Loop Hike

This Sunday, Springwater Trails will return to the trails of Ganondagan State Historic Site at 7000 County Rd. 41, Victor, NY. This is a favorite location for hiking with trails contributed by the Friends of Ganondagan and by .Victor Hiking Trails.

Here’s a bit of the history of Ganondagan:

Ganondagan also known as Boughton Hill, is a Native American historic site in Ontario County.  It is the location of the largest Seneca village of the 17th century. At one time the community consisted of 150 bark longhouses and an estimated population of 4,500. his site is at the center of the story of the Peacemaker, who unified the five major peoples and created the Haudenosaunee confederacy, which survives to this day.

On June 13th 1687, 832 colonial regulars, 900 Canadian militia, and some 400 Indian allies arrived at Ganondagan to eliminate the Seneca competitors in the international fur trade.  The Canadian led troops  were attacked by 450 – 800 Senecas, but after a short engagement the Senecas fled to Cayuga and later resettled in Canandaigua.

We will decide the details of the hike when everyone arrives. Options include the Seneca and Dryer trails, The Earth is our Mother Trail and the Trail of Peace. These trails include both wooded and open grass areas, plus flat and hilly terrain.

The Meeting Place

A Ganondagan parking lot at (42.961511736583894, -77.41544238309267)

The Social

The social will be at Cheap Charlies: 8 Elm St., Bloomfield, NY

Directions 

Can be easily found using GPS

From Springwater and South – Take Route 15A north Just past the green dollar store in Hemlock make a right onto 20A.  Make a left onto County Rd. 37 just before the Valley Inn on the corner.  Take County Rd. 37.  Continuing straight it will become Rt. 65, then W. Bloomfield Rd. (CR-35).  You will turn right onto Boughton Hill Rd. (CR-53 which becomes 41) Make a left into the parking lot.

From Rochester, take I-490 to the Victor exit, then Route 96 to Victor. At the third traffic light in the center of Victor, turn right onto Maple Avenue (State Route 444). At the top of the hill (stop sign/red light), turn right onto County Road 41 (Boughton Hill Road). The Seneca Art & Culture Center is down the hill on your right. The entrance to visitor parking is the third driveway on the right.

Directions to Cheap Charlies

5 minute trip – Make a  left out of the parking lot onto Boughton Hill Rd.  At the blinking light, make a right onto State Route 444. Continue straight, Cheap Charlies will be on the left as you approach Bloomfield.

Please join us this Sunday for one of our favorite hikes not far from Springwater!

A few years ago New York State acquired several new parcels of land to the south of Harriet Hollister Spencer Park, linked to the main park by an established snowmobile trail called C4. In the past, we’ve hiked the section of the C4 trail closest to the main park, and this Sunday we will hike from the parking lot, following Ruthies trail, to Chalet trail  to C4  trail. We will follow C4 to a point where we will turn onto a old single track hiking trail (red dashed) that crosses  the “Sidewinder” trail through the south east section of the park. we’ll follow this around and return back to the parking lot via the  single track trail  (red dash trail) which runs parallel with the overlook road.

Wear proper clothing according to prevailing weather conditions . As always, bring water, poles, and good hiking footwear. The trail is gently rolling – no especially steep sections.

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

Directions:  

From Springwater and Wayland – take Route 15A North from Springwater, turning right on Wheaton Hill Road. Take a left on Canadice Road (County Road 42), forking to the right when County Road 42 divides off from Canadice Lake Road. Make the next right, on Tibbals Road (formerly Town Line Road). In 1.0 miles, Take the first left onto Ross Rd. At the stop sign (2.7 miles), take a sharp right onto Canadice Hill Rd. The parking lot will be on the left in 0.8 miles..

From Rochester or Canandaigua – go to Honeoye, and follow Route 21A (Main St. Honeoye) west toward Hemlock. About a mile out of Honeoye turn left on County Road 37. Follow County Road 37 until it makes a 90 degrees turn to the right across from the Canadice Methodist Church; at this point go straight onto Canadice Hill Road instead of County Road 37. Continue straight on Canadice Hill Road, taking the left fork at Ross Road, The parking lot will be on the left in 0.8 miles..

IN LIGHT OF HIGH WIND WARNINGS, FISHERS PARK HIKE FOR JANUARY 12 IS CANCELLED,

We will reschedule this hike for March 17. Please join us next week at Ganondagan.  

Join us on Sunday January 14th for a hike around Fisher Park . Located in the hamlet of Fishers, this 93 acre park is a diversity of passive and active recreation opportunities. Visitors can see a multitude of wildlife from deer, squirrels, and other woodland creatures to waterfowl and trout that spawn in the spring. Trails meander through the park across wooded ridges, through wetland areas, and along the banks of Irondequoit Creek.

Everyone will meet at the parking area at 7938 Main St, Fishers(Victor),  at 1:45 for a 2PM start.

The Hike:

Naturalists will explore mostly the outer perimeter on the White and Red trails. Included will be nice wide trails, a vista at a high point with a beautiful view looking out over the western side of the park, a stroll along Irondequoit Creek, and trail maps every so often showing your present location. Hikers will then loop back to the parking lot.

The hike length is about 1.5miles with an option to add (we will vote on it) some small inner trails to extend hiking time.

Climbers/Tourists will also head out on the White trail but will cover more of the Yellow trails with rolling hills, ending on the Red trail along Irondequoit Creek and then loop back to the parking lot.

Hike length is about 3 miles.

The Social:

The social afterwards is at the Cottage Hotel in Mendon, at the 4 corners in Mendon at 1390 Pittsford Mendon Road.

Directions:

Directions from Springwater and Honeoye:  take County Road 37 north from Route 20A about 7 miles north to Route 5 and 20 in West Bloomfield.   Route 65 begins there.  About a half mile north Route 65 makes a sharp left turn.  Do not go left, go staight onto County Road 35, otherwise known as West Bloomfield Road.  Go about 6 miles up to Route 251 and turn right.  You will come to the traffic light at the 4 corners of Mendon.  Go straight ahead  to Mile Square Road.  There is no road sign at Mile Square Road so look for some bright lime green home made signs on either side of the road in about 1/2mile.  Turn left onto Mile Square Road.  Main Street Fishers will be the third road on your right.  After you pass Old Dutch Road on the right look for a green house at 7937 Main Street.  The sign for the entrance to the Park is right after that house on the right.

Directions from Canandaigua and Farmington:  Take Route 332 north to Route 96. Go north on Route 96 through the village of Victor  all the way to a large intersection with a Valvoline, a Burger King, a car wash and a Chili’s Restaurant at the corners.  Rowley Street goes to the right but turn left onto County Road 42.  Go through the little hamlet of Fishers past the old Firehouse on the left and past Wangum Road on the left where the first entrance for Fishers Park is.  You want the second entrance to the park farther down the road on the left.

Directions from Rochester:  Take Route 495 East all the way to the Victor exit.  It will take you right onto  Route 96 South.  At the first large intersection with Chili’s Restaurant on the right hand corner, turn right.  Drive through the little hamlet of Fishers and after the old fire house on the left you will see a sign for the first entrance to Fishers Park on Wangum Road.  Do not turn there.  Go a little farther until you see the second entrance to the park on your left.

Directions to the Cottage Hotel:

Turn left (west) out of the parking lot of Fishers Park and go all the way to the end of Main Street. Turn left onto Mile Square Road.   Turn right onto Route 251.   Drive to the 4 corners of Mendon to the light.   The Cottage Hotel is on the right.