Chimney Bluffs State Park, on the Lake Ontario southern shoreline in eastern Wayne County, just east of Sodus Bay is indeed a unique place, and a quintessential hiking destination.  This locale is distant enough from the Springwater and surrounds area such that not likely that Springwater Trails (ST) would plan a hike here … due to the travel distance.   BUT, HOLD ON, … for those interested in hiking this destination with a group of like minded hikers, well, Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) is leading a hike here on Saturday, August 12, 2017. All hikers are welcome.  And of course, ST & VHT as organizations share numerous common bonds.

This hike will be a good opportunity to see this unique scenic area, and the erosion caused by the high levels of Lake Ontario that have been the case in this 2017 Spring & Summer season.   Chimney Bluffs area is constantly changing due to the geological make-up of this place.  Erosion is a constant here, and increased erosion in 2017 hastens the change and loss at Chimney Bluffs.  The uniqueness of the area is always under constant change, and erosion eventually claims the various geologic formations here, … sometimes sooner rather than later.

Any updated details can be gleaned from the Victor Hiking Trails website.

The published basics of the hike are:

• VHT will meet in the parking area behind the Victor Town Hall (85 East Main St) at 9am, and carpool to the hike.

• Hike Chimney Bluffs State Park

  On Saturday, August 12th, Victor Hiking Trails will lead a hike at Chimney Bluffs State Park in Wayne County, NY.

  There are 4 miles of moderate trails through woods, meadows and along the shore of Lake Ontario. Comfortable hiking boots are recommended. Please, no pets on this hike.

  Bring insect repellent, sunscreen, something to drink and a snack.We may stop for lunch on the way home.

  Meet in the rear parking lot of Victor Town Hall, 85 East Main Street, at 9:00 A.M. to carpool to the trailhead. Or meet at the park entrance located at 7700 Garner Road, Wolcott, NY 14590 at 10:15 A.M. There is a $5.00/per car fee.

  Check the website www.victorhikingtrails.org, Facebook, Meetup or the voice message line (234-8226), for additional details.

All are welcome to view and play the Aeolian home organ recently restored for a private residence.  Originally installed in 1928, this organ is equipped with a player mechanism that enables the instrument to play from a repertoire of over 800 musical compositions.

Unfortunately, this open house coincides with the Stid Hill hike, but interested hikers might be able to work in a half hour or so with careful planning. Their facility is about a mile north of the Stid Hill parking lot.

Even if you can’t make the open house, take a moment to view pictures of the restoration.

Please join us on Saturday at the Earth Dance sponsored by and held at the Little Lakes Community Center in Hemlock. The community center is housed in the former Hemlock School across from the fair grounds.

There are activities all afternoon including:

Annually, one of two big shindigs that Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) sponsors, is National Trails Day (NTD) observed each year on the first Saturday of June.  In 2018 the date is June 2nd.  VHT is of course one of many hiking groups that plans some organized observance on NTD.  Yep, that word “national” does in fact imply many groups across the USA observe or celebrate NTD in some manner.   Now, before I describe more about NTD activities that VHT hosts, you were wondering what the other big shindig that VHT has annually.  Weren’t You?  Answer: the second big shindig VHT does is the VHT “challenge hike” usually held sometime around late September.

NTD in Victor with VHT is usually three serial hikes, with a break in between each of the three hikes for rest and refreshment. The first hike is a morning hike and the last hike finishes in the afternoon.

Details for 2018 are:  On Saturday, June 2nd, Victor Hiking Trails will host the 26th annual National Trails Day in Victor. Come to Finger Lakes Community College, Victor Campus, located at 200 Victor Heights Parkway, Victor, NY 14564, at 8:30 a.m. for a free continental breakfast. There will be three easy hikes beginning at 9:00 A.M., bottled water and snacks, a free pizza lunch with drinks and raffle prizes. Everyone who completes all three hikes will receive a free one-year membership to Victor Hiking Trails.

You can also read about National Trails Day 2018 in the the VHT newsletter The Pathfinder Spring 2018 edition (volume 23, issue 1, pages 2 & 7).    A direct hyperlink to a VHT webpage about NTD 2018 is here.  And of course, you can check the VHT website for updated details about VHT’s NTD hike for June 2nd, 2018.