Not every good day in Ellicottville has to be a hard one. When you want the outdoors without the climb, the Nannen Arboretum packs eight quiet acres of trees, gardens, and a five-hundred-year-old garden design into an easy, free walk that works for every age and every season.
Eight acres, 250 species, and no admission
The Nannen Arboretum is an eight-acre arboretum and botanical garden at 28 Parkside Drive, a short hop from the village center. It holds more than 250 species of trees, shrubs, flowers, and herbs, all cared for by the volunteer Nannen Arboretum Society. It is free to visit and open to the public, which makes it one of the simplest outdoor stops in town, and a good answer to "what else is there to do in Ellicottville."
The Japanese Stone Garden
The piece most visitors come for is the Japanese stone garden, a replica of a design that traces back roughly five hundred years. Raked stone, moss, and careful placement create the kind of stillness the rest of a ski-town weekend usually does not. It is a small space built for standing quietly and looking, and it sets the arboretum apart from a plain town park.
Gardens, a pond, and easy nature walks
Beyond the stone garden, the grounds fold in several Japanese gardens, a pond with fish, and a large herb garden, all linked by short, mostly level nature walks. Nothing here is a workout. It is the kind of place you wander slowly, read a few plant labels, and let the kids look for fish in the pond.
A four-season stop
Spring brings the first blooms and green. Summer is full and shaded. October wraps the trees in the same gold and red that pulls leaf-peepers into the hills, except here you can take it in on flat ground. Even winter has a stark, quiet beauty once the crowds thin. Whatever brought you to Ellicottville, the arboretum fits around it.
Bring the dog. Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds. Pair a slow morning loop with coffee and a breakfast sandwich in the village, and you have an easy, low-key start to the day before the trails or the slopes.
Know before you go
- Where: 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville, NY 14731, minutes from the village center.
- Cost: Free. The nonprofit Nannen Arboretum Society keeps it open with donations and volunteers.
- Dogs: Welcome on a leash.
- Good for: All ages and abilities. Short, mostly level paths make it an easy family outing or rest-day stop.
- Hours & events: The grounds are open to the public, and the Society also runs education programs and a living memorial tree program. Check the arboretum's website for current hours and event dates before a special trip.