unsurpassed riding and great access to the countryside. There are cross country ski trails on the hills above us. Snow shoeing is almost anywhere.

Two good restaurants, the “Steak and Brew” and the “Towpath”, are less than ½ mile away. A third, “Michael’s”, is less than 3 miles away. (It also happens to be an excellent golf course (Turin Highlands) with perhaps the best greens around, but that is another season.)

Our usual abundance of great snow makes the winter long and beautiful.

Spring:

Spring can be many things; great spring skiing and snowmobiling, and later 4 – wheeling, turkey hunting, fishing, hiking/exploring the countryside, canoeing and kayaking, mountain biking, and of course, golf.

Our area is rich with golf courses, all just a short drive away. Turin Highlands, less than 3 miles away offers great food, fast greens, no waiting for tee times, and a very good, well maintained course. The are 3 more courses less than 15 minutes away. In less than a 45 minutes drive there are more than 7 courses to be played.

For the hunters there is spring turkey season. There are a lot of turkeys around! Already more than plentiful, their continually growing numbers should present another good hunting season.

Fishing flows, including the Black and Moose Rivers and many smaller rivers, creeks, and streams, are scattered across our gorgeous countryside.

The Black and Moose Rivers also offer great canoeing and kayaking opportunities for all level of boaters. The Moose River in Lyonsdale, less than 10 minutes away, offers some very challenging white water. Forty-five minutes away is a place to book an exciting and spectacular white-water rafting trip on the Black River in Watertown, NY (yea, you could stay there in the city but why would you?). Flat water canoeing and kayaking spots abound. Additionally, when spring temperatures thaw our winter snows, the Black River overflows its banks creating fields of lakes, well suited for paddling and often loaded with migrating Canadian and snow geese, all varieties of ducks, and occasionally trumpeter swans.

Hiking is almost anywhere. Whetstone Gulf State Park, three miles away, has some incredible scenery. It offers a two-day hike with sights of an extremely narrow three mile long gorge scaled with 350-foot vertical sandstone and shale walls. The Tug Hill Plateau, literally in our back yard, is laced with seasonal roads, old logging roads, beaver ponds and streams, and scattered remnants of an attempt many years ago to civilize the area (it failed.)

Summer:

See Spring

Fall:

See Spring/Summer

Did we mention leaf-peeping?!!
What about deer hunting?
Upland game maybe?