Sunnyside Road
Naples, NY 14512
USA
East of the southern end of Canandaigua Lake is a part of High Tor known as South Hill. This portion is composed primarily of 1,000 acres of overgrown fields with steep wooded hillsides. According to Indian legend, South hill is known as the “Birthplace of the Senecas”. The open areas on the top of South Hill offer excellent scenic views of the Naples and West River Valleys.
This week we will hike the top of the hill and follow the Clark Gully down to a secluded waterfall.
Hike Discription:
Hikers will split into 3 groups:
Due to temperature and high degree of dificulty, Climbers may wish to postpone the climb from the bottom parking lot that was done last year and elect to hike in from the top at the north end of the park to the waterfall area and return by way of the creek. most of the creek can be hiked without entering the water but there might be spots where you may need to enter the water to cross. This was hiked last week and water levels less than one inch were encountered.
Tourists will drive to the north parking lot on top of the hill. They will hike into the waterfall area passing through wild flower meadows and wooded areas along the way. They will return back to the cars along a service road.
Naturalists will also drive to the north end of the park and enter a service road that goes most of the way back to the waterfalls area. The last 200-300 ft hiked will be on a marked trail that goes gently down hill to the waterfall. Along the way are wild flower meadows off to the side. Most of this walk is in the shade. We will return back to the cars the same way.
Recommendations:
Bring water, bug juice, hat and preferably, light weight pants.
After Hike Social:
Bob and Ruth’s at the corner of RT245 and RT21 in Naples.
Directions :
Drive to Naples. Off Rt 21 across from Bob & Ruth’s, turn onto Rt 245. Drive a few miles toward Middlesex. You will pass a dec boat launch (west river) on the left side. Continue about a mile more and turn left onto Sunny Side Road. Drive about a mile to a “T” in the road. There is a DEC parking lot off to the right. We will all meet there for the hike.
a little local history…Clark’s Gully was named for Frederick “Freddy” Clark who ‘discovered’ it. He was, either the brother, or cousin, of Mary Clark Thompson, the mistress of Sonnenberg Mansion in Canandaigua. The Thompsons were a large family from the Naples area. Freddy, in folklore, was accredited with “taming the black snakes”‘ in the gully during his time, in the Victorian Era, from the late 1800’s-early 1900’s. On our hike last September several of us actually saw a black snake, the first time for me.