Roy H. Park Preserve to Hammond Hill State Forest, Dryden
Hike report by Jim
Ten hikers met in Dryden to hike from the Roy Park Preserve to Hammond Hill State Forest. Temperatures were generally warm, and there wasn’t much mud anywhere along the route, which is unusual for this particular hike.
The climb from the preserve’s parking area to Hammond Hill Road passed quickly, and soon we’d entered the Hammond Hill trail system.
The group got somewhat spread out at this point, with the lead hikers getting as far as the seasonal part of Canaan Road before turning around.
We regrouped and retraced our steps back to the cars, arriving in the parking lot at a nearly perfect two-hour hike duration.
Photo by JimPhotos by Leigh Ann
Saturday May 13
Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area, Newfield
Hike report by Dave B.
Twenty-two hikers and one dog met at the Connecticut Hill cemetery on a perfect morning for hiking — crisp and clear. The trail led us downhill through mixed hardwoods, then hemlocks, and finally a rooty stand of spruce before we reached a stream. A stepping-stone crossing was flanked by steel footers, the only remnants of a century-old bridge that carried truck traffic from a now-abandoned quarry.
We passed another bridge, this one with deck girders still in place, on our way to the partially overgrown quarry. A short-but-steep climb brought the group to the upper rim of the quarry and a nice view of a far hill in the WMA.
Ahead lay more woods and two more stream crossings. A steady climb followed, along the side of a wooded ravine and past an old metal sink and stone cistern (moonshiner debris?). The nearly four-mile loop, adorned by several species of wildflowers, brought us back to the cars in two hours.
Photos by Leigh AnnPhoto by Jack V.
Sunday May 14
Jenksville State Forest, Newark Valley
Hike report by Jim
Seventeen hikers met in Tioga County for a hike in Jenksville State Forest. The hike involved a new route that included both blue- and yellow-blazed trails within the state forest. Previous hikes here had been limited to yellow-blazed trails. The new route offered more variety in both views and forest environments than the old route. Sunday’s hike also ran over our normal two-hour hike time, but no one complained about that. Given the positive feedback people gave for this hike, I’m thinking that we’ll use this as our normal hike route here in the future.
The day was sunny but cool, and the trail was in excellent condition. We encountered a very small segment of trail that was muddy, but everything else was entirely dry. We had the multiuse trails to ourselves, except for a small group of cyclists and some equestrians we encountered in the parking lot but never saw on the trail.
There were 12 hikers and one dog on the hike. We did not get to the base of the falls due to high water, although I did show people how to get there. Other than that, we followed my previous description.
Mark’s previous description from the hike announcement:
First, we’ll follow the rim of Trumansburg Creek, where we will have views of the three major waterfalls that drop between NY-89 and the lake. The path is fairly steep to begin with, but then it levels out to a moderate slope. We’ll follow the rim trail part way down and cut through the camp to the south, where we’ll have an opportunity to examine the various Boy Scout camps.
We will then see another waterfall, which is quite high but has only a small amount of water. We will head up the hill for a bit, cross over the small creek, and head back to the parking area via another trail.
If the water levels are not too high, we’ll try to get to the base of Frontenac Falls. Waterproof boots and hiking poles are recommended for this part of the hike. If water levels are too high, we will head toward the lake and explore the facilities there.
After the hike, Mark and Ellie will welcome hikers to their home for some light refreshments.
Mark wanted to share this amazing photo he took of Frontenac Falls in winter a year ago.Photos by Mark S.Photos by Jim
Saturday May 6
Finger Lakes Trail from Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park
Hike report by Jim
Nineteen hikers and a dog met at the Schuyler County Veterans Park for an eastbound hike of the FLT toward Gulf Road and beyond. This was a new hike for most of the group; the only time we’ve previously hiked any of this route since I’ve been with the group was as part of the Van Lone trail hike. I’d describe this route as mostly flat and easy for all hiking abilities.
As it leaves the Veterans Park, the FLT takes a southeasterly route through new forests and across a couple of dry streambeds along the way. Most of the forest undergrowth was just starting to bloom, so the footpath is clear and obvious to hikers. There is one point where the trail crosses private property and where we hiked past people’s homes. In the handful of times I’ve hiked this section, I’ve never encountered a property owner at these houses.
