Sunday July 5th - Rob's Trail - Near Hemlock NY - 6 miles about 600 feet elevation gain
It was going to be another hot day but we still managed to get up and head out on a good hike. This was not a hike I'd looked at before but it was right along Hemlock lake which is apparently one of the least developed of the Finger lakes. Interestingly, the trail head for this hike WAS somewhere I'd seen before. In fact I tried to take note of it when I was driving the moving van almost exactly a year ago. But I didn't write down the location and our previous travels never took us past this particular spot on NY-15A.
This was a favorite hike for both of us. The setting even at the start is gorgeous. There was almost no traffic noice, the lake had only a few quiet boats on it and there are no houses or obvious signs of human influence along the whole trail. The first mile leads steadily down from the top of the valley down to a beautiful overlook that will probably be full of water some other time of year. Even absent the water it was a nice steep gorge to peer into. The trail continued constantly downhill for another third of a mile or so then leveled out near the lake level. Eventually the trail transitions to an old gravel road. We walked about a mile up the gravel road (along the lake shore) before turning around to make our return before the searing sun would be beating down on us. The hilly part of the trail would probably be shady most of the day but the road would not be so lucky.
This was a favorite hike for both of us. The setting even at the start is gorgeous. There was almost no traffic noice, the lake had only a few quiet boats on it and there are no houses or obvious signs of human influence along the whole trail. The first mile leads steadily down from the top of the valley down to a beautiful overlook that will probably be full of water some other time of year. Even absent the water it was a nice steep gorge to peer into. The trail continued constantly downhill for another third of a mile or so then leveled out near the lake level. Eventually the trail transitions to an old gravel road. We walked about a mile up the gravel road (along the lake shore) before turning around to make our return before the searing sun would be beating down on us. The hilly part of the trail would probably be shady most of the day but the road would not be so lucky.
This trail was very well marked, well cleared, well bridged and very enjoyable in every way. And it's less than 45 minutes from our front door so we look forward to seeing it in all seasons.
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