Since our thaw has generally eliminated our snow, Rick checked out the conditions at Harriet Hollister Spencer Park today and found the “groomed” trails were now simply ice.  For safety reasons, he has switched our hike to Canadice Lake.

All hikers will meet at the North end of Canadice Lake at the parking area off Purcell Hill Road, Town of Canadice, Ontario County. Google Maps (leaves this website) Click here for directions. Plan to arrive early in case you need to park on Purcell Hill Rd and walk into the parking lot.

Join us on Sunday February 18th for a hike around Fisher Park . Located in the hamlet of Fishers, this 93 acre park is a diversity of passive and active recreation opportunities. Visitors can see a multitude of wildlife from deer, squirrels, and other woodland creatures to waterfowl and trout that spawn in the spring. Trails meander through the park across wooded ridges, through wetland areas, and along the banks of Irondequoit Creek.

Everyone will meet at the parking area at 7938 Main St, Fishers(Victor),  at 1:45 for a 2PM start.

The Hike:

Naturalists will explore mostly the outer perimeter on the White and Red trails. Included will be nice wide trails, a vista at a high point with a beautiful view looking out over the western side of the park, a stroll along Irondequoit Creek, and trail maps every so often showing your present location. Hikers will then loop back to the parking lot.

The hike length is about 1.5miles with an option to add (we will vote on it) some small inner trails to extend hiking time.

Climbers/Tourists will also head out on the White trail but will cover more of the Yellow trails with rolling hills, ending on the Red trail along Irondequoit Creek and then loop back to the parking lot.

Hike length is about 3 miles.

The Social:

The social afterwards is at the Cottage Hotel in Mendon, at the 4 corners in Mendon at 1390 Pittsford Mendon Road.

Directions:

Directions from Springwater and Honeoye:  take County Road 37 north from Route 20A about 7 miles north to Route 5 and 20 in West Bloomfield.   Route 65 begins there.  About a half mile north Route 65 makes a sharp left turn.  Do not go left, go staight onto County Road 35, otherwise known as West Bloomfield Road.  Go about 6 miles up to Route 251 and turn right.  You will come to the traffic light at the 4 corners of Mendon.  Go straight ahead  to Mile Square Road.  There is no road sign at Mile Square Road so look for some bright lime green home made signs on either side of the road in about 1/2mile.  Turn left onto Mile Square Road.  Main Street Fishers will be the third road on your right.  After you pass Old Dutch Road on the right look for a green house at 7937 Main Street.  The sign for the entrance to the Park is right after that house on the right.

Directions from Canandaigua and Farmington:  Take Route 332 north to Route 96. Go north on Route 96 through the village of Victor  all the way to a large intersection with a Valvoline, a Burger King, a car wash and a Chili’s Restaurant at the corners.  Rowley Street goes to the right but turn left onto County Road 42.  Go through the little hamlet of Fishers past the old Firehouse on the left and past Wangum Road on the left where the first entrance for Fishers Park is.  You want the second entrance to the park farther down the road on the left.

Directions from Rochester:  Take Route 495 East all the way to the Victor exit.  It will take you right onto  Route 96 South.  At the first large intersection with Chili’s Restaurant on the right hand corner, turn right.  Drive through the little hamlet of Fishers and after the old fire house on the left you will see a sign for the first entrance to Fishers Park on Wangum Road.  Do not turn there.  Go a little farther until you see the second entrance to the park on your left.

Directions to the Cottage Hotel:

Turn left (west) out of the parking lot of Fishers Park and go all the way to the end of Main Street. Turn left onto Mile Square Road.   Turn right onto Route 251.   Drive to the 4 corners of Mendon to the light.   The Cottage Hotel is on the right.

When: February 25th, 2024  @2pm-4pm

 

Meet at 1:45pm at the northwest corner of Hemlock Lake at the Rix Hill Road trailhead parking area just west of the Hemlock Outlet and Hemlock Lake State Park.  There are small parking areas on both sides of the road, and a kiosk on the south side.  Naturalists will first follow the Bur Oak Trail north for about 1/2mile and then return to the start. Then they will cross the road and continue on to follow the Walnut Trail south through the woods for about 1 1/2 mi round trip. This requires some agility in stream crossing. At the end of the trail, we will vote on either returning the way we came or take a path down to the shoreline, walk a bit, then head back to the parking lot.Bring good waterproof winter footwear and poles.  Those wanting a shorter hike will have ample opportunity to bail out as we pass the starting point. At the end of Walnut Trail, there is a very steep climb that some bold hikers take down the ravine to get to the shoreline. It is advisable that if you want to walk the beach, it might be safer to double back the way you came to where a flagged path makes a much safer trip down to the water. There is another flagged path to get back up to the trail, and then back to the parking lot.

Tourists and Climbers will first follow the Bur Oak Trail north all the way up to the grassland loop off Blank Road, and return for a total of about 2.5 miles. We will then cross the road and follow the Walnut Trail south through the woods and back. This requires some agility in stream crossing. At the end of Walnut Trail, there is a very steep climb that some bold hikers take down the ravine to get to the shoreline. It is advisable that if you want to walk the beach, it might be safer to double back the way you came to where a flagged path makes a much safer trip down to the water. There is another flagged path to get back up to the trail, and then back to the parking lot. Bring good waterproof winter footwear and poles.  Those wanting a shorter hike will have ample opportunity to bail out as we pass the starting point.