Watershed Hiking Trails by Doug Llewellyn
This is the third in a series of Outreach and Education Committee articles that focuses on Lake-Friendly Living. Whereas the first two articles offered suggestions on ways to keep our watershed in a healthy state, this one takes a different slant and is predicated on a quote from E. B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web – “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”
So, let’s temporarily depart from the approaches to protect our watershed and turn to ways to enjoy our watershed – specifically getting out during the crisp, robust upcoming fall days and taking a hike on one of the many easy to moderate hiking trails within the Canandaigua Lake watershed – namely, Atwater Meadows, the Upland Trail at Onanda Park, the Vista, and Grimes Glen.
Atwater Meadows is an 18-acre wooded, undeveloped park on the north end of Canandaigua Lake at 767 West Lake Drive, just south of Yacht Club Cove. At the end of the gently-sloped footpath there’s a small lake-front beach area that offers a picturesque view of Skenoh Island (previously named Squaw Island). According to legend, the wives and children of the Seneca took refuge on the small island during the invasion of their homeland by General John Sullivan in 1779.The renamed island “skenoh” can be translated to either health or peace.
Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
Upland Trail at Onanda Park at 4965 West Lake Road is a 1½ to 2-mile loop trail generally considered a moderately challenging route. It takes an average of 45-60 minutes to complete the loop and is a popular trail for hiking, bird watching, and identifying local woodland plants. The Uplands consists of seventy-three acres of hillside including a path through pristine wilderness with scenic views of Barnes Creek, as well as Canandaigua Lake. Sturdy footwear and hiking poles may be needed for the less experienced hiker. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
Check out www.townofcanandaigua.org for more trail information and a site map.
Canandaigua Vista – Finger Lakes Land Trust Trail is located down Jones Road at the corner of Route 21 and Seneca Point Road, just south of Cheshire. The vista is 90 acres of mature forests and open meadows with expansive views of Barnes Gully and Canandaigua Lake. A visitors’ booth at the entrance of the park will show the vista’s trail and best viewing locations. Similar to Ononda Park, it takes an average of 45-60 minutes to complete the loop and is a popular trail for hiking, bird watching, and identifying native woodland plants. The trail is mostly flat.
Be aware that during the hunting season, from October 1 to December 17, bow hunters will be hunting on the preserve in locations that are at least 150 feet from the marked hiking trail, and the trail will remain open to the public during that time. Hikers must stay on the marked hiking trail at all times. Hunters will be allowed to hunt with a bow only. For that reason, a hike through the Vista Park would be best during the spring and summer months. Check out www.fllt.org/canandaiguavista for more information.
Grimes Glen is located at the south end of the watershed in the Village of Naples. From Main Street/Route 21 (heading south), take a right turn at Vine Street. A sign shows the road entrance to the park. Take Vine Street to the end where a parking lot and the park entrance is located.
According to the NY Falls website, Grimes Glen is a 1½ mile trail where visitors can experience the sights and sounds of bubbling cascades, crystal clear pools, and spectacular waterfalls, all framed by majestic hemlock trees, bountiful springtime red and yellow trilliums, and various native wildflowers. Shale bluffs tower up to 200 feet overhead. Grimes Glen is a classic Finger Lakes gorge, a continuously changing and fragile environment shaped and reshaped over time by the power of water. For that reason, check the entrance booth to see which waterfall trails are safe and open to the public. For a stunning view, visit the park in the early spring when the winter’s snow begins to melt and fill the creek with strong currents.
See https://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/grimes-glen/ for more information.
These are just four of the many woodland trails and waterfall parks located within our watershed. For a more rigorous venture, hikers may want to also check out Bare Hill and Conklin Gully (both on the southeast side of the lake), as well as High Tor Wildlife Management Area (at the south end of the watershed).