Welcome to the 10th Annual Mushroom Foray [thanks to both Springwater Trails and the Rochester Area Mycological Association] at the All Western Evergreen Farm.  Three hiking groups are planned, all starting and ending at the parking area at the farm.  The three groups will explore much of the farm, with many opportunities to find mycological specimens.

Please plan to arrive early (1:45 PM) to sign in and to sign the RAMA liability forms.

Maps of the farm, paper bags and paper plates for collecting and displaying mushrooms will be provided.  Those who want to learn how to collect mushrooms will be instructed by Gene and Georgia, and any other Rochester Area Mycological Association members who will be our guests.

The Climbers will follow the driveway up to the fields, turning to the left at the top. We will circle the pond on the southern portion of the farm and the spruce forest along the edge of the Christmas tree plantations. Heading west through the Cathedral Pines will take us to wet spots in the woods. We will return along the edge of several more Christmas tree plantations (Douglas-fir, Nordmann fir, Grand fir, Concolor fir, Canaan fir, Alaska yellow cedar, Norway Spruce, Meyer Spruce).

The Tourists will follow the driveway up through the woods, stopping occasionally to explore for mushrooms.  When reaching saleable size Christmas trees (Lot Z), head to the right around or through the Christmas tree plantation.  At the corner where the small Southwestern White Pine tree row ends and the tall Concolor fir are, follow the trail into the woods and back to the field and head west along the north field road to a hidden corner of the field with some spectacular 35 foot green and blue Concolor fir Christmas trees live, the size seen during Christmas season in a large mall.  If there is still time, follow the north field road next to the hedge row up to Story Road. We will return through the tillable fields, visiting smaller collections of trees and back down through the woods.

The Naturalists will start exploring under and behind the Western red cedars (thuja plicata or giant arborvitae) by the parking area and south to the Alaska yellow cedar, large Concolor fir and spruce, then back up through the woods to the right of the trail up to the main fields.  These are likely full of mushrooms, but you will find some swampy areas, so don’t get lost behind people’s homes along Liberty Pole.

All hikers should check their watches and return to the parking area by 4:00 PM to have their collections identified.  A portapotty with a sink is nearby.

Mushroom Identification

Once again we expect to have several RAMA members with us to identify the mushrooms collected between 4 and 5 PM.  After the mushrooms are identified please join us for a dish-to-pass social (5:00 – 6:30 PM) hosted by Katherine outside the house next to the Furnace Building. Please bring a lawn chair and your own beverage, plus a dish to share or a $5 contribution to the social fund.

We will begin all the hikes at 6840 Liberty Pole Road where there is ample parking at the Christmas tree loading area between the tall Western red cedar and Morton Building and Nursery beds. Follow the parking signs.  When we return from our foray, the mushrooms will be displayed for identification on paper plates on the tables outdoors.  Please dress for the weather, rain gear as needed.  Social distancing and masks are recommended when close together.

Directions:

From Springwater: Go west from the Springwater light on NY-15 North.  Just past the top of the hill and after rounding the tight curve, turn left on CR 38 (Liberty Pole Road).  The farm is on the left (the high side) 1.1 miles from NY-15 at 6840 Liberty Pole Road after you cross Carney Hollow Rd. There is a sign for the All Western Evergreen Nursery & Christmas Tree Farm.  Follow the orange cones to the parking area and park facing the house.

From Geneseo: Go south on NY-63.  About 6.4 miles after passing NY-408, turn left on CR-1 (Groveland Scottsburg Rd) at Groveland Station.  This road becomes CR 1A (Springwater Scottsburg Rd) at Scottsburg (Route 256) and then Liberty Pole Road after you cross Stagecoach Road (CR 71), and finally CR-38 (still Liberty Pole Rd) after crossing Reeds Corners Rd (CR-29).  It is 7.1 miles from Groveland Station to All Western Evergreen Farm.  The farm is on the right (the high side).  Follow the orange cones to the parking area and park facing the house.

From Honeoye: Take 20A west to Hemlock and 15A south to Springwater.  Then follow the Springwater directions above.

From Rochester: Take I-390S from Rochester. Use Exit 9 for NY-15 Lakeville. Turn left onto NY-15. Stay on NY-15 for 16.5 miles, through Lakeville, Livonia, Conesus and Webster Crossing.  When NY-15 curves to the left at the south end of Webster Crossing, continue straight onto CR-60 (Carney Hollow Rd) and take the first right onto Liberty Pole Rd.  The farm is on the left (the high side) at 6840 Liberty Pole Rd.  Follow the orange cones to the parking area and park facing the house.

If using GPS, use the map directions on the www.allwesterntrees.com website and make sure you are on Liberty Pole Road and not being directed to the center of the farm from Swartz Road or Story Road.  Follow the orange cones to the parking area and park facing the house.

