This month, our third hike in our Letchworth Series covers a relatively short section of the trail from Access D to Access E.  The main trail is just 2.3 miles with 0.6 miles of access trail since we will park on the road. There as several park trails to views of the river which will afford us opportunities to adjust the route to accommodate hikes of different lengths.

Since this is a through hike, all hikers will meet at the southern end, Access E. From there, we will car pool back to Access D, in the Naturalists cars (an others if needed), leaving cars are Access E to pick up the Climbers and Tourists at the end of the hike.

All hikers will begin hiking at Access D.  The Climbers will follow the blue access trail west to the main trail and then will turn left (south) on the main yellow blazed trail. In 0.7 miles we will cross under power lines, and in another 500 feet we will cross the Letchworth State Park trail #21. The climbers will turn right and follow LSP-21 to an excellent overlook of the river. After John has an opportunity to record the river on his camera, we will return on LSP-21 to the main trail and turn right to continue south. Look for a shelter on the right in 0.1 miles and a couple of crossings of LSP-16 in a mile. Most importantly watch for the Blue access trail. Turn left on the access trail and travel 0.4 miles to the cars at Access E. Total trip is 3.5 miles.

The Tourists will follow the Climbers but will stay on the main trail for a 2.9 mile trip. When the tourists reach LSP-16 (2 miles into the hike), they can check their watches and choose to explore LSP-16 if time permits. This trail goes to the right for 0.4 miles to a river overlook (and 0.4 miles back to the trail). Finally, continue south on the main trail for a half mile to the Blue access trail. It is 0.4 miles out to the cars at Access E. Total trip without exploring LSP-16 is 2.9 miles.

The Naturalists will also follow the Climbers and Tourists down the Blue access trail, then left onto the main trail. After passing under the power lines, watch for the LSP-21 trail. The Naturalists will turn left on the LSP-21 trail (away from the river) and follow that trail for 0.7 miles back to River Rd. Again, turn left on River Rd for about a quarter mile road walk back to the cars at Access D. Total loop is about 2.0 miles. 

Following the hike, join us for an optional social at the Sunrise restaurant in Dansville.

Directions:

A self serve carpool will meet at 1:05 at the municipal parking lot behind the Wayland Fire Department off NY-63 in Wayland. Car pooling will leave promptly at 1:15.

From the carpool meeting spot: leave the parking lot to the south along the side of the Fire Department. Turn left onto NY 63, then right on NY-15S. In 2 miles, turn right onto I-390. Take exit 6 to NY-36 Mt Morris. Turn left onto NY-36. Continue past the Correctional Facility and take the 2nd left onto Dutch Street Rd.  In 1.3 miles, turn right onto Ridge Rd. At the end turn left onto River Rd.  The parking area is on the right.

From Springwater: Head south on NY-15 through Wayland. Turn right onto I-390. Take exit 6 to NY-36 Mt Morris. Turn left onto NY-36. Continue past the Correctional Facility and take the 2nd left onto Dutch Street Rd.  In 1.3 miles, turn right onto Ridge Rd. At the end turn left onto River Rd.  The parking area is on the right.

From Geneseo: Head out of Geneseo on US-20A West (South St). Continue straight onto NY-63. Continue straight onto NY-408 into Mt Morris. Turn left onto Main St, the right to stay of NY-408. Go past Visitor Center Rd, then turn slight right onto River Rd. In about 2 miles, continue past Ridge Rd. Then the parking lot will be on the right.

To the social at the Sunrise Restaurant: Follow River Rd north to the end. Turn left onto NY-208. At the light in Mt Morris, turn right onto NY 36. In 5 miles, turn right onto I-390. Take the Exit 5. Turn left to go under the expressway, then right onto NY-36. Turn left on Main St, and the Sunrise will be on the right. There is parking out back.

NOTE: The December hike from Access E to Access F is about 5 miles and will be held December 16th, a day when the sun sets at so we will need to start an hour earlier. If there is a lot of snow on the ground, we will need to skip this long section, so please keep your eyes on this page the week before the hike.

This Sunday’s hike will be on a tree farm on Schribner Rd, Wayland. In 1932, the original lot was used primarily for sheep grazing and growing hops. Many acres were barren, eroded land with only 2 small woodlots and hedgerows. Over the years, more acres were added and many thousands of various tree species were planted. Today it is still being maintained on the DEC forest management program.

Hikers will be following mostly logging roads or grass trails around ponds. There are many springs and the water table is high, so hiking routes will be wet in places. Waterproof footwear is highly recommended. Because of bow season or poor weather conditions, wearing a bit of hunter orange if you have it would make you more visible (although there should not be any hunters on the property today). Dogs must be on-leash at all times and well behaved.