Eventually the FLT reaches Route 6, and after a quick bridge crossing the trail turns onto Gulf Road. At the Gulf Road trailhead, the footpath leaves Gulf Road and follows Cayuta Creek. The upper section of the creek was nearly still, with only the faintest perceptible movement of water.
As we continued southeast, we hiked through several small streams that cross the footpath before they feed into Cayuta Creek. Eventually the creek begins flowing quite briskly, with many cascades. The footpath rises and falls as it follows the creek; sometimes it seemed as though the group was hiking right at stream level, while at other times the footpath climbs slightly and hikers get to look down on the stream from above.
On this sunny day, there was an interesting play of light and shadows, along with the surface of the water in the stream and various hues of green on the forest floor. At the one-hour mark, we reached the old, collapsed footbridge, where we turned around and retraced our steps.
We ran into a few day hikers along Cayuta Creek but otherwise had the trail to ourselves.
Welcome to Brennan and Adriana on their first hike with the group!
Today’s hike counts as four FLT miles for anyone trying to get their FLT 50 patch.
Finger Lakes Trail from White Church Road, Brooktondale
Hike report by Jim
Thirty hikers and a single dog met at the new FLT parking lot in the 800 block of White Church Road for an eastbound hike on the FLT. This was our first hike in this direction since the FLT was rerouted last year.
In the past (before the rerouting), this section of trail was included at the very end of our Ridgeway Road hike. For that hike, climbing the hill was an option for those hikers who wanted to use up the last few minutes before we turned around. I don’t recall that we ever hiked to Braley Hill Road and beyond from this location.
The new parking lot on White Church Road is fairly small, so we ended up double- and triple-parking within the lot to get most of our cars parked off of White Church Road. In the future I’ll most likely limit this hike to a Wednesday hike due to the parking situation.
We set off across the open fields using a mowed pathway. By the end of the second field, the mowed path suddenly ended and we had to bushwhack across unmowed fields to the nearest series of white-blazed stakes. This got us back on track, and soon hikers were crossing the wooden puncheons to reach the base of the hill.
The climb up the hill was slow and steady. Casey led the faster hikers. That fast group gradually pulled away, and the group as a whole was spread out along the hillside as the well-blazed trail climbed through a series of switchbacks.
At the peak, the trail enters Shindagin Hollow State Forest. Shortly after that, we encountered the first of many mountain bike trails that crisscross the state forest. The peak is a short-lived victory, as almost immediately the FLT begins a steady downward course.
By this time, those of us in the back began to encounter the first of the returning hikers who’d turned around at the hour mark. We also encountered our first real muddy section of trail and decided that this was a good spot for the sweep element to turn around and start back.
The lead hikers eventually caught up and bypassed us on their way down the hillside. By the time I got back to the parking area, all but about five cars had gone.
In consulting the FLT map, I’m giving myself a total of 3.25 FLT miles for the hike today. For those trying to qualify for their FLT 50 patch, Casey reported that the lead element made it almost all the way to Shindagin Hollow Road, with a mileage of 4.6. If you were on today’s hike, you can pick some distance between those two numbers for your trail miles.
After the hike about 10 hikers met at Brookton’s Market for lunch.
Ten hikers met in the Finger Lakes Land Trust parking lot outside of lower Robert Treman State Park for a hike of Lick Brook’s Thayer and Sweedler preserves.
We set off from the parking lot and crossed the railroad trestle. We paused at the falls at the bottom of the hill inside Sweedler Preserve for a group picture and to link up with an 11th hiker who walked in from Townline Road to meet us.
We continued on the FLT, climbing the hill via the narrow spine that ascends from the valley floor, the slopes on either side of the trail falling away sharply from the footpath. The faster hikers reached Townline Road and crossed it to complete the red- and blue-blazed Tom’s Trail loop in Thayer Preserve.
The rest of the hikers arrived at Townline Road, crossed the bridge, and hiked Tom’s Trail in reverse in order to meet the faster hikers as they returned to Townline Road.
Reconstituted into a single blob of hikers, the group returned to Sweedler Preserve. We hiked down the blue-blazed trail, crossed back over the trestle, and returned to our cars.
