It is now a tradition for Springwater Trails hikers to join the Finger Lakes Trail hikers for the annual Howard Beye Winter Hike.

The Finger Lakes Trail across upstate NY was started in 1962, and for nearly 25 of those years, Howard Beye was THE major volunteer for the organization that tends it. He was a deeply involved trail chair, keeping track of map updates, organizing and training those who adopt portions of our over 900-mile trail system, tracking volunteer hours for every one of them during an annual “census,” arranging Challenge Cost Share projects, and organizing every one of our three to four special work-week projects, the annual “Alley Cats,” and handling the majority of correspondence with the state agencies who host many miles of our trail.

This year’s Howard Beye hike will take place on the Bristol Hills Trail. The Bristol Hills Trail, at over 50 miles long, is one of the branch trails of the Finger Lakes Trail. It is a lovely trail, with beautiful views of Canandaigua Lake and the surrounding countryside. It winds through hills and forests, as well as into the town of Naples and through two state forests. For our hike, we will begin at the beginning; Ontario County Park. We will hike or hopefully snowshoe (!) 6.3 miles from access 1 to access 3. Although snowshoes are not required for the hike, please bring them if there is enough snow. Pack a trail lunch and plenty of water. We will arrange a car shuttle prior to the start of the hike.

Please contact the hike leader, Cate Concannon, e-mail: [email protected], phone #585-880-4456, if you plan to join the hike.

MEETING LOCATION: the parking area at Ontario County Park at 10 am. (42.7092,-77.4153)

DIRECTIONS:

From the Rochester area: take 490E to Exit 29 (Route 96) Follow Rt 96 into Victor.  Turn right on Maple st and continue as it turns into Route 444. Turn left onto Rts 5 & 20 and then right onto Rts 64 and 20A. Stay on Rt 64 past Bristol Mountain. Turn right at the Ontario County Park sign on Gannett Hill Rd.  At the top, turn right and proceed to the back of the park.

From the South/Rte 86:Take Route 86 to exit 37, Route 53-Prattsburgh. 53N turns into Route 21, which you will follow through Naples. Stay left onto Rt 64N.  Take the 2nd left onto Gannett Hill Rd at the Ontario County Park sign.  At the top of the hill, turn right and proceed to the back of the park.

From Wayland: Head east on Rt 21N.  Turn left in North Cohocton, and left again to enter Naples.  Stay on Rt 21 past the south end of Canandaigua Lake.  When you leave the lake, stay left onto Rt 64N.  Take the 2nd left onto Gannett Hill Rd at the Ontario County Park sign.  At the top of the hill, turn right and proceed to the back of the park.