This Sunday people will have the choice of biking the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail or hiking a section of it. The trail follows Keuka Lake’s outlet to Seneca Lake; the outlet stream starts in Penn Yan and goes 7.5 miles to Dresden dropping 275′ along the way.  We will be going the other way, starting in Dresden.

This trail is in a pretty wooded ravine. It was “formerly a canal towpath and later a rail road bed, it crosses the original Pre-Emption Line and passes near the area of the first permanent white settlement of ‘The Universal Friend Jemima Wilkinson’, along waterfalls and ruins of mills, factories and canal locks”.  The web site for the Outlet Trail is http://keukaoutlettrail.org

The Hike Assembly Point:

Both bikers and hikers will meet at the Dresden end of the Keuka Outlet Trail on Elm Street in Dresden (map coordinates 42.681388, -76.958498).

For Cyclists:

Bikers will go out and back on the Outlet trail approximately 14 miles.  Because the trail is a combination of dirt, gravel and asphalt and somewhat uneven, hybrid bikes or bikes with fatter tires are best suited for this trail.

For Hikers:

The Climbers will follow the trail to Milo Mill, approximately 2.4 miles along the trail, and then walk back to the assembly point. Tourists and Naturalists will drive back along the trail to the Seneca Mill parking lot, and then they will walk along the trail towards Pen Yann for an hour, and then walk back to Seneca Mill.

The Social:

After the hike we will gather at the Seneca Mill picnic area, above the mill pond and have a BYO picnic.

Directions: 

From Springwater, Wayland and Naples: Head south from Springwater on NY-15S to Wayland, then turn left on NY-21. Follow NY-21 for 12.7 miles through N Cohocton and Naples. Turn right on NY 245N across from Bob & Ruth’s. Follow NY-245 for 8.9 miles to Middlesex and take a slight right turn onto NY 364E. In Penn Yan, continue straight on to Rt. 54 west to Dresden. At the end of Rt. 54, cross Rt. 14 and then take the first right on Senaca St. The trail head is 100 yards or so ahead at the railway crossing.

From Honeoye: Take W Lake Rd (CR 36) south to Main St in Naples. Turn left on NY 21 (Main St) for 1.2 miles. Turn right on NY 245N across from Bob & Ruth’s. Follow NY-245 for 8.9 miles to Middlesex and take a slight right turn onto NY 364E. In Penn Yan, continue straight on to Rt. 54 west to Dresden. At the end of Rt. 54, cross Rt. 14 and then take the first right on Senaca St. The trail head is 100 yards or so ahead at the railway crossing.