Total FLT miles for the FLT50 patch hikers was approximately 2.8 miles.
Photo from JimPhoto by BudPhotos by Jack V.
Saturday April 29
Shindagin Hollow State Forest
Hike report by Mary W.
In temps of 46 degrees F and a light drizzle, 12 hikers and one dog met at the southernmost FLT parking area on Braley Hill Road, which is also spelled Brearley Hill Road (after Joseph Brearley for whom the road is named), depending on which map is referenced. The hike plan was to take the Finger Lakes Trail exclusively east from Braley Hill Rd., west to Shindagin Hollow Road out and back in reverse.
For the most part, this was a pleasant jaunt through the spring-awakening forest. There were ramps, trillium (white and purple), trout lily, viburnum, dogwood, young leaflets of bright lime colors, birds, and a manageable amount of moisture.
The drizzle stopped at the start of the hike and started again at about 11:30 a.m. This may have been good timing, however. Two hikers became distracted and ended back on Braley Hill Road south of the start point, while another hiker (perhaps occupied with a bit of ramp harvesting) was disoriented for a time, which motivated a small search party into action. When all were reunited, it was agreed that a fine adventure was exactly what the morning delivered to the hikers’ delight, albeit a tad wet at the end.
Six intrepid hikers met on Daisy Hollow Road in Cortland County for a hike of the International Trail system. It was a morning of intermittent rain; while I waited for other hikers to arrive the rain had let up, so I decided to leave my wet weather gear in the car. The rain resumed early in the hike, however, becoming fairly steady as we ventured farther into the trail system. By the end of the hike, the rain was light but constant, only bothering hikers when we were out in the open.
After it leaves Daisy Hollow Road, the trail makes a quick, short climb before coming to the first of many intersections. All of the trails are well blazed, and many have accompanying signage that identify the trail or spur and often the length of that section. A few hikers had never been on this section of trails or on the International Loop system at all, so this attention to detail was greatly appreciated and entirely new to them.
I led the group up the Jose Trail, which soon runs into the Irvin Trail. The lower part of the Irvin Trail follows Cristina Creek, which had a good amount of water flowing, thanks to the overnight and morning rains. The small touches along this trail, such as the rock walls lining the footpath or the frequently found chairs along our route, were greatly appreciated by hikers.
The Irvin Trail leaves the creek and begins a series of switchbacks through the pine trees as the footpath climbs away from the water. Soon, the trail levels out until the next intersection, where we normally stop for a trail journal entry and a group photo.
Crossing the first of many utility rights-of-way, we had a good view of the far side of the valley. Because the leaves were not fully out we could still see across the valley through the trees around us. The variety of leaf colors made hikers think of hikes here later in the year. The trees were filled with birdsong, and I saw our first red eft of the season.
Beyond this point, the number of trail junctions become more frequent, so it’s important that any hiker who’s new to this trail system bring a map to avoid getting lost.
We took various sections of the English and Spanish Loops, then stopped at the Tiny Pond, which we have used as our turnaround point in past hikes. I recalled that turning around here always gets us back to our cars early, so I proposed that we continue on the Spanish Loop for a while longer, which brought us to a second pond that’s not indicated on the map.
Upon reaching Adams Road, hikers opted to turn around. Going farther would have involved a significant road walk, something that did not interest me, given the weather conditions.
The return journey used some of the same sections of footpath we had taken coming up the hill, but I soon led the group away from those earlier sections by turning at an intersection. This new section of trail followed a utility right-of-way before going back into the forest.
This final section of footpath skirts along a bluff above Daisy Hollow Road, then intersects with our original path back to the parking area. We did get back to our cars about 10 minutes early. By now the rain was quite steady, so no one seemed to mind the early conclusion to the hike.
Eighteen hikers met on Canaan Road on a chilly morning for a hike of the Hammond Hill trails.
A short walk up the seasonal part of Canaan Road brought us to the Rabbit Run snowmobile trail, a gradual incline that terminates at the blue-blazed trails. The forest floor around us was covered in a dusting of snow, perhaps the last hike we’ll have in winter conditions this spring.
We hiked the Yellow 6 trail to reach the upper, seasonal portion of Canaan Road. This segment of Yellow 6 includes a nice walk through tall stands of evergreens – my favorite part of this state forest!