Please arrive by 1:50 for parking instructions and sign-in by the camper trailer.

Climbers: From the top of the driveway, ascend the hill following the ORANGE survey tape markers. Please ignore any orange ground flags you see along the hike, as those mark seedling trees. At the intersection at the top of the first hill, go straight across and continue following orange tape down Quarry Rd to an Adirondack style lean-to at the bottom. From here head to the large wood pile, then bear right. This leads to a field which you will cross. Follow this trail to the right around the bend and turn left at the flagged curve. This takes you downhill to the Cohocton River.

Those who wish can climb the steep grade back up to the field, or backtrack along the field. Hike back to the first corn field but turn right this time. Follow it around the end and turn right into the woods at the orange flags. This trail goes up and over a hardwood ridge; down the other side, across a stream and up again to an open field at the top of the hill with a good view.

Proceed straight across to the other side and continue to follow orange tape down the other side, and then up again to a bench with a very nice view over a red pine clear cut. You will now follow both orange and green markers back to the starting point.

Tourists: The first section is a loop trail of about a mile. From the top of the driveway, ascend the hill up and turn left. Follow the GREEN survey tape straight past a small spring and pond on the left. Go past a neighbor’s property marker on the right and follow markers up and across the hill. You should see some trees marked with blue tape that are scheduled for removal. Then you will come back down on a smaller trail to the first road and back to where you started. The next section will pass straight uphill, merging with the orange markers, and at the intersection, go straight across. Green markers will then split with orange, with green turning left through hardwoods. You will pass a large woodpile on your left. When you come to the open fields, follow the green flags to the left. This will take you to the bench with a nice view where the climbers (orange tape) will also be hiking. Follow both orange/green back to starting point.

Naturalists: Across the road there are ponds with grass trails. Because it is extremely wet behind the main pond, we will avoid that area in getting to the woods. Walk across the lower field to the south (left) to the bottom corner. Turning right over a small culvert bridge will bring you into the woods. Here you have two choices: you can either go though the old spruce forest bearing left at the first intersection as far as is comfortable OR go a short distance around to the left where there is another pond. There is a small trail around the back of this pond and then a mowed lane up to the road where the original farm house is located.

Following the hike we will have a social around a campfire with hot-dogs. Please bring something to sit on, a dish to pass, and your beverage of choice (or you can make a small $5 donation to the social fund).

Directions:
From Hemlock and Springwater: ***Please note that most mapping programs will direct you there via Strutt St. and then some very poor, seasonal dirt roads. The following directions will keep you on paved roads and bring you to the property from Tabors Corner Rd.

From Hemlock, travel south 10 miles and take a sharp left turn onto Wheaton Hill Rd.
From the flashing light in Springwater, travel north 3 miles and turn right onto Wheaton Hill Rd.
Then proceed 3.3 miles and turn right at the stop sign onto Wetmore Rd for 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Tabors Corners Rd for 3.5 miles then another right onto Schribner Road (just past a Nate McMurray sign). Hike parking will be .5 miles on the right.

From Wayland: At the intersection of NY 15 and NY 21 in Wayland, travel east on NY 21 N for 3 miles and (at the Bowles Corners sign) turn left onto Tabors Corners Rd. for 2 miles. Turn left onto Schribner Rd and continue .5 miles to parking on right.

From Naples: Take NY 21 South, turning right through the small town of N. Cohocton, then approx 3.8 miles to the Bowles Corners sign. Turn right turn onto Tabors Corners Rd (Steuben CR 37) for 2 miles. Turn left onto Schribner and continue .5 miles to parking on right.

Our hike this Sunday is the second in our Letchworth Branch series. In August, we hiked up from the Genesee Valley Greenway through the Al Lorenz Livingston County Park.to the Mt Morris Dam area. This week we will continue on the next section with spectacular views of the gorge above the dam, including the Hogsback overlook.

To help with car transfers, all hikers with go in the northbound direction, so it is important to pay attention to the description below.

Climbers who can get to Letchworth a bit early (1:40) should go directly to the Visitor Center (Access B) parking area at the Dam. We will park cars at the south end of the parking lot and all hop into one car to meet the rest of the hikers at the Hogsback overlook at the end of the hike. At the end of the hike, we will have enough cars at the Dam to take us back to our cars.

Tourists, Naturalists, and climbers who are running late, will meet the early climbers at Access C, the Hogsback overlook, on Visitor Center Rd on the east side of Letchworth Park. Please arrive by 1:50 to sign in and hear instructions.

Tourists and Climbers will carpool to Access D on River Rd, where they will enter on the blue access trail. The access trail will meet the main yellow trail and all hikers with turn right through forest above the gorge. The Tourists are headed back to the original meeting spot at Hogsback overlook for a 4 mile hike. The Climbers will keep up a slightly faster pace, and will pass right through the overlook, heading to the Visitor Center parking lot for a total of 4.9 miles.  Purists need to watch the blazes and stay on the Yellow trail, when an alternate orange trail goes to the left.

