History: Genesee County Park is the oldest county forest in New York State. It has 431 acres of forested rolling hills, five ponds, and a 4-acre wetland, located in Black Creek Watershed. The park has 10 miles of trails for hiking, exploring and mountain biking.  

All hikers will start out in a single group from the Interpretive Nature Center to explore the center section of the park, including stands of hardwood and softwood trees and wetlands. When we reach the park perimeter, Climbers will follow the Boundary Trail around the park for a total hike of about 5 miles. Tourists and Naturalists will complete a shorter hike back to the start. Maps of entire park will be available at start of hike. 

 The Interpretive Nature Center is open Sunday 12-4 pm. Those wanting to visit the Center will need to arrive prior to 4 pm.

All hikers should meet at 3:45 in the large parking area in front of Interpretive Center, to get organized for a 4 pm. start.

Social – We will reconvene at the Interpretive Center at 5:45 for an optional social gathering on the grounds. Bring a lawn chair and your own beverage and meal or snacks, or bring a dish to share. Dessert will be provided. 

Directions:

From the Thruway – Take exit 47 off Thruway (LeRoy/Route 19). Take Route 19 south through LeRoy to Route 20, make a right and go west for 5.6 miles. Turn right onto Old Telephone Road and then left onto Bethany Center Road (County  Road 15). Turn left into the Park entrance onto Memory Lane and continue 1/4 mile to the Interpretive Center.

From the East: Go north to Route 20. Take Rt. 20 West past Avon, Route 19 and Route 63. Turn right onto Old Telephone Road and then left onto Bethany Center Road (County  Road 15). Turn left into the Park entrance onto Memory Lane and continue 1/4 mile to the Interpretive Center.

From Springwater and points south – Get yourself to Geneseo area to pick up Rt. 63 North, either where it intersects with Rt. 36 North in village of Greigsville or in Geneseo. Follow 63 North to Route 20, go west 3.5 miles to Old Telephone Road/Bethany Center Road. Turn left into the Park entrance onto Memory Lane and continue 1/4 mile to the Interpretive Center.

I have received emails about possible substitute hikes for the Clark Gully hike that has been cancelled.  According to Wunderground, there is a 20% chance of rain at both locations below, so make your own choice.

From Don:

Here is a very specific suggestion.  A hike in Rochester in Charlotte area along the Riverway trail (River trail) in Charlotte that includes the board walk over part of the Genesee River in Charlotte and then 6-8pm free concert in the parking lot of  Dairy Queen at 3644 Dewey in Greece where there will be a car show and the 1960s Girl Group band It’s My Party will be performing. Meet location for a 4pm start time would be at the bottom of Petten Street in Charlotte at the trailhead parking lot”, 1 1/2 – 2 hr hike, and then less then about a 5-ish minute drive to Dairy Queen.  Opportunity to purchase some mostly unhealthy food options, or bring your own healthy (hopefully) food options (for self or sharing).

Directions from Springwater: Take NY 15A north to Lima. Turn left on 5&20. Turn right onto the entrance to I-390 north toward Rochester. At the intersection with I-590, stay on I-390 around the west side of Rochester. Take exit 27A onto the Lake Ontario State Parkway eastbound. In 3 miles, turn right onto Lake Avenue. In 0.3 miles, turn left onto Petten (the first street on the left). Park at the trailhead at the end of Petten St.

From John:

I’m up for a walk in Grimes Glen and a beer at the new Naples brewery. Since the brewery closes at 6, this would be a short walk, likely with raincoats, focused on watching the results of yesterday’s rain, followed by a visit to the newly opened brewery.

Directions from Springwater: Take NY-15 south to Wayland.  Turn left on NY-21N continuing through N Cohocton to Naples. In Naples, at the Bristol Valley Theater, turn left onto Vine St.  Grimes Glen is at the end of Vine St.

Note: These quick hike plans are completely Ad Hoc.  Please click on the title of this event and leave a comment if you plan to come.  Although right now I plan to come to Grimes Glen and Don plans to be at Petten St, if there are no commitments from other hikes on this website, there may be no one there if you go.

Reminder: Next week (July 27), Springwater Trails will host a paddle/hike at the Finger Lakes Museum in Branchport.  We will kayak on the Sugar Creek and out onto Keuka Lake. The Museum has offered to arrange for kayak rentals if we have we know some of you want to rent a kayak. To help us get a count, please email info@springwatertrails.org by Monday, July 19th or talk with Linda or Mark at the Clark Gully hike.  Thank you for helping us to plan ahead on this opportunity.

NOTICE: The expected mud on the steep trails has forced us to cancel our hike on Clark Gully.

On Sunday we will return to Clark Gully on the south east side of Canandaigua Lake. This gully is a part of the High Tor Wildlife Management Area which is less developed than the area south of 245, but it is popular none the less.

We will offer hikers two hikes, one on the east side of the gully, starting at the bottom. The other will be a bit easier, starting up high on the gully off of South Hill Road. Both hikes will be in and out.

