Rob’s Trail – Hemlock Lake side

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Join us on Sunday April 27 to hike the west side of Rob’s Trail, the DEC/Nature Conservancy property in the northeast corner of Hemlock Lake.  Options are to hike out and back to the south along the trail from the North Hemlock Boat Launch, or to car pool up to the Hemlock Side trailhead on Route 15A and hike down the hill and north along the trail back to the boat launch.  In the flat part of the trail there may be small streams to ford by wading or jumping, so waterproof footwear and poles are advised.

Meet at 1:45 for a 2PM start the north boat launch, at the end of Boat Launch Road, a sharp left after you first enter Rix Hill Road from Route 15A.  Naturalists/Tourists will hike south for an hour, or as far as you want, and then return. Climbers (or in this case Descenders) will climb into a few cars and head for the Rob’s Trailhead on the right (west) side of Route 15A (not the one on the east side, off South Old Bald Hill Road). From there we will take the trail back to the start, a total of about 4.5 miles.   Please respond to info@springwatertrails.org if you plan to join the longer hike and can volunteer for the car pool.

Social: Please join us at the Bird House Brewery in Honeoye – 8716 Main Street, just east of the traffic light, for craft beer and pub food.

Directions:

From Springwater: proceed north on Route 15A 19 miles, then make a left on Rix Hill Road and an immediate left on Old East Lake Road, a.k.a Boat Launch Road.

From Honeoye and points east:  Take Route 20A west from the Bristol Valley and Honeoye. When 20A meets Route 15A, make a left and go about .6 miles to Rix Hill Road. Make a right and then an immediate left on the dead end road to the boat launch parking area in one mile.

From Rochester and points west: Take Route 15 south from Henrietta or Route 15A south from Honeoye Falls, or Route 390 south to the Lakeville-Livonia exit, then go south on Route 15 and then east on Route 20A  through Hemlock. When Route 20A turns east toward Honeoye, go straight another .6 miles and make a right on Rix Hill Road. Then make an immediate left onto the boat launch road and go to the end, 1 mile.

 

I Love My Park Day – Cleanup Hike on Canadice Lake Parking Areas

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May 3rd is the New York State “I Love My Park” day – the day the state begs for free labor to pick up trash on the land that it owns. We usually do our bit, and this year the bit we have chosen is Canadice Lake. The trails themselves don’t need much cleaning up, but the parking areas are usually dumping grounds for some less courteous visitors.

This Saturday hike is in addition to our usual Sunday hike!  

We plan to clean up both North and South boat launch parking areas.  We will meet at the north boat launch, at the end of the old east lake road, a sharp left after you first enter Rix Hill Road from Route 15A.

We will send the first 6 people to do the loop down to the lake and around back to the parking lot, and then around the lot. After the first 6, we will send groups of 6 to other parking/boat launch areas around the lakes.  And if we can organize it, we will have a small boat at the Hemlock North Boat Launch to take 6 to the Rob’s trail connection for putting up blazes if we can get hold of the paint in time.

Optional Social: Please join us at the Birdhouse Brewing Company in Honeoye – 8716 Main Street, just east of the traffic light, for craft beer and pub food. http://birdhousebrewing.beer

 

Directions: From Springwater: proceed north on Route 15A 19 miles, then make a left on Rix Hill Road and an immediate left on Old East Lake Road, a.k.a Boat Launch Road.

From Honeoye and points east:  Take Route 20A west from the Bristol Valley and Honeoye. When 20A meets Route 15A, make a left and go about .6 miles to Rix Hill Road. Make a right and then an immediate left on the dead end road to the boat launch parking area in one mile.

From Rochester and points west: Take Route 15 south from Henrietta or Route 15A south from Honeoye Falls, or Route 390 south to the Lakeville-Livonia exit, then go south on Route 15 and then east on Route 20A  through Hemlock. When Route 20A turns east toward Honeoye, go straight another .6 miles and make a right on Rix Hill Road. Then make an immediate left onto the boat launch road and go to the end, 1 mile.

From Penn Yan:  Take 54A across the north end of Keuka Lake to Branchport. Continue straight onto Italy Hill Rd (CR32). In 4.9 miles, turn left to stay on Italy Hill Rd and take the 2nd right onto Italy Hill Turnpike (CR34). At the bottom of the hill (3 miles) stay to the left onto Italy Valley Rd (CR18). On entering Ontario County, Italy Valley Rd becomes CR21. Continue to the T and turn right onto NY 53 into Naples. Continue straight onto NY 21 North past the Wayside Market and turn left onto Clark St (CR 36). Continue for about 15 miles along Honeoye Lake. Turn left at the light onto US 20A. In 4.8 miles, turn At 0.7miles past the intersection with 20A, take the first right onto Rix Hill Rd into the Hemlock Lake Park. Take the first left and follow the boat launch road to the end.

