NOTE: Please note the change of time to 3:00PM EDT. We plan to work until about 5:30.

This Sunday’s hike will be a joint event with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Parks & Trails New York, and the NYS Parks and Recreation. It will be part of a state-wide network of events celebrating I Love My Park Day  to honor New York’s state parks and state forests. Our effort will focus on making one of our closest patches of state land – Wheaton Hill in Springwater (42.657417, -77.564875) – cleaner and more hikable for visitors. The trails at Wheaton Hill are a small part of the Hemlock Canadice State Forest, a lovely patch of land in the hills of the Finger Lakes and is well worth a little TLC. We will split into several teams depending on how many people show up, with each team being assigned a route through the forest and tasks such as cutting grass, picking up trail debris, picking up trash, and general cleaning up the trails.

Please bring gloves to protect your hands, loppers or small clippers to cut branches and the ever present Multiflora roses. Other useful tools, if you have them, include a small saw for branches that are too large for the loppers, and a small shovel if you want to help direct some of the water on the path. If you want to do some serious damage, then bring a weed whacker and have at it. We will also have a sawyer at the event should there be fallen trees across a path. If you do plan to use power tools, PLEASE BRING EYE PROTECTION! These devices can kick up a lot of dust and small stones. Finally, a backpack may be useful to carry your water and saw while you use loppers to cut roses.

We will work on the Pine, Skid, Spruce and Redbud trails. Most of our work will be clearing fallen sticks off of the path and cutting back the roses and other growths. This organic debris will be moved off the trail, but left in the woods. Some garden duty trash bags will be available for carrying out any trash that has found its way into the forest..

The Social

We’ll have a picnic social if the weather if fine, otherwise we’ll just quit at the end of the day. All workers are invited to bring a sandwich or snack and beverage and a chair in case you wish to rest.

Directions: Wheaton Hill is the first right turn north of the intersection of Rt 15 and Rt 15A in Springwater (0.9 mile north of the intersection).  The trail head is 0.5 miles up Wheaton Hill just before the road turns straight east and heads up the main hill.  More details are on the directions page. Please park on the left side of the road as you come up the hill. There is a short entrance to the trails on the right side you can use to turn around.

What to bring:

• Gloves and clippers – hand clippers or long handled loppers for larger branches.
• Water to keep hydrated.
• A picnic dinner
• Solid boots to protect your feet
• Rain coat or poncho if the forecast changes

If you wish, bring one of the following

• A weed whacker if you want to cut grass, with gas mixture and extra string.
• Eye protection
• Small bow saw.
• Small shovel that is easy to carry
• Plastic grocery bags in case you find any litter.