Naturalists will start from the Hogsback overlook, heading to the right (north) from the parking area. With the gorge on their left, they will follow the yellow blazes until the trail splits. Stay to the left on the orange trail along the rim for 0.2 miles, and then rejoin the yellow trail. Continue straight ahead to the Visitor Center lot. Some naturalists may wish to cross the parking area to the Dam based on the time available. Finally, return to the trail and follow the yellow trail back to the starting point (total of 1.8 miles). To see the entire trail, stay on the yellow trail when it jogs left away from the gorge and the orange trail used on the way north.

Following the hike, join us at Questa Lasagna in Mt Morris. This is a 50 seat restaurant so we should call (585-658-3761) from the hike. [Charred Bar and Grill diagonally across the intersection is a less expensive alternative).

Directions:

From Springwater: Head west from the flashing light on NY 15 N, up the hill. After the curve at the top, turn left onto Liberty Pole Rd (CR 38). The road changes names to Springwater Scottsburg Rd (CR 1A), and Groveland Scottsburg Rd (CR 1). At the tee, turn right onto CR 63. At the next tee, turn left on NY 408 into Mt Morris. At the light, jog left then right to stay of NY 408. From Main St, follow NY 408 south west for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Visitor Center Rd. The overlook is on the left in 1.1 miles. Early Climbers should continue to the end of Visitor Center Rd and turn left into the Visitor Center parking area. Go past the Visitor Center and turn left to get to the end of the parking area near the trail. 

From Wayland: Head south on NY-21. Enter I-390N on the right and continue for 16 miles to Exit 6 (NY-36) (That is the 3rd NY-36 exit).Turn left onto NY 36 N. At the first light in Mt Morris, turn left onto NY-408. Follow NY 408 south west for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Visitor Center Rd. The overlook is on the left in 1.1 miles. Early Climbers should continue to the end of Visitor Center Rd and turn left into the Visitor Center parking area. Go past the Visitor Center and turn left to get to the end of the parking area near the trail. 

From Geneseo: Take 20A W to Mt Morris Rd. Continue straight on NY 63 (20A bears right). Continue straight onto NY 408 (63 turns left) into Mt Morris. At the light, jog left then right to stay of NY 408. From Main St, follow NY 408 south west for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Visitor Center Rd. The overlook is on the left in 1.1 miles. Early Climbers should continue to the end of Visitor Center Rd and turn left into the Visitor Center parking area. Go past the Visitor Center and turn left to get to the end of the parking area near the trail. 

From Rochester: Take I390 south to Exit 7 for NY 408. Turn left onto NY 408 (63 turns left) into Mt Morris. At the light, jog left then right to stay of NY 408. From Main St, follow NY 408 south west for 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Visitor Center Rd. The overlook is on the left in 1.1 miles. 

As you know, last month we switched the FLT series to the Genesee Valley Greenway series for the opportunity to ski and snowshoe on the level Greenway. Three of us had a very nice ski and the others hiked.  Since this hike was planned for February, I expected the snow to be even better, but the weather isn’t cooperating. So, let’s go to higher country and see what Ontario County Park is like.

Ontario County Park provides hiking, biking, cross country skiing, fishing (no hunting), and camping or picnicking opportunities depending on the season. So bring your skis, your snowshoes and your hiking boots and we will have maps so you can select from the many trails.

Here are our recommendations for Sunday.

The Climbers will follow the Bristol Hills Branch of the FLT to junction 9 where they will turn right onto the Brown bike trail. Following that trail south and returning to junction 19, where they can pick up the Black trail and follow that to junction 20 and then back north to 17 and 16 and back to the cars.

The Tourists and Naturalists will also follow the Bristol Hills Branch past junction 9  to junction 10. Then turn right to follow the yellow trail through junctions 12, 14, 15, 13, 11 8, 7, 6 5, 4 and to the road. Crossing the road will allow this group to explore the fields and return on the Day Trail around the shelters to the cars.

Following our hike, all interested hikers will gather at the Neapolitan in Naples for Pizza or hot sandwiches. The Neapolitan is located on the west side of Main St one block south of the high school.

Directions: The easiest route is to take NY 64 to Bristol Springs and turn west on Gannett Hill Rd.  There is a sign indicating Ontario County Park.  At the top of the hill turn right onto  South Gannett Hill Road.  The  park entrance is straight ahead.    Follow the park road for about .5 miles to our meeting place which is the parking area along the park road near the information kiosk at the Finger Lakes Trail trail-head.