- 2 hours
Don’t miss this opportunity for a wonderful evening on the St. Lawrence River you’ll remember for years to come. See the beautiful sunset over the water as well as wildlife and more!
Quick Details
Rock Island Lighthouse and Nature Tour in Clayton, NY
Board the Night Heron, our unique glass-bottomed boat and learn about the fish and wildlife that share the river with us. Peer through the glass at an underwater ship wreck, the topography of the river bottom, one of the region’s largest underwater shoals and dock cribs left over from the Gilded Age. Spend an hour exploring Rock Island State Park and climb to the top of its historic 1847 lighthouse for an unparalleled view of the St. Lawrence River. Your experienced guide will explain current threats to the river, its fish, birds and landscapes, and what’s being done to protect and preserve them. Learn how the Thousand Islands were created, the difference between an island and a shoal, and the fugitive from justice credited with saving the river from winter navigation.
This two hour and 45 minute tour meandering among the islands showcases the region’s spectacular scenery, what makes the ecology of the river unique and how to sustain it for future generations.
Rock Island Lighthouse is located in the Thousand Islands about 4.5 miles northeast of Clayton, Jefferson County, New York, off of Fisher’s Landing. Originally commissioned in 1847, it is one of six lights put up along the St. Lawrence River to guide traffic to and from Lake Ontario through the waterway. The Rock Island station is the best preserved, as all of its structures still survive. It was refitted in 1855, rebuilt in 1882, and moved in 1903. The light was closed in 1955 after more than a century of service. Today, the lighthouse and island are maintained by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.
2023 Schedule
| May 13 – June 14 | 10:30am and 1:30pm | Saturday and Sunday | |
| May 13 – June 14 | 1:30pm | Mon, Thurs, and Fri | |
| Memorial Day Weekend | May 27 and 28 | 10:30am and 1:30pm | Daily |
| Summer | June 15– September 4 | 10:30am and 1:30pm | Daily |
| Fall | September 5 -17 | 10:30am and 1:30pm | Sat, Sun, Mon, Thurs, Fri |
Highlights
- 19th Century shipwreck of Schooner ELK
- Double-Crested Cormorant Nesting Colony
- Picton Island, a jewel of preservation
- The water birds that remarry every year
- Counting Loons
- Where Native Americans Fished for Eels
- What Americans fish for today
- Frontenac Arch, Some of the world’s oldest exposed rock
- Topography of the River Bottom
- Wellesley Island Nature Center
- The fugitive who saved the river
- What an underwater shoal really looks like
- The invasive Zebra Mussel
- 19th Century shipwreck of General Hancock
- Stopover at Rock Island State Park & Lighthouse
- Common Tern Nesting Colony
- Site of the “Slick of ’76″oil spill
- Prohibition Bootlegging
- Underwater Dock Cribs from the Gilded Age
- St. Lawrence River’s Only Dolphin
Meeting Location
- Boarding takes place 15 minutes prior to departure.
- Meeting Address: 39611 Chateau Lane, Clayton, NY 13624
- FREE parking, buses, and RVs welcome
Kay’s Kitchen -Picnic lunches are available for any tour and may be ordered online with your tour tickets or call us at least one hour before departure and we will prepare your lunch fresh from our brand-new onsite kitchen. Come early or plan to stop by after your tour to enjoy our picnic area and made-to-order menu. All items are available to go and may be taken on-board our boats. Breakfast also available daily.
Rock Island Lighthouse Admission Included
Service Animals only are allowed on our boats and on Rock Island. NO Pets or ESA’s are allowed
NO PASSPORT REQUIRED
OUR BOATS ARE SMOKE-FREE