We crossed Canaan Road and continued on the yellow-blazed trails, making a loop out of the Yellow 5, 8, and 4 trails before returning to Yellow 5 to reach Yellow 7. That final trail is a nice downhill hike back to Canaan Road, which we reached at exactly the two-hour mark.
For those tracking their FLT mileage toward the FLT50 patch, today’s hike included about 0.5 FLT miles on the Yellow 4 trail.
Welcome to Alice on her first hike with the group!
Photos by Nancy H.Photos by Norm
Saturday April 22
Stevens Suspension Bridge & Cornell Natural Areas
Hike report by Jim
Twenty-five hikers and a dog hiked the Cornell Natural Areas. Our group filled up and overflowed the Forest Home Drive parking lot, with several cars parked on the side of the road. The morning started out with mostly clear skies and a cooling breeze.
We started out by crossing the recently rebuilt suspension bridge. Norm is of the opinion that the new bridge sways even more than the old one. I’m not sure about that – having 20-plus people crossing the bridge together was sure to get it moving.
On the other side of the bridge the group turned west, following the creek. After a quick photo stop, we continued on, soon finding where the bridge’s original deckboards are being repurposed in muddy areas of the trail.
We climbed the hill to the golf course. As it was a nice weekend day, the course was in heavy use. We navigated around the green’s perimeter, finally arriving at the road that leads to the horse barns. Here we ran into a major snag: The road is shut down entirely to pedestrian traffic, even though it was a weekend with no active construction work underway. The signage indicated open trails for hikers’ use, but there were no directions for finding the nearest one. After a quick exploratory walk into the barn area looking for an open route, we turned around.
Backtracking slightly, we walked along the woods’ edge on a service road we’d never checked out. I hoped that we’d find a trail into the woods, but there was none. After completing a big loop around an open meadow, we returned to the golf course, where we took a trail that skirted the other side of the fenced-in horse fields we normally cross. This got us back onto our normal route.
By now, about six hikers had peeled off to do their own route. We eventually ran into them at hike’s end, back at the cars.
My group continued on, taking the orange-blazed trail on the bluffs high above the streambed. The trail eventually turns and descends the bluff down to stream level, where we followed the trail back to the suspension bridge.
On the Forest Home Road side of the bridge, we did a quick loop of the blue- and red-blazed trails, which got us back to the cars only five minutes later than normal.
Including late arrivals, today we had 29 hikers and two dogs. We met at the junction of Boylan and Hulford Roads, where there’s a decent amount of parking for any number of vehicles. In the past, I’ve started this hike from Connecticut Hill Road near Tower Road, but the trail from that area passes through some muddy sections that I wanted to avoid today.
From the parking area, it was a short walk to where the FLT crosses the seasonal portion of Boylan Road. We crossed an open field; other than two small areas that were logged a couple of years ago, this was among the few portions of the hike route where the FLT didn’t pass through forested areas of Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area.
Overall, the FLT footpath was in excellent shape, and the blazing was very easy to follow in this section. Elevation gain and loss is fairly minimal over the duration of this hike. A couple of stream crossings were uneventful, and we didn’t encounter much in the way of muddy trail until we were almost at Cabin Road.
Continuing beyond Cabin Road, it was only a short trail section before hikers reached the seasonal portion of Connecticut Hill Road at an hour into the hike. So we turned around and retraced our route, with Casey leading the way.
Total FLT miles for this hike, for those working toward their 2023 FLT50 patch, were 4.49.
A warm welcome to Ranjita, Dan, Minnie, Andrew, and canine hiker Chestnut on their first hike with the group!
Photo by Jack V.Photo by MeenuPhoto by NormPhotos by Nancy L and Randy
At the end of the hike today, one of the hikers jokingly suggested to Jim that he should start using ChatGPT to write the hike reports. Jim did write his report for us, as usual, but after he sent it to me, I fed it into Chat GPT and told it to rewrite the report in a variety of authors’ styles, including Hemingway, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Emily Dickinson, and those you see below. Here are some highlights:
Dr. Suess
Oh, the hikers went out on a Sunday so bright, 29 strong with 2 dogs in sight. They met at the junction of Boylan and Hulford Rd, With plenty of parking for each hiker’s load.
