This Sunday we will visit the Auburn Trail in Victor NY. Victor is home to over 30 miles of hiking and multi-use trails built and maintained by Victor Hiking Trails in cooperation with the Victor Town Board and the landowners of Victor. On Sunday, we will enjoy about half of the nine mile long Auburn Trail. This trail is built mostly on the bed of the Auburn and Rochester Railroad, (later part of NY Central) which ran from 1841 to 1978.

Following the hike, we will gather at the VB Brewery for a social and to enjoy the artwork inside by Susan Prener, an occasional hiker with Springwater Trails from Fairport, and to taste the beer. Please bring a dish to pass or contribute to the social fund. Depending on the weather, a food truck will be available in the parking lot.

There will be two hikes available. The Naturalists will hike 2.5 miles starting at Phillips Rd.   The trail crosses under the Lehigh Trail, which Springwater Trails met earlier this year at the end of our hike north from Avon on the Genesee Valley Greenway. The trail next travels on the south west edge of the Lehigh Crossing Park, where we will pass two trail entrances to the park. We will save exploring the park for another hike. The trail will cross Rt 251 and continue on to Rawson Rd, where it becomes a road walk for a short block to the brewery.

The Climbers (and Tourists) will car pool to Fishers Road north of Fishers, NY and will start the Auburn Trail just north of the Thruway.  We will pass under the thruway, noting the mural of an old passenger trail on the wall of the underpass.  This begins a section of the trail known as the Art Walk. We will see some historic buildings as we pass through the hamlet of Fishers on the way to Phillips Rd, where we will pick up the route already traversed by the naturalists. In the Lehigh Crossing Park, the climbers have the opportunity to explore a short side trail and the continue on a narrow hiking trail parallel to the main multi-use trail.

All hikers should meet at the VB Brewery parking lot at 1:30 to allow time to carpool to the start of the hikes. If you are unable to be at the parking lot at 1:30, or if you are already carpooling in a full car, you may meet us at the hike start point. Both the Naturalist and Climber hikes will start promptly at 2:00.

Directions:

From Springwater to the VB Brewery parking lot (42.980617, -77.416947): Take Rt 15A north for 0.8 miles from the flashing light. Turn right on Wheaton Hill Rd, and left at the first cross street Canadice Lake Rd (CR 42). In 0.8 miles, CR 42 turns right and in 0.3 miles becomes Ontario CR 37. At the tee in Canadice turn left to stay on CR 37. Continue heading north, crossing NY 20A, then Rts 5 & 20 in West Bloomfield, where the road becomes NY-65. 0.7 miles north of West Bloomfield, continue straight onto CR 35 (as NY 65 turns left) In 3.2 miles, turn right onto Boughton Hill Rd. In 5.6 miles turn left on School Rd. The parking lot is on the left just before Rawson Rd.

From Rochester to the VB Brewery parking lot (42.980617, -77.416947): Take I-490 E to the Victor exit 29. Merge on NY 96 S for 2.9 miles. Turn right onto School St.  The parking lot is on the right in 0.3 miles, just past Rawson St.

From VB Brewery to Phillips Rd (43.002041, -77.453746): Head north-east on School St. Turn left on NY 96 for 1.3 miles. Turn left on NY 251 for 1.4 mi. Turn right onto Phillips Rd as NY 251 bears to the left. The Auburn trail is the second trail crossing Phillips Rd.

From VB Brewery to Fishers Rd (43.016540, -77.471770): Head north-east on School St. Turn left on NY 96 for 2.5 miles. Turn left on Main St Fishers, at the light before the Thruway. In 1.4 miles, turn right onto Fishers Rd.  Park on the right side in 0.5 miles at the Auburn Trail.

Here is a hike a bit (or more) out of the way for most Springwater Trails hikers.  But, it is a unique opportunity.   Scheduled for Wednesday 10/5/2016 at 4:30PM this hike is open to all and is led by a member of the hiking group “Southern Tier Greenway Hiking” (STGH) members of the Friends of Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG).