This week, our Sunday hike will offer two hikes in the Irondequoit Bay West Park and one Kayak exploration on the Bay from the Park boat launch. We last hiked this park three years ago in December. This time we are adding a Kayak option from the park’s boat launch at the south east corner of the park.

The extensive trail system in the park is mostly maintained by the Genesee Regional Off-road Cyclists and most of the trails we plan to follow are shared use trails, and all users should be aware of traffic. Cyclists are expected to yield to hikers who are hiking, but hikers who are enjoying the scenery should step aside for cyclists.. Please remember that we are enjoying the trails because cyclists have volunteered to maintain them.

Unlike hiking trails, these biking trails are only blazed at intersections, so be careful to check your trail each time you come to a crossing.

A PDF of the newest maps can be downloaded and printed.   Please click on each map to the right for more details.

For this hike, we all will meet on the south east side of the park where Orchard Park Blvd ends at the Bay. If the boat launch has enough parking, we will all park right there and help Kayakers unload their boats.  If necessary, hikers will be directed north along the bay to a larger parking area near the entrance to the Irondequoit Fish and Game store and across from the start of the Blue trail.

Following the hike/paddle, we will adjourn to the Tryon City Tavern for a friendly social.

The Kayaks will head south from the boat launch and follow the shore line to the mouth of the Irondequoit Creek. After entering the creek under the Empire Blvd bridge, the creek meanders through the marsh, offering many possible routes. All kayakers should stay together as they explore the creek. Plan to turn around and head back downstream to the bay before 5:15 and retrace the path from the boat launch. If boaters arrive back early, some may wish to continue north to see more of the bay.

All hikers will leave the boat launch and follow Orchard Park Blvd west to the entrance on the right into the park. From there, we will turn right and follow the purple trail uphill through intersection 12 to intersection 11.

From there, the Climbers will turn left onto the blue trail through intersections 10, 7 and 5 to intersection 4, where we will turn right onto the orange trail. At intersection 2, we will continue straight onto the blue trail. A second exit more to the left from this intersection will head back on the blue trail to intersection 4; don’t take that. After crossing the creek, at intersection 1, we will stay on the blue trail out to Homewood Rd and then return on the blue trail to intersection 1 where we will turn left onto the Red trail. The red trail ends at Glen Haven Rd, which we will follow east to an entrance to the blue trail on the right. We will stay on blue at intersection 15 and turn left at intersection 16 onto the yellow trail for a view of the bay. At intersection 13 we will go straight onto the blue trail and return to intersection 11 and turn left onto the purple trail to go out to Orchard Park Blvd. With a left turn and a walk down the Blvd, we will return to the boat launch.

At the intersection 11, the Naturalists will turn right onto the blue trail. At the next intersection, turn right onto the yellow trail that overlooks the bay. At intersection 14, turn right onto the blue trail, and then at 15 turn left onto the yellow trail. At the next intersection (un-numbered) to right onto the White hiking trail that follows the creek up to the red trail. There are two options here based on time.

• If 5:00 occurs before the end of the white trail, turn around and retrace the trail to the yellow trail, turn right on yellow, then a right turn onto the blue trail (another un-numbered intersection).
• If you arrive at the red trail before 5:00, turn right onto the red trail, which passes several old foundations and ends at Glen Haven Rd. Cross Glen Haven and the creek and turn right into the blue trail. Follow the blue trail through intersections 15, and 14

Continue through 13 on blue back to a left turn onto purple at intersection 11 to go out to Orchard Park Blvd. With a left turn and a walk down the Blvd, we will return to the boat launch.

Directions:

From Springwater: Follow NY 15A or NY 15 north to I-390. In Rochester, merge right onto I-590 N. At the intersection with 490, stay left to continue on 590N. Take exit 8 for Empire Blvd. Use the second to the right lane to turn right onto Empire Blvd. Pass through the Winton Rd intersection and take the next left onto Orchard Park Blvd.  Stay to the right just off Empire Blvd and follow Orchard Park to the end (0.8 miles) at the bay.  The boat launch is across Bay Front Rd slightly to the left.

From Naples: Follow NY 21 north to NY 64 in South Bristol, to US 20. Turn left on US 20, then in a mile, turn right on NY 444 to Victor. Turn left on NY 96. In 2.9 miles enter I-490. Use exit 21 for NY 590N. Take exit 8 for Empire Blvd. Use the second to the right lane to turn right onto Empire Blvd. Pass through the Winton Rd intersection and take the next left onto Orchard Park Blvd.  Stay to the right just off Empire Blvd and follow Orchard Park to the end (0.8 miles) at the bay.  The boat launch is across Bay Front Rd slightly to the left.

