Sunday’s hike takes us to the Seneca nation’s Great Hill at the southeast corner of Canandaigua Lake.

We will meet at 3:45 PM at the NYS DEC parking lot at the juncture of West Avenue and  Sunnyside Road, in the Town of Italy and at the south end of the Middlesex Valley.   There will be no formal groups – Tourists and Climbers may turn around and return to the start when they see fit.  At Clark Gully, which is easy walking distance from the DEC parking lot, we will view the emergence spot of the Onundawaga (Seneca) from a previous world to this one (in distinction to the story of Sky Woman, who fell). Their name means People of the Great Hill, and this is it.

After that short walk we will adjourn to the West River Nature Preserve, a Finger Lakes Land Trust property right across Sunnyside Road to look at signs and explanations of the 32 acre property which is prime grassland bird habitat now (previously was abandoned vineyard). Then we will walk on Sunnyside Road south and west toward Canandaigua Lake until we come to the Great Hill Nature Preserve (also FLLT) about 1 mile up and to the left (sign), and we will turn into it and walk a trail about 1.5 miles to its end, then turn and come back to our cars.  All in all, about 3.5 miles. What with gawking it should take us about 2 hours.

Social gathering is at the Middletown Tavern, 183 S. Main St., Naples.

Directions:
From Springwater and points south, west and northwest:  Go to Naples, then turn onto Route 245 opposite Bob’s and Ruth’s. After 4 miles, turn left on Sunnyside Road. The parking area is on your right, in about .4 miles.

From Rushville, and points north and east: From Rushville, take Route 245 South 9.75 miles through Middlesex and on to the Sunnyside intersection. Make a right, go .4 miles to the parking area on your right.