The trail was new, not the usual hike, Avoiding the mud, it was a change they’d like. The group crossed an open field with much glee, Then entered a forest, oh what a sight to see!
The footpath was perfect, with blazes so clear, Easy terrain for all, with nothing to fear. They crossed a few streams, not a problem at all, And muddy sections were few, toward the end of the haul.
After an hour of hiking, they reached a seasonal road, Turning back now, following their same footsteps code. For those seeking FLT50 patch, they hiked 4.49 miles, With a warm welcome to new hikers and Chestnut, the canine with smiles.
So, the hikers had fun on this bright Sunday day, And vowed to return to hike again someday.
J.R.R. Tolkien
Upon a fair day, a fellowship of twenty-nine valiant hikers, accompanied by two trusty canines, gathered at the crossroads of Boylan and Hulford Rd. Their hearts beat with a longing for adventure as they began their journey.
Forsooth, this trail was a deviation from their usual path, leading them through an open field and the wilds of the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area. Alas, the path was true and well-marked, with blazes as clear as the light of day.
The elevation was modest, the terrain serene. They crossed streams with ease and pressed on through the woods, their eyes taking in the beauty of their surroundings. But lo, as they approached Cabin Rd, the trail grew muddy, testing their mettle.
With fortitude, they pressed on until they came upon the seasonal portion of Connecticut Hill Rd, an hour hence, and began their homeward journey, led by the intrepid Casey.
For the FLT50 patch seekers, the hike spanned 4.49 miles, a feat of great courage and endurance. They welcomed new companions to their company, Ranjita, Dan, Minnie, Andrew, and Chestnut, the canine with a keen sense of smell.
Thus ended their journey, but their hearts remained aflame with the thrill of adventure, and their souls enriched by the majesty of nature.
Raymond Chandler:
It was a Sunday, like any other, when twenty-nine hikers and two canines convened at the junction of Boylan and Hulford Rd. The parking was ample, but the mood was restless. I watched from afar, noting the faces of the group, their intent unclear.
The trail, not their usual, veered away from Ct Hill Rd, and instead they walked through an open field. Two areas were logged, and the rest of the trail was shaded by the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area.
The footpath was in impeccable condition, with the blazes leading them easily. The terrain was gentle, elevation gain and loss minimal. A few uneventful stream crossings and some mud towards the end, but nothing to perturb the most seasoned hiker.
At the hour mark, they turned around, following the same path back. Casey, their leader, led the way. The FLT50 patch seekers clocked in at 4.49 miles.
Ranjita, Dan, Minnie, Andrew, and Chestnut, the canine with a keen nose, were new to the group. They held their own, no questions asked.
I stood there, watching as the group dispersed. Their faces, unreadable, their intent unclear. What brought them together, I wondered, and what drove them forward? I guess I’ll never know.
I kinda loved ChatGPT’s imitation of Chandler’s hardboiled style, but I don’t think we’ll be sending out AI-generated hike reports any time soon!
South Hill Rec Way/Six Mile Creek, South Side, Rim Trail
Hike report by Jim
Fourteen hikers and one excited dog met on Crescent Place for a hike of the South Hill Rec Way and the forest trails that run adjacent to it. The day was sunny, warm, and dry, and the first buds of spring were emerging on the trees around us. There was still a reasonable amount of water flowing in the creeks we crossed, but I assume that as the dry conditions persist they will dry up soon enough.
Hikers made a quick stop at the stone stairs that descend to the creek, and then we took a looping trail to the overlook above second dam.
While trying to navigate the narrow, spiny trail beyond second dam, we encountered multiple nests of ground bees on both the initial descent and the climb up the other side. This forced me to drop my plans for the second hour’s route, and so we ended up simply walking the Rec Way back to our cars.
We arrived at our cars with a few minutes to spare, but it was still an enjoyable hike.
Photo by JimPhoto by Mary W.
Saturday April 15
Loop hike on the eastern branch of Carter Creek, Connecticut Hill, Newfield
On Saturday morning, we received word that there was a major law enforcement incident happening on Trumbulls Corners Road, not far from our hike location. Police were looking for an armed man on an ATV. You can read about the incident here.
