The hike on Sunday November 10 2019 will be at the Wesley Hill Nature Preserve, a Finger Lakes Land Trust property. The Wesley Hill tract covers 390 acres and includes stands of northern hardwoods, red and white pines, a woodland pond, and the northern edge of Briggs Gully, as well as the Wenrich Cabin, set in an old forest overlooking the gully, deep in the woods. A network of trails through the preserve offers excellent hiking routes of various lengths and levels of difficulty.
The preserve was founded in 1999 by the generous donation of 90 acres by the children of three artists – John Wenrich, James Havens and Colburn Dugan – to the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Since that time, the Land Trust has expanded Wesley Hill to over 390 acres through the purchase or donation of four additional parcels.
We will meet at 1:45 and start our hikes at 2 PM at the Gulick Road parking lot. This access point is on the west side of Gulick Road, 8.2 miles north of the junction with County Road 36 in Naples and 4.6 mile south of the junction with County Road 33 in Richmond.
This hike is being walked in hunting season, and many of the western trails are closed to hikers. Please respect all closure signs – there may be hunters out there and they won’t be expecting hikers in the woods. WEAR BRIGHT COLORS! Hunters can wander off course too; it’s important not to look like a deer!
The Hike:
All hikers will start together on the red trail until we reach Anna’s pond (which is pictured above). Then….
NATURALISTS will walk around the pond as far as the trail allows, and then walk back to the start point. This is about 1 mile total.
TOURISTS will walk back to the junction with the green trail where they will turn right. They will follow the green trail about 0.2 miles to a junction of the returning red trail. They will turn left on the trail and walk 0.8 miles to the start point. The whole walk is about 1.6 miles.
CLIMBERS will take the red trail counter-clockwise around the tract. At the Wenrich cabin we will take a short extra walk to the overlook, and then back on the red trail to the start point. This hike as about 2.8 miles. If the weather is fine and we feel like walking a little extra we can turn right on the orange trail not long after we pass Anna’s Pond. This will take us on a loop through the northern parts of the tract until it ends at the yellow trail. Here we MUST turn left and follow the yellow trail back to the red trail to continue the hike. We will rejoin the red trail about 0.6 miles from where we left it. A right turn on the yellow trail would take us into hunting territory. If we take the orange trail then the total hike is about 3.8 miles.
The Social:
Following the hike, the optional social will be at the Neapolitan Pizzeria at 120 N. Main Street in Naples.
Directions to Gulick Road Trail Head:
From Honeoye take route 20A east through Honeoye to East Lake Road (CR-33). Turn right onto East Lake Road. Take first left, staying on CR33, then the first right onto Pinewood Hill which becomes Gulick Road. Travel 4.6 miles. The parking area is on the right.
From Springwater Head north on Rt 15A toward Hemlock. Just before Hemlock turn right on Rt 20A. Follow Rt 20A to Honeoye and the follow directions above.
From Naples From the southern end of Naples at the Middletown Tavern, head north on County Rd 36 (also called Hunt Hollow Road and Clark Street). Follow County Rd 36 for 1.2 miles to the first right turn on Gulick Road. Follow Gulick Rd for 8.2 miles. The parking area is on the left.
Directions to Neapolitan Pizzeria:
From the Gulick Road parking lot turn right and follow Gulick Road downhill until it ends at County Road 36. Turn left on County Road 36 (still going downhill) until this road ends at Naples Main Street (also called NY 21). Turn left. The Neapolitan Pizzeria is about half a mile away on the left hand side of the road, next to Artizan’s gift shop. It a fine Victorian house set back a little from the road.