To the Social: From the Boat Launch parking area, return to Rix Hill Road, make a right and then a left on Route 15A. Go .6 miles and make a right on Route 20A. In about 4.75 miles you will reach the traffic light in Honeoye. A few buildings beyond the light is Birdhouse Brewing on the left at #8716.

Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill Hike-Naples

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This is one of our group’s favorite hikes!

Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill is one of the highest points in Ontario County and located in the scenic Bristol Hills. At an elevation of 2,256 feet above sea level, you’ll enjoy expansive views to the East and view portions of Ontario County and the hills behind Seneca and Cayuga Lakes.

Location:

6475 Gannett Hill Park Dr, Naples, NY 14512. This address takes you to the entrance to the park. At the top of the Gannett Hill Rd, turn right to drive past the entry booth. Stay on the main loop road around the first curve to the west, then the second curve to the south.  Park in the lot along the right side of the road (All hikes will start at the crosswalk at the middle of the parking area).

The hike on Sunday, April 13th will begin at 2:00pm.   Please plan to arrive by 1:45pm, dress for the conditions and feel free to bring poles.

Hike Details: We have three hikes planned, but we can adjust based on interest.

Linda will lead a 2 hour trail around the upper part of the park. The Naturalists will head out to the Lookout, then back up a bit and take the white trail around the north end of the park. They will take the 2nd right out to the fields, across the fields to the lodges and back to the cars. This  hike can be extended by heading down the fields and across the road to the yellow trail, and stay near the road back to the cars.
Rick will lead the Tourists out to the lookout and will continue to follow the Finger Lakes Trail (Bristol Branch) orange trail to the mailbox. He will sign the group in and then follow the yellow trail back to the south side of the loop road and make his way back to the cars.
Meanwhile, Mark will lead the Climbers across the fields to the yellow trail, then follow the yellow trail to intersection 10 and join the FLT Orange trail. We hope to follow the orange trail down to W Hollow Rd where we will stage two cars to get climbers back to our cars.

The Social:

After the hike, please join us at Lock Stock Bar & Grill 5432 NY 64 Canandaigua, NY  14424.  All are welcomed!

Directions:
— From Rochester: The easiest route to the park is to take NY 64 (Pittsford Mendon Rd). When NY64 meets 5&20, turn left. It’s still NY64. Stay on 64 as it turns right onto 20A. Continue on Rt 64 thru South Bristol and turn right (west) on Gannett Hill Rd.  There is a sign indicating Ontario County Park.  At the top of the hill turn right onto South Gannett Hill Road. The park entrance is straight ahead.  From the camping check in booth, follow the park road around the loop for about 1/2 mile to our meeting place at the crosswalk on the west side of the loop.

— From Springwater, Wayland and Naples: From Springwater, head south on NY-15. At the light in Wayland, turn left and follow NY-21 through Naples. Just past the village, bear left onto CR-12 (Bristol Springs Rd). In 1.9 miles, bear left onto Rhine St. Continue straight (In .6 mi, the name changes to Powell Rd and then in .3 mi to Gannett Hill Rd, and then in 3.2 miles it enters the park). From the camping check in booth, follow the park road around the loop for about 1/2 mile to our meeting place at the crosswalk on the west side of the loop.

—From Hemlock and Honeoye: From Hemlock, head south on NY-15A. Just outside of the hamlet, turn left on US-20A. Continue through Honeoye and turn right onto East Lake Road. In 0.6 mi, turn left onto CR 33 (Egypt Valley Rd.). In 6.9 miles, continue straight onto CR 34. In 1.6 miles, turn right onto NY-64. In another 1.9 miles, turn right onto Gannett Hill Rd. In 1.3 miles, turn right into the park. From the camping check in booth, follow the park road around the loop for about 1/2 mile to our meeting place at the crosswalk on the west side of the loop.

—From Canandaigua: Take US 20 west out of the city. Turn left onto Parrish St Ex. In 0.9 miles, turn left onto NY-21. Continue for 11.9 miles to the intersection with NY-64. Turn right onto NY-64 N. In 0.4 miles turn left onto Gannett Hill Rd. In 1.3 miles, turn right into the park. From the camping check in booth, follow the park road around the loop for about 1/2 mile to our meeting place at the crosswalk on the west side of the loop.
Directions to the social: From the parking area, continue around the loop and continue straight at the first stop sign down Gannett Hill Rd.  Turn left on NY 65 for 3 1/2 miles. Lock Stock Bar and Grill is on the left, past Bristol Mountain.