This Sunday’s hike will take us back to an old favorite, Mendon Ponds Park, with well-marked trails and much to see in every season. We will meet outside the Nature Center/Wild Wings at 1:45PM. Wild Wings is open 10AM-2PM if you want to arrive early and walk through before our hike. There are also restrooms at the center.

The weather on Sunday is expected to be a nice 40 degrees but the rain on Saturday could make our hike a bit muddy. Please be prepared and bring your pole(s) if you use them.

We’ll split into just two groups for this hike. The Naturalists and Tourists will hike the area of the Grasslands and West Esker trails with an overlook of the Devil’s Bathtub, for about 2+ miles. The Climbers will do a combination hike of the Nature Trail/Birdsong and the Quaker Pond loop for a longer (and quicker paced) hike of about 5 miles, with an enjoyable view of Quaker Pond. See attached map with trail descriptions.

Park Map:       https://www.monroecounty.gov/files/parks/jan%2015%20mpp%20map.pdf

For the social afterwards, interested members can head to Flaherty’s in Honeoye Falls at 60 W Main St..

Directions:

From Springwater: Head north on 15A for 21.6 miles through Hemlock and Lima. Take a right at the exit to Honeoye Falls. Stay on W Main St into the village where you will pass the Flaherty’s on the right. Continue straight onto NY 65 for 4.4 mi. (At 2 miles, you will go around a traffic circle. Stay on NY 65.) Turn right onto Pond Rd at the park entrance. The Nature Center parking area is immediately on the right.

From Honeoye, take US 20A west and head north on CR 37 for 8.2 miles to W Bloomfield. Continue straight on NY 65 for about 3 miles, and make a right on Quaker Meeting House Road just before you come into Honeoye Falls. When Quaker Meeting House Road ends at Route 251 (Rush-Mendon Road), go left and then right on Route 65/Clover Street. The Pond Road entrance to the park is about 2 miles to the north, on the right. The Nature Center parking area is immediately on the right.

From Rochester: Exit I 590 at Monroe Ave toward Pittsford. Turn right (south) onto NY 65 (Clover St). In about 6.7 you will come to the Canfield Road entrance to the park – this is not the one you want. Continue another 1.5 miles, then turn left onto Pond Rd, the second entrance into the park. The Nature Center parking area is immediately on the right.