For the first time, Springwater Trails visited Cumming Nature Center on Gulick Road for our hike yesterday.  Although Saturday was frigid cold, with a blizzard out east, 21 hikers came.  It was a relatively warm January day and a very pleasant hike.

There are a multitude of trails set up around the center, with additional ski trails available during the winter.  With only an inch of snow on the ground, the trails have not been opened for skiing, but that just made hiking easier.

Our first trail led to the beaver pond. The beavers have left, now that the trees are too large for the little guys to cut down, but the pond remains.

After the pond, we followed the red trail up to the wilderness trail. These woods are being logged, so several new logging trails were open.  This confused our route, resulting is several group discussions on the right way to go.  Fortunately, with the help of a compass, the maps regularly spaced on the trails, and simple signs pointing toward the visitor center, we enjoyed a hike and arrived back at the center at 3:59.

The yellow Beaver Pond trail passes through a beautiful grove of Red Pines, reminding us of the Cathedral Pines on Katherine’s tree farm. Please indulge me, if I think they are worth two pictures.

Following the hike, 15 of us enjoyed dinner at the Vallley Inn in Honeoye.