Because there was a potentially dangerous person being pursued in the area, the hike was officially canceled.
Nancy L. and Randy went to the starting point to meet anyone who didn’t receive the cancellation notice and showed up for the hike. The suspect was arrested shortly before our scheduled hike time, so those who’d arrived at the meetup point decided to hike.
Hike report by Randy O.
Seven gritty hikers and one well-behaved but overdressed dog hit the trail for a four-mile loop down one side of Carter Creek and up the other.
There were two uneventful stream crossings on a warm and sunny day. The gnats were out in force, and although they did not bite they were a real nuisance. Repellent seemed to work a little.
There’s been an active beaver working at the large pond near where we park the cars. We heard one owl making a lot of noise.
And I think everyone was relieved to hear before they started hiking that the wanted person had been caught.
Long Point State Park and Aurora Brewing Co., Aurora
Hike report by Jim
The group lucked out today!
The weather report for the next week is less than promising, with the return of colder temps and several days of rain in the forecast. By the time warm weather is expected to return, the state parks will be close to starting to charge entrance fees again for the summer.
As I drove from Freeville to King Ferry, there was still a morning chill, and the fog was still thick. By the time I turned onto Route 90 in King Ferry, the sun was out and it was looking like the day I’d been hoping for when I scheduled this hike.
By the time I turned onto Lake Rd. and started the descent toward Long Point State Park, the last of the morning fog was burning off the lake in front of me.
Long Point State Park is a bit of an odd duck. It’s close enough to Ithaca to be a destination option, but small enough that it tends to get overlooked by many locals, thanks to the other state park options around Ithaca.
Ultimately, 12 people arrived at Long Point for a hike of the trails there. This was the first time the group has hiked at this park, and I had only prehiked the trails once last fall when I was deciding whether this might be an option for Ithaca Hikers.
We set off into the woods, and soon we were hiking along a nice ravine. It was too shallow to earn the title of “gorge,” but it had some sheer rock faces along the streambed that elevate it to beyond simple “ravine” status.
After a short distance, we turned into the woods for a loop that took us through a nice section of forest trail that borders the park boundary in places. Here we could see spring flowers dotting the forest floor in yellow-hued abundance. The dogwoods are flowering, and while the undergrowth is starting to produce leaves, views of the surrounding forest floor were not so obscured as to feel that you’re walking in a green tunnel.
Last fall, I hiked this trail system right after the leaves had fallen, resulting in a less obvious footpath as there are no blazes, only the occasional trail sign. On today’s hike, the footpath was extremely obvious most of the time, the only exception being the trail sections that traversed some of the open fields and brush-hogged areas.
At the far end of the forest loop, we had the option of circling a large, open field or sticking closer to the edge of the treeline; the group opted for the treeline, as the open field offered no relief to the sun’s glare which by now was unrelentingly hot on exposed skin that had not yet adapted from our long winter months of multilayered dormancy. None of the group burst into flames in the sunlight, so there’s a positive note…..
Some of the next section of trail had been getting brush-hogged last year, and it’s a little depressing to walk across this huge swath of open field that’s really a layer of ground-up brush underfoot. Some hikers speculated that perhaps the state is planning to turn the field into some sort of camping area. I know that when I worked for the state, we tended to brush-hog some of the open fields a couple times each summer just to keep the growth under control. Those areas didn’t get further development until long after I left that job.
Turning south, the trail system again borders the park boundary. In this area the cedars along the trail drew some attention from hikers. Most of the non-natural colors along the trail were a plethora of No Trespassing signs, which made it clear that hikers are not welcome to leave the established footpath.
We reached a service road, which we took back to the ravine, returning via that route back to the parking lot. With some time to spare, we walked to the nearby shoreline and wandered the paved footpaths there, ultimately arriving back at the cars about 10 minutes early.
After the hike, most of the hikers reconvened at the nearby Aurora Brewing Company, which opened its doors a few minutes early as our group pressed our forlorn faces to their doors giving them our best “feed us” faces.
The brewery has an excellent variety of drinks and prepared foods. After we made our food and drink selections, we quickly claimed a picnic table on the outside covered porch area, which has a good view of the lake and the surrounding vineyards.
Thanks to all who came on the Sunday hike, and to those who were able to socialize afterwards!