The Climbers will head across the road from the DEC parking area. After a short walk along the creek that comes down the gully, we will head up a quite steep hill, enjoying the exercise and the views back across the West River. This is a steep climb and our speed will depend on each individual hiker. At the top we will continue on the trail down to the creek, for any hikers so inclined. After cooling off near the creek, the Climbers will follow the same trail back to the cars.

The Naturalists will drive on Sunnyside Rd toward the lake, staying to the right on South Hill Rd. Parking is available on the right side after the road enters the town of Middlesex and becomes seasonal. We will hike across the field into a forest on an outcropping between two gullies. After the first steep downhill the trail branches, with the left branch heading down to the creek and the right branch following the ridge down steeply to an overview of the valley. After the view, we will need to climb back up, so each hiker can decide how far they wish to go.

Following the hike, join us for a dish to pass social at the Naples Community Park on the left of rt 245 before you reach the village. In case all the picnic tables are taken, you may want to bring a chair along with a dish to share and your own beverage.

Directions: Drive to Naples. Off Rt 21 across from Bob & Ruth’s, turn onto Rt 245. Drive 3.9 miles toward Middlesex. You will pass a DEC boat launch (west river) on the left side about a mile before your left turn onto Sunnyside 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.

Please join us for kayaking on Sugar Creek and Keuka Lake or a hike through the marsh preserve to the lake.  Our starting point will be the Finger Lakes Museum site, accessible from Guyanoga Road or from Route 54, both close to the flashing light at the center of Branchport.  The Finger Lakes Museum is a former elementary school which is being gradually converted to a regional museum.  They have an active boat launch site at the rear bordering Sugar Creek, the main tributary into the west branch of Keuka Lake.

Checking the weather, expect a very warm day with scattered showers.

Kayakers should arrive by 3:40 to unload your boat and launch from their floating dock. Hikers, who will follow the trail along the river, and kayakers will leave at 4:00.

After launching, kayakers will head upstream in Sugar Creek through a woodland waterway. Based on time and conditions we then will turn around and head back past the dock to the lake.  Once on the lake we will start heading west and enter the adjacent marshland owned by the Isaak Walton League. Cattails, water lilies and waterfowl are abundant in the marsh waterways.  Back on the lake we will continue west to the marinas of Branchport. Another U-turn will take us toward Keuka Lake State Park. Finally, we will return to the river and up to the takeout at the Museum’s dock.

Hikers will hike to Keuka Lake along the museum paths, stopping at an observation platform overlooking the marsh and at the Museum’s lakefront pavilion.: After enjoying the lake views, we will return to the museum and explore the museum grounds.

Social:  Bring your own snack or a dish to pass at the Museum’s pavilion. Or contribute $5 to the social fund and snack from the dishes available.

Directions:

From Springwater and Wayland – Take Route 15 south and then Route 21 north to Naples. Coming into Naples, go right on Route 53 toward Prattsburgh. In 1.2 miles make a left on Italy Valley Road. You will remain on Italy Valley  Road for about 8.7 miles, although the county road number changes from 21 to 18 to 34 en route. At the end of Italy Valley Road, go left for .3 miles on Italy Hill Road (CR 35), then follow Itlaly Hill Road as it curves to the right and becomes CR32. In another 4.7 miles you will be at the flashing light in the center of Branchport.  Go straight on Route 54A toward Penn Yan for .2 miles, and turn left into the Finger Lakes Museum across from the Library, and before the Fire Station. Look for the driveway toward the new barn on your right.

From Canandaigua and 5&20:  Take East Lake Road south to County Road 1, or Route 247 from Reed’s Corners into Rushville. Continue South through Rushville toward Penn Yan. Route 247 will become Route 364 shortly before Potter. Continue for 4.5 miles past Potter and make a right on Guyanoga Road (CR 29). Go another 6.5 miles to Branchport. Turn left into the Finger Lakes Museum at 3369 Guyanoga Road, or if you miss it, go left at the flashing light and then left into the FLM drive. If you come in from Guyanoga Road, go to the right around the building and parking lot, and follow the signs to the Creekside Center (a new barn). Park on the grass near the boat rack. If you take the side entrance in from Route 54A heading east toward Penn Yan, turn in to the left, across from the library, and then right into the Creekside Center.

Sorry all, but the weather really isn’t cooperating. We are going to cancel today. Please come down to the Community days if it is drier after noon and stay out of the lightning. 

This coming Sunday is Springwater Community Day at Canute Park off School St in Springwater NY. Festivities start early with an egg and pancake breakfast. Events will include an antique Car Show, and the Tractor Pull. You are all invited to stop by the park and enjoy the festivities.  Be sure to stop by the Floyd Ingraham’s Springwater book launch between 9 and 3 and meet the author Julie Manwarren. She will be able to tell you the history of the photos by Springwater resident Floyd Ingraham taken in the first decades of the 20th century, and how the original negatives were processed to create some of the best pictures you will find of rural life at that time.  She may even personally sign a book for you.

