Finger Lakes Hiking Weekend 2 - July 2006

The Susquehanna AT Club is planning an exciting weekend camping and day hiking in the beautiful central Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Here is a scene from one of the hikes:

Hikes range from 6 to 12 miles. Come for as many, or as few, as you want!

• Bring water on all hikes, and plenty of it!
• Leave no trace: no littering, picking plants, etc.
• Hiking BOOTS strongly suggested to deal with rocks, roots, stream crossings, and glacial mud.

Getting there: in the morning

The morning meeting point will be at the Dauphin park and ride, PA 225 exit from US 22/322, follow signs to park and ride, at 8:30 a.m.. Leader: Peter Fleszar, 717 583-2093 home, 576-3112 cell. Although this will be the meeting point we are no longer able to recommend leaving cars at this park-and-ride lot all weekend.

Directions: Take US 22/322 west to US 15 (exit Selinsgrove, Williamsport), follow US 15 north to I-86 (formerly NY 17) east, to exit (Watkins Glen, Corning attractions) to NY 414 north, 18 mi, to traffic light and sign for Schuyler Hospital, take CR 16 east to bottom of hill, turn left at tee, turn right at next tee intersection to NY 14 south, pass by Montour Falls village to sign for Havana Glen on left. Turn left on Havana Glen Road, then turn right into the Havana Glen Park's driveway.

• The hike is on the pretty (and perhaps muddy and buggy in spots) western sections of both Queen Catharine Marsh Loop and Montour Falls Historic Loop interlocking footpaths and part of the Catharine Valley Trail to end at the campground. About 6 miles, flat, variable surface from concrete sidewalk to paved road shoulders to stone dust to, well, marshy. Leader: Peter Fleszar.

• Optional dinner stop(s).
• Seneca Lake wineries are north of Watkins Glen village along both NY 14 (west side of Seneca Lake) and NY 414 (east side of the lake)
• Other attractions are listed on the county visitor bureau web site.
• Some may want to visit a grocery store this evening.

Getting there:

directions to follow

• This is a long 12 mile hike beginning on the top of Sugar Hill, the county's highest point, and passing first down a newly and beautifully constructed footpath passing former farmsteads now in the woods, to "Ebenezer's Crossing" (a fairly deep, wet stream crossing at the top of a waterfall), then we'll descend Glen Creek as it enters Watkins Glen State Park. We will diverge from the NCT/FLT to state park trails in the gorge, with a concentration of scenery some compare to Zion National Park.

• sleep

Getting there:

Turn right directly out of the Park onto Havana Glen Rd. At the top of the hill, turn right at a tee intersection onto NY 224 east. Go through Odessa, pass NY 228, then turn left on CR 10. Head up the hill past Dr. Fielder's veterinary clinic and turn right on CR 6. Turn right on Gulf Rd. Park on right (limited parking, it's only 6.9 miles from the campground so we might as well carpool to the loop hike).

• 5.8 mile loop hike on NCT/FLT and the Van Lone Hill Spur in scenic Cayuta Gulf. As you can see from the link there are bridges but on the return we will be climbing, and splashing through one of the streams higher up.

• Return to the campground.

Accommodations

The official campground of the trip is the Havana Glen Park of the Town (in PA it'd be a township) of Montour. It's a fairly small quiet place just outside of town with a scenic surprise.

In order to reserve a spot in the campground, you need to call the Town Clerk's office, 607 535-9476. The office is open variable hours, not all day every day. Their outgoing phone message might tell you when they are open.

We have camp site #1 reserved in the name of Peter Fleszar. I have reserved this spot arriving Friday, July 28, and leaving Sunday, July 30. Other participants have reserved #2, #3, and #5 already.

After you reserve a spot, to hold the reservation you wiill need to mail a check for $15/site/night (total: $30 per spot for the weekend) at least 2 weeks in advance (let's say by July 10th) to:

Town of Montour
PO Box 579
Montour Falls, NY 14865

Tenting (i.e. no electricity) spots are $15/night, with a maximum of 4 people on each spot. The tenting spots are very close to the shower house, where hot showers are offered. Call them for RV rates if you're so inclined.

There are other accommodations in the area.

Food

Food is on your own. There are a couple of fast food places on the Montour Falls side of Watkins Glen village. I've heard of a nice local place in town we haven't been to yet.

There is also a P&C grocery store and a Wal-Mart Supercenter nearby. P&C is on NY 14 between Montour Falls and Watkins Glen. Or continue through Watkins Glen village, turn right at the main intersection to NY 414 north and Wal-Mart Supercenter (try this link) is at the other edge of Watkins.

A half hour drive east is Ithaca, where there are numerous ethnic and alternative restaurants.

What else?

Swimming is available 4 miles from the campground, in Seneca Lake, at the Watkins Glen lakeside village park on NY 414 north (i.e. Clute Park, NOT the state park). There is also a pool in the state park. Supposedly we can wade right at our campground.

Weather/Insects

Central New York averages five degrees cooler than the Harrisburg area, and somewhat cloudier. A layer of Gore-Tex or equivalent breathable waterproof fabric is well advised. It can still be warm at the end of July. Or you might want a sweater. We won't know until we get there.

Mosquitoes are probably more widespread than in south-central PA. Lyme disease-carrying deer ticks exist. Some authorities suggest strong DEET repellents. If you choose this course, be aware the most concentrated DEET repellents are not sold in New York State.

Black flies are no more prevalent in the Finger Lakes region than in PA. It's still a few hours' drive from the Adirondacks. However, I do not guarantee the absence of black flies or gnats.

Unofficial Side Trips are always possible, either on the way to or from, or during, the weekend. You are responsible for figuring out where your car wants to go, if you're not hiking with us. Some possibilities are:

• Finger Lakes wine country: I would be happy to provide suggestions/pointers. We'll be in the main part of the wine region. I'm sure there will be plenty of last year's wine around the wineries will be glad to sell you. Or you can just note which ones you like and get them at a store on the way back (we know where the store is).
• Taughannock Falls. This state park on NY 89 northwest of Ithaca and northeast of Watkins Glen features water plunging 215 feet in a single step. (To compare, Niagara Falls is 194 ft.) See it from above or below.
• Sapsucker Woods (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
• Corning Museum of Glass on the way there or back.

Revised July 4, 2006