From Canandaigua: Follow NY 332N to the Thruway west. Take exit 45 for I-490. Take exit 8 for Empire Blvd. Use the second to the right lane to turn right onto Empire Blvd. Pass through the Winton Rd intersection and take the next left onto Orchard Park Blvd.  Stay to the right just off Empire Blvd and follow Orchard Park to the end (0.8 miles) at the bay.  The boat launch is across Bay Front Rd slightly to the left.

Directions to Tryon City Tavern ( 2300 E Main St, Rochester, NY): Return on Orchard Park Blvd. Turn right on Empire Blvd followed by a quick left (at the light) onto Winton Rd. In 1.4 miles, turn right onto Main St. In 350 feet, turn right into the strip mall. The Tavern is the first business in the strip mall.

SUNDAY WEATHER UPDATE:  The forecast is improving, with the chance of rain rising from 25% to 50% between 2 and 4 and no chance of thuderstorms. If you feel like paddling under these conditions, come on over. The hike will proceed rain or shine. Everyone meet at LaSalle’s Landing Park.  Questions? Call Saralinda at 585-705-1865. 

This event has options for both paddlers and hikers, with a common meeting place at La Salle’s Landing Park, 1080 Empire Blvd. Penfield, just across from Bay Creek Paddling Center. Afterwards both groups will gather for our social at the home of Gene and Georgia Binder at 1855 Westfall Road in Brighton.  PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT STARTS AT 2PM, TO ACCOMMODATE ANYONE RENTING A BOAT FROM BAY CREEK PADDLING, WHICH CLOSES AT 5.

Boaters: Join us for the first SWT paddle of the season, in Irondequoit Creek.    Bring your own kayak or canoe to the launch site, or rent one from Bay Creek Paddling Center, just across Empire Blvd at #1099 and launch from their dock directly into the creek. See https://www.baycreek.com/rentals   for information and pricing on their rentals, which are by the hour and first-come first-served.  Please arrive between 1:30 and 1:45 to unload your boat or arrange your rental.  Irondequoit Creek meanders southward from the launch site through a peaceful wetland between Irondequoit Bay and Ellison Park.  You can enjoy quiet waters and abundant bird life along the creek, going as far as the Browncroft Blvd Bridge and back, or explore the shoreline at the south end of Irondequoit Bay.  We will not be in a single group, so please observe the boat buddy system and keep another SWT boat within sight as you paddle.

Hikers will explore one of Monroe County’s most interesting but least well known parks. Lucien Morin Park abuts the wetlands surrounding Irondequoit Creek, and contains some low but rugged hills and valleys, similar to nearby the Abe Lincoln and Durand Eastman Parks. In addition the property was used for target practice by the National Guard back in the mid 20th century, and has some interesting surviving site structures left over from the military use.

Hikers will gather at 2 PM at LsSalle’s Landing and carpool across Empire Blvd to the Lucien Moran trailhead parking area.  All hikers will follow the White Trail and dirt road along the wetland (west) side of the park, heading for the gazebo  where the officer used to oversee the shooting operations. Naturalists can return to the start from there for a relatively level and easy hike. Climbers and those looking for a more rigorous hike may continue south to loop around to the west and return overlooking the wetland.

Social: Please join us afterward for a dish-to-pass social at Gene and Georgia’s home at 1855 Westfall Road, Brighton, at the southeast corner of Westfall and Fairhill Drive. See directions and parking instructions below.  Bring  your own beverage and a folding chair along with assorted goodies, or donate $5 and help yourself. Bring a card table too if you have one.

Directions to LaSalle’s Landing:

Take your favorite route toward Rochester, via route 15, 15A, 390, or 490.   When you reach the Outer Loop (390/590), go north on Route 590 toward Irondequoit. About 2 miles after passing through the 490 intersection, take the Empire Boulevard/404 exit. Make a right on Empire Blvd, and go down the hill toward the bay. LaSalle’s Landing Park will be on your left at #1080, just across from Bay Creek Paddling Center.  Lucian Morin Park trailhead and parking lot will be on your right at #1135, just past the former McGregor’s.

Directions to the Social 185 Westfall:

Head back to the west on Empire Blvd.  You may take 590 south back to the Monroe Avenue (Route 31) exit, then make a left on Monroe and an immediate right on Westfall, proceeding to Fairhill Drive, the sixth left off Westfall. Turn around on Fairhill and park on the west side shoulder, next to 1855 Westfall, the house on the corner.

Simpler and more direct route: Head back to the west on Empire Blvd. Before you come to the 590 ramps, turn left on Winton Road. Take Winton Road all the way to Brighton – 4.6 miles. Cross Westfall Road, then take the next left on Fairhill Drive (it’s L shaped). Follow Fairhill around to the left, and park on the right hand shoulder at the last house on the right, 1855 Westfall.