One other event on that day is a rummage sale at the Springwater/Webster Crossing Historical Society Museum, 8130 Route 15, Springwater, NY 14560. The museum will be open and all proceeds from the rummage sale will benefit the Historical Society.

Following the Community Day festivities, Springwater Trails will lead a hike on the Wheaton Hill trails.  All hikers will start on the Pine Trail where we will walk through woods to one of the typical gullies of the Finger Lakes. After this loop we will cross the road to the Spruce Trail through a spruce plantation likely planted 50 or more years ago. The Climbers will break off to check out the Redbud Trail for additional exercise.

Following the hike, if the weather holds, hang around for our post hike social. You can share your copy of Julie’s book and enjoy the outdoors. Bring a chair so you can relax. Also, if you haven’t eaten too much at the Community Day festivities, bring a sandwich and beverage and maybe a small snack to share with the group.

This Sunday we will be kayaking and hiking  Canadice lake. Kayakers and hikers will meet at the south kayak launch . Kayakers should plan on arriving 15-20 minutes early for a timely launch at 4:00pm. hikers can walk from here to the south trail entrance  and enter the west lake hiking trail. The west lake hiking trail starts at the south end of the lake and continues along the lake for four miles arriving at the north gate. Hikers can hike as long as they wish before turning back enjoying the wild flowers and lake views along the way. Kayakers will head in a direction favorable to wind direction determined at the time of launch.

We will meet back at the south kayak launch for a “after hike” social. Bring a sandwich or dish to pass and something to drink.

Directions:

From Rochester: Take Rt 15A ((East Henrietta Rd) south toward Hemlock. Continue through Hemlock on 15 A south four about 4 miles and turn left on to  Parselle  Road. Drive for a mile and turn right on Canadice Road. Drive south on Canadice Road for about 3 miles. Don’t stop at the first boat launch. Continue down the lake to the kayak launch. There is a Kiosk on the right hand side. Park along the road and walk down the trail (100ft) to the lake.  Unload your kayak at the kiosk and find a place to park along the road.

From Naples, Wayland and points south, Head to Wayland and turn on to Rt 15 north. Continue  straight  through Springwater on Rt 15A for 1.5 miles and turn right on Wheaton hill Rd. Continue up the hill for 1 mile and turn left on to Canadice Rd. Continue on Canadice Rd. for about 2-3 miles. you should see Canadice lake on your left. the Kiosk will be on your left along the Rd. unload your kayak at the kiosk and find a place to park along the side of the road.

Join us on Sunday at the Finger Lakes Boat Museum. In 1996 a small group of dedicated antique boating enthusiasts, motivated in part by a common concern over the rapidly dwindling population of locally-built wooden boats, committed to establishing a museum that would preserve the boating heritage of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. The museum founders, all active in the “antique boat world,” felt that a museum focusing on the impact that recreational and commercial boating had on the development of the lakes and tourism in the Finger Lakes Region would increase appreciation and awareness as well as help preserve these vintage craft.

The Museum Collection has now grown to more than 200 boats built by many of the 40+ commercial builders identified to date as having built boats throughout the Finger Lakes Region during the last century.

The museum currently has three floors of the historic former Taylor Wine Company’s main building to explore with several exhibit spaces and a new wing renovated in 2015.  Visitors can see canoes, rowboats, row outboards, outboard runabouts, inboards, hydroplanes, and sailboats. Many related artifacts and ephemera are also on display, including a 130′ x 10′ lake and nature mural and replica lake cottage. A 60′ x 10′ lake mural was also recently completed in the Inboard Motor Boat exhibit room. Our main building also contains an active boat shop where visitors are able to see restoration projects underway.

We all plan to meet at the museum at 3:00 for an hour or so to check out the boats. You should feel free to come earlier if you expect to spend more time. If the museum is not of interest, join us for a hike to start promply at 4:30.

After exploring the Boat Museum, head south on Pleasant Valley Road (County Road 88) about .8 miles to the Urbana Town Hall at 8014 Pleasant Valley Road (  42.389558, -77.260007 ). We will gather between 4:15 and 4:30 for a 4:30 start. The trail will take us through a vineyard, over a bridge, along a former rail line, and up along the south rim of Mitchellsville Creek, a very pleasant climb through a hemlock and pine forest with frequent views to the deep gully below. Mushrooms and tiny toads abound. The full hike (Climbers) is 4.8 miles (total out and back) and about 2 hours; Tourists and Naturalists can head back to the start whenever so inclined. The path is well marked and cleared, though on the steep side in a few places.

After the hike, please join us for the social at the Pleasant Valley Inn, just a few hundred feet south from the Town Hall parking lot. Bear right at the intersection onto Fish Hatchery Road and then enter the first driveway on the left, between two white posts – this is the back way into the Inn, which is pink and white. The main entrance is at 7979 Route 54. Please let us know ASAP if you plan to join us at the Pub, so we can let the Inn know we are coming.