Join April for a hike on the Middlesex Valley Rail Trail - Naples NY
The Middlesex Valley Railroad began service in 1892 between Naples and Stanley, with connections to Geneva, Canandaigua and Wayne County. In 1895 it became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad system and continued running until 1970. It is now part of the State-owned High Tor WMA.
The 7.2 mile rail trail (incorrectly labeled Lehigh Valley Rail Trail on some maps) runs parallel to and north of Route 245, following along sections of the West River. This area is designated as an "Important Bird Area" by the Audubon Society. 10 am isn't the ideal birding time, but I'm not willing to get up and going that early! I hiked earlier this week along a section closer to Naples and saw osprey, great blue heron, red winged black birds, blue jays, geese, ducks, and muskrats. There is a heron rookery located in the section we will be hiking, but I do not know if it is still active.
The trail is grass (short at this time of year), wide, and flat. We may run into wet sections.
We will hike from Sunnyside Rd to Caward Cross Rd, a distance of about 3 miles. We will meet at our end point and shuttle to the beginning.
Bring
- Dress appropriately for the weather.
- Sturdy footwear - be prepared for wet sections
- Footwear to change into after the hike
- Hiking poles if you use them
- Water and snacks
- Clothing and gear for the weather and tick protection.
- Optional: binoculars, camera, snack, hat, sunscreen
- Dogs on leash are allowed - as long as they are well behaved
Directions
We will meet at the north end of the trail on Caward Cross Rd (off Rt 245 between Middlesex and Naples). There is an area to park off the road there that is about 0.5 miles from Rt 245. See location on Google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/wf8YZKqGHmwa6Rwj9
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