The water in Hemlock Lake is very low at the moment and a wide swathe of beach is exposed. We will take advantage of the unusual conditions to walk as much of beach as we can on this Sunday hike. The beach is generally 12-15 feet wide and varies between stony and rough stone chips. It will be a slow and careful walk but there’s plenty to see along the way and the lake and the late autumn woods on the opposite shore are very scenic. Wildflowers are scarce in November, but there are tiny pink and yellow flowers growing in the shelter of the stones.
Meet at 1:45 at the north boat launch, south of the eastern edge of Hemlock Lake State Park. There’s a generous parking lot there and easy access down to the exposed beach. This is necessarily an out-and-back hike, so all groups will walk south together and anyone can turn around at any time. The beach follows the path of Rob’s Trail just a few feet away in the woods, and there are lots of places where walkers can switch between the beach and Rob’s Trail. All groups will walk south together and the naturalists and tourists can turn around whenever they feels it’s the right time.
The social will be a dish-to-pass picnic at Jane Affolter’s farmhouse at 5422 County Road 37
Directions: from Springwater: Head north on NY-15A. At the end of Hemlock Lake, turn left on Rix Hill Road. Almost immediately turn left on to Old East Lake Road, go past the Rochester City water treatment plant and continue on Old East Lake Road until you come to the boat launch parking lot.
Directions: from Canandaigua, Honeoye and points east: From Honeoye, continue west on Main Street (Route 21A) to Route 15A in Hemlock. Make a left, go a half mile, and take a right on Rix Hill Road. Almost immediately turn left on to Old East Lake Road, go past the Rochester City water treatment plant and continue on Old East Lake Road until you come to the boat launch parking lot.
Directions from north and west: Take Route 390 south to Exit 9 (Lakeville-Livonia). Go south on Route 15 into Livonia, the southeast on 20 A. Make a right after 3.9 miles on County Road 56 (Federal Road), then a left on Adams Road after .6 miles. Take the second right on Blank Road. In a mile, fork left at Rix Hill Road and almost immediately turn left on to Old East Lake Road, go past the Rochester City water treatment plant and continue on Old East Lake Road until you come to the boat launch parking lot.