This Sunday’s hike will follow the old Lehigh Valley railbed, now a trail, leaving from Naples and proceeding north through Hazlitt’s Vineyards (used to be Widmers), across Parish Flats Road and through the marshes and swamp along the West River that are now part of the Hi Tor Wildlife Management Area (NYSDEC).
We will leave from the VFW parking lot (behind the tank they have parked on their front lawn) off NYS Rte. 21 just north of the Village of Naples at 2 pm.
The hike is linear. We will stage a car at the 1.6 mile point ( Parish Rd) and at the 3.5mile point (Sunnyside Rd) allowing us some flexibility to adjust to the weather and the interests of the hikers. The climbers will plan to continuer northeast after passing Sunnyside Rd up the West River Valley for another mile and then return to the car at Sunnyside Rd. The Tourists will check their watches at Sunnyside Rd to see if they have time to explore upstream. The Naturalists will have time to investigate the creek, the vineyards and part of the swamp as they hike about 3/4 mile past Parish Rd and then return to the car on Parish.
Bug spray, sun shield and water are all recommended.
At Sunnyside Road, the hikers will observe Clark Gully to the west, the location where the Seneca people say they came out of the ground from another world into this one. A 65 acre parcel of vineyards near the gully was recently given to the Finger lakes Land Trust by Constellation Brands (acquired when they bought out Widmers).
This Naples Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad operated from 1892 hauling passengers and freight from Naples to Geneva and vice versa. The passenger service was dropped in 1938 and all service was discontinued in 1970. The 6.5 miles of railbed was acquired by the NYS DEC about 15 years ago, at the urging of an informal trails group in Naples.
You may want to tour Hazlitt’s Winery operations while you are in town.
After the hike, the Springwater Hikers will meet at the Middletown Tavern at the other end of Naples Village (on Rte. 21 just north of the juncture with NYS Rte. 53) at about 4:15-4:30 for socializing.
From Springwater, take 15 S to Wayland. Turn left on 21 and follow 21 for 12.8 miles through Naples. Just after the intersection with Rt 245, park on the right at the VFW parking lot. From Honeoye, you may take W Lake Rd or Co Rd 33 into Naples and then follow 21 North to the VFW.
Please send an email to [email protected] if you are willing to help with the staging of cars.