These Boots Were Made for Walking…Local Fall Walks
1. Genesee Valley Greenway Trail – walk or bike, incorporate a stop at the Yard of Ale Restaurant for a you-know-what, trail details on the website: www.fogvg.org
2. Oatka Creek Park – parking lot on Union Street in Scottsville just south of Route 383, start off walking to the right from the parking lot and it will take you down along the creek, print out this map so you can follow the changing trail marker colors, also a great place for cross country skiing, Oakta Creek Park Trail Map (pdf)
3. Linear Park and Cummings Nature Center in Bergen (put “W Shore Trail Bergen NY” into Google Maps to find it)- park on the pull-off on West Sweden Road just north of Swamp/Jerico Road by the “Linear Park” fluorescent yellow sign. Walk east and look for the Cummings Nature Center fluorescent sign on your left, turn left there and it loops you around the gorgeous ponds (just keep veering left so you walk counter-clockwise around the ponds) ending back on the railway trail. Wear boots since it is often muddy. Or, just stay on the main trail and walk all the way to route 19 and back. It’s a 1 and 1/2 hour jaunt, or thereabouts.
4. High Tor Wildlife Management Area “Conklin Gully Rim Trail and Parish Hill Road”– in Naples, NY; a little bit further away (about an hour from Bergen) yet rewards you with a gorgeous view after a heart-pumping 10 minute upward climb, head down the west side of Canandaigua Lake on Route 21, turn left onto Parish Cross Road before you reach the town of Naples, turn right at the stop sign then park in the parking lot on your left immediately after the bridge. If you want to do a 45-60 minute loop, it’s best to follow the trail on AllTrails app https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/conklin-gully-rim-trail-parrish-hill-road?u=i&sh=te0cq7 because it gets a bit confusing. Or, put your water shoes on and walk up the creek until you can’t. It’s a fun, kid-friendly activity especially on a hot day in the Summer.