This week we will travel to Italy Valley for a fabulous view and a  long walk in the woods.  The Finger Lakes Trail offers many beautiful routes through the hills of the finger lakes and this is one of them. Join us on August 3rd at 4:00PM.

Directions: From Naples, head south on Route 53.  Turn left on Italy Valley Road (Ontario CR 21).  After 2.1 miles, turn left onto Bassett Rd. Continue on Bassett Rd. for 1.6 miles.  Turn left onto Brink Hill Rd.  In 1 mile you will reach a parking area on the left.  This is our meeting place. ( If you have the FLT maps this is on Map B2.)  Detailed directions here.

Hiking Groups

Italy Valley – Nov 2011

I will lead the Climbers group, but will need someone to step forward to head the Tourists and Naturalists.  I will provide maps for group leaders.

Naturalists will head north  from our meeting place  on the road to a trail head on DeWolf Road.  As an alternative, they could drive and park at the end of DeWolf Road.  From there they will hike on the orange blazed trail, 1.5 miles to a spectacular overlook of Italy Valley.  Seriously..it takes your breath away.  After a suitable time admiring the view, Naturalists will meander back to their vehicles from here. Total hike, 3miles round trip from Brink Hill Road,  1.2 miles round trip from DeWolf Rd.

Tourists will head out from the Brinks Hill Rd. parking area as well, either on foot or by car to the DeWolf Road access.  They will follow the orange blazed trail to the magnificent overlook, then continue on down the orange blazed trail, on a level course through the woods.  At some point they will encounter the Climbers, recognized from afar, by the loud huffing and puffing of their climb up the huge hill.  The groups will exchange car keys, to assure that the Tourists do not have to hike back up that huge hill and the Climbers can continue on up to the Brink Hill Rd. parking area without having to trudge back down that big climb. There are several other blazed trails that cross the FLT, but our intrepid leaders will not be led astray by these distractors.  Staying on the orange trail, the Tourists will arrive at Access 8 on Italy Valley Road, after a very long, sometimes steep, downhill trek.  There they will find the Climbers’ cars parked by the roadside, and pilot them back to Naples.  Total Hike 4.4 miles from Brink Hill Rd. , 3.5 from the DeWolf Rd. Access.

Climbers will earn their stripes on this one.  From Brink Hill Rd meeting place, Climbers will drive 4.9 miles to FLT Access 8 on Italy Valley Rd.  ( I will lead the way) Parking is limited and on the shoulder of the road.  From this point Climbers will head through a field, then up the hill side through the woods for a over a mile.  The trail is very steep in places.  If you can survive the first part,  eventually it levels out for an enjoyable saunter through the woods.   On the way up we will encounter the Tourists and exchange car keys with them, to insure a ride back to Naples for the member of the Climbers.  After about 3 miles we will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the Italy Valley.  From there it is an easy 1.5 miles to the Brink Hill Rd. parking area, where Tourists’ vehicles await.

After Hike Social

All hikers will meet at the Naples Community Park on Rte 245 after the hike.  From Naples, head north on Rt 21.  Turn Right on Rte. 245 at the north end of the village.  The park is less than a mile, on the right hand side of the road.  Please bring a dish to share and beverage of your choice,