The content (below) is near as it appears on the FOGVG Facebook page.

The hike meet location at Caneadea Dam Picnic Area ~ 42.381407, -78.183117, is on the eastern edge of Rushford Lake.  – -Directions are given (below).- –

Southern Tier Greenway Hiking

Moss Lake October 5th, 2016 at 4:30 PM

Jim wrote: The Moss Lake kettle was formed by the glacier about 10,000 years ago. Blocks of ice broke from the melting glacier. At the same time there were large amounts of gravel and finer sediments in the glacier’s meltwater. Sediments piled up around the huge blocks of ice and left behind water-filled bowls that had no inlet and outlet thus becoming a peat bog.

Hike and explore, beginning and ending at Dugway Road, a yellow loop trail that traverses a variety of forest types including shaggy hickory, thorn trees, pines, apple trees and field vegetation. Stid Hill was formerly a grazing area for sheep and other livestock and is now a multi-use area owned by New York State. There are a number of remains of old stone fences from those days of yesteryear. Multi-uses include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and hunting. Bow season is currently going on and while there are “designated” hunting areas, which we will not be in, it is recommended that hikers wear bright colors (blaze orange if you’ve got it, otherwise any other bright color will do) and do not wander from their respective group.

The trails we will be hiking are actually older trails, dating back at least to the 1980’s, which were “hidden” due to the absence of sufficient markers or maintenance. Less than two years ago, there suddenly appeared new markers and paint and a lot of brush and weed elimination. This trail was an unexpected surprise for me – it is lovely with its expansive variety of trees and differs from the more commonly uphill treks in its much more gentle inclines.

We will offer two levels of hiking – Climbers and Tourists/Naturalists. We will all start out together, up the old road, through the stop sign and along a ravine. At the third DEC yellow marker we will make a right into the woods and onto the yellow trail. At the fork in the trail Climbers will bear left; Tourists/Naturalists will continue straight along.

CLIMBERS will cover a little more trail at a faster pace…they will continue up the incline (not a real serious one, as this area typically offers otherwise) then make a right into the denser woods. Arriving at several large shaggy hickory trees that have many yellow paint marks on them (probably used a bucket of paint here) we will turn left, continuing on the portion of the yellow trail that heads south, through a grove of thorn trees, and ends up by a large stream. If time permits, we will explore the stream or rest on the scenic large rock wall bordering the creek. After a bit we will continue on, through a serene pine forest, and turn right onto a short trail that passes by an old pickup truck. Heading downhill, we will turn right onto the return loop through the pine & shaggy hickory forest.

TOURISTS/NATURALISTS, after traveling along the mostly straight trail, with just a few winds and bends, will turn left into the Shaggy Hickory & Pine Forest (yellow DEC marker on tree with obvious trail clearing), then at the end of it will turn left and follow trail back to ravine, stop sign and old road. There will be some soggy spots, in the area shortly before the turn off, due to remnants of an old, now overgrown, pond – but nothing vaguely approaching what we walked through back in April.

AFTER-HIKE SOCIAL will be at Lock, Stock and Barrel – approximately 3.5 miles south of Dugway Road, on Rte 64.

DIRECTIONS:
From the north, (Honeoye and Bloomfield) starting at Route 5 & 20 in Bloomfield, come down Route 64. 3.0 miles south of Rt 20A and 1.4 miles past Bristol Center (and CR 32), turn left on Dugway Road. If you come to a Stid Hill MUA parking area, you’ve come too far south – turn around and try again.

From the south, starting at Bristol Springs for 6.4 miles, come up Route 64 past both Stid Hill parking areas, then turn right on Dugway Road. If you come to Bristol Center you’ve come too far north.

From Springwater, Google Maps recommends heading north to 20A through Honeoye, then south on 64.

