view along eastern shoreline south

Sometimes it’s fun to explore a new area around the Hemlock/Canadice State Forest and take an informal hike along the east shoreline of Hemlock Lake.  With permission of two private landowners, Springwater Trails managed to navigate their way through a  steep path off Bald Hill to find the North Boat Launch of Hemlock Lake.  Cloudy weather, a light rain, slush and slippery ice did not prevent 12 hikers from treading carefully along the shoreline to enjoying the views our precious Hemlock Lake has to offer during the pre winter season.

Bald Hill (sometimes called Ball Hill)  is roughly a 13 mile diameter circle that separates Hemlock Lake from Canadice Lake and runs from approximately  Rt 20A in Hemlock to just north of Johnson Hill Road in Springwater.  According to D. B.Waite in his rare book Up and Down the Hemlock (1883), Bald Hill got it’s name from “it’s bald appearance in a very early day, caused by the frequent fires of the Senecas”. Previous to the Senecas, the legendary story of Onnolee by W.H. C.Hosmer speculated that the Munsee tribe also dwelled on Bald Hill. For more information you can go to hemlockandcanadicelakes.com

Today the glacier till landscape of Bald Hill is occupied by many private landowners as well as sections of the Hemlock/Canadice State Forest and the Nature Conservancy lands of Rob’s Trail.  It is interesting that many of our hikers, Bob and Joan, Nanette, Rick and Ellen, Terri and Todd, and Pam all live on Bald Hill.  A special thanks to Rick and grandson, Jack,  for guiding us through their wooded private property on Bald Hill and to Pam for hosting the relaxing social.  Social discussions revolved around possible winter workshops in Orienteering and Geo Caching,  Don’s “game” ideas like “Hike and Seek” and outreach to identifying handicap accessible trails.  Don’t forget to add to your Christmas wishes this year:  warm hiking boots, yaks or treks, poles, snowshoes, and gaters will enable hikers to experience some safe winter hiking!