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.