Turning Point Park & The Ghost Ship of Rochester

The abandoned and rusting remains of the Spirit of Rochester

My exploration of Turning Point Park began in the parking lot at the end of Box Street in Rochester, New York. From there, I descended a paved trail, approximately the width of a road, down a steep hill until I reached one of the park’s most remarkable features: a 3572-foot-long bridge spanning into the Genesee River.

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I took my time strolling along the S-curved boardwalk, keeping an eye out for various wildlife. I spotted numerous birds, including a nesting swan, and many turtles could be seen through the water in the marsh area of the river.

As I left the boardwalk, I ascended a slight hill onto another paved section of the Genesee River View Trail. A few hundred yards further up the trail, I detoured onto a dirt path leading towards the river’s edge. This path offered a much more peaceful and wooded experience, providing numerous views of the river.

Continuing down the trail for about a quarter mile, I began to notice the abandoned and rusting remains of the Spirit of Rochester, a sightseeing boat that operated from 1985 to 2004.