About the Auburn Rail Trail:   This crushed-stone trail follows the corridor of a New York Central line from Farmington to Pittsford. There remains one gap in Victor, but work is under way to close it.  The trail is currently maintained by the Victor Hiking Trails organization in close cooperation with the town of Victor.

Our hike and bike ride for Sunday, 10/17/21 will begin at 2:00 pm from Mertensia Park in the town of Farmington, where all hikers and bikers will meet (and there is plenty of parking at the park).

People will have the option to hike or bike along the Auburn Rail Trail going westbound from the park. We will likely see peak fall colors. The trail surface is crushed, granular stone and mostly dry. There are many fallen apples, chestnuts, sticks, and leaves on the trail, so poles are recommended. Otherwise, this is an easy, mostly flat trail.

Hikers:   All hikers will start together from the parking lot at the park, walking westbound. Naturalists and Tourists (or those wanting a shorter hike) will walk out and back, turning around where they wish, back to the park – joining at least one fellow hiker.

“Climbers” (or those wanting a longer hike) will hike out for about 60 minutes, then turn around and return to the park.

Bikers:  Bikers will also ride westbound out and back. NOTE – AT APPROX. ¾ MI. INTO THE RIDE, BIKERS WILL TURN RIGHT AT EAST VICTOR RD. FOR ABOUT 0.2 MILE, TURN LEFT ONTO BREAK OF DAY ROAD FOR 0.1 MILE, THEN RE-ENTER THE AUBURN RAIL TRAIL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CONTINUE ON THE RAIL TRAIL. (HIKERS WILL NOT TURN RIGHT ONTO EAST VICTOR RD. THEY WILL CONTINUE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE CROSSWALK ON EAST VICTOR RD. AND ENTER A LOCAL TRAIL, WHICH ENTERS VICTOR HILLS EAST CLUB PROPERTY AND JOINS UP AGAIN WITH THE AUBURN RAIL TRAIL.)

In Victor the Auburn trail goes past the site of a circa 1840 railroad depot of the Auburn and Rochester Railroad, which lends its name to the trail. The depot is privately owned, as is an adjacent boxcar. NOTE – AT THIS LOCATION, BIKERS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE ROAD ON A TRAIL WHICH WILL JOIN BACK UP WITH THE AUBURN TRAIL. HIKERS ALSO, WILL CROSS THE ROAD IF THEY GET THAT FAR (WHICH IS UNLIKELY). Bikers will ride from Mertensia Pk. to RR marker 90 (near turn off to Powder Mills Park), take a short break and then head back to Mertensia Pk. (approx. 16 miles total).

Social Gathering:  After the hike/bike ride we will gather at the Irish Mafia Brewing Company, located at the intersection of Routes 20 & 64 (Toomey’s Corners), 2971 Whalen Rd., Bloomfield, NY 14469.  For more information about the restaurant and brewery visit irishmafiabrewing.com 

Directions and Parking at Mertensia Park:   Mertensia Park is located at 1390 Mertensia Rd., Farmington, NY 14425

From Springwater: Head north on NY 15A. Take a slight right onto Old Bald Hill Rd S, then a quick second right onto Johnson Hill Rd. At the end of Johnson Hill Rd, turn left onto CR 37 and continue on CR 37 through Canadice. Turn right onto US 20A. In 7.9 miles, turn left to stay on US 20A and NY 64. At the intersection with Rt 5&20, continue straight onto Whalen Rd, then turn right on North Bloomfield Rd. Continue to New Michigan Rd. (turn left). Drive 3.5 mi. to CR 41, turn left and drive 0.1 mi. to Mertensia Rd. The park entrance will be about 0.2 mi. on your left.

From Naples:   Head northeast on State Rte. 21N. Continue to follow State Rte. 21N to NY-64N in South Bristol to Toomey’s Corners (Rte. 20/64). Continue straight onto Whalen Rd. then turn right on North Bloomfield Rd. Continue to New Michigan Rd. (turn left). Drive 3.5 mi. to CR 41, turn left and drive 0.1 mi. to Mertensia Rd. The park entrance will be about 0.2 mi. on your left.

From Honeoye:  Drive on Rte. 20A east to 20A East/64N and then follow directions above (from Naples).