From Wayland, the recommendation is to take Rt 21 through Naples to the east end of Dugway Rd (4.5 miles north of the intersection with NY 64). The trail head is 1.2 miles west on Dugway, (Dugway is paved to the Bristol/Canandaigua town line).

Dugway Road, in Bristol, is a dirt road. The trail head is exactly 2.0 miles from the Route 64 junction. It’s easy to miss – it’s just a widening of the road after a sharp left turn. The trail head is on the right of the road and marked with a discreet yellow DEC sign a little too far from the road. Please park carefully. There isn’t much parking space to be had.

Springwater Trails hikers and the general public are invited to this unique event that Ontario Pathways (OP) is putting on.

The OP event , which provides a unique opportunity for youngsters and for adults as well (replete with hiker networking opportunities) gleaned directly from the OP website is as follows:

Great Pumpkin Walk – Sat October 15 6:30-9:00 PM

This Sunday we will be hiking on three farms on the west hill of Springwater.  On the following Saturday, two of these farms are holding an open house to celebrate the Springwater Bicentennial, so our hike will provide a hiker’s perspective of the farm and the open house will provide a farmer’s perspective.

On Sunday we will hike on

• the All Western Evergreen Nursery and Christmas Tree Farm
• the Petraitis Dairy and Beef Farm
• Amanda’s Garden Native Perennial Nursery

Following the hike, weather permitting, we will have an outdoor social at Amanda’s Garden with a campfire in the fire pit. (If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the social will be inside at the All Western Tree Farm).  Bring a dish to pass (or make a contribution to the social fund) and your own beverage.

Meet at the All Western Tree Farm, 6840 Liberty Pole Road, where there is ample parking at the Christmas tree loading area between the tall Western red cedar and the barn.

The Naturalists will hike the lower portions of the tree farm, including the Western Red Cedars in the nursery and in the wind break. They will then drive to Amanda’s Garden for a hike around the Garden with commentary from Ellen Folts. and on a trail that has been built through the woods.

The Tourists and Climbers will hike up to the Christmas Tree plantations, through a recently planted field and a field that is available for cutting. We will follow a trail back down to Liberty Pole Rd, cross the road and proceed to the back fields of the Petraitis Farm. After a loop around these fields, we will return to the cars and drive to Amanda’s Garden for a hike through the woods surrounding the garden.

Following the hikes, we will have an outdoor social at the Garden with a campfire as the evening cools down. Please bring a dish to pass (or contribute ($5) to the Social Fund), your own beverage and a folding chair if you would like to relax.

In case of rain, we will adjust the hike to end at the tree farm house, for an indoor social.

Directions: Click here for directions to the All Western Christmas Tree Farm.

From AWTF to Amanda’s Garden (for the second half of the hike): Turn left out of the driveway onto Liberty Pole Rd. The first cross road is Story Rd, marking the Town line between Springwater and Sparta. The Patricia Willsea Beef Farm (also part of Saturday’s open house) is on the north-east corner. Turn left onto Story Rd. Amanda’s Garden is on the left in 2 miles (just before Mead Hill Rd.

Katherine J. T. Humphrey will present a discussion on what is new or current in home food preservation – like increased interest in fermentation, using less energy, using what is available locally and seasonally, deciding on what method of preservation would be best for a single person or for a household of many people, where to begin if a novice or an experienced home preserver, and the place to go for research based answers to questions, especially when it comes to safety and quality considerations.

Katherine was a full time Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator 1969-1991, and a CCE Livingston County Home Economics Program Leader. She has been a CCE Home Food Preservation Instructor since 1989.

Come tour several working farms in Springwater. Open farms will provide tours of their working farms, including demonstartions and equipment.

At the All Western Evergreen Nursery and Christmas Tree Farm, 6840 Liberty Pole Road (County Road 38), the tour will include the farm’s history, tours to different areas of the farm to see differing species of fir trees, demonstrations of tree farming procedures, and a display of equipment.