Lehigh Valley Trail - Part 1

[00:00:00] Lindsay: Oh, hey, it's me, your horse that decided to destroy your automatic waterer, so you're now having to fill buckets, Lindsay LaBella. And today we're back on the trail and we're gonna be doing this in a three part series, maybe a two part. We'll see where it goes. But this is the Lehigh Valley Trail.

[00:00:14] We're going to do first five miles from River Road in Caledonia to Rush, New York. So hang on and stick with us for the ride because you're listening to Rochester Trail Riders.

[00:00:31] The Lehigh Valley Trail in Monroe County traces its historic route of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. A significant player in the transportation of anthracite coal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Spanning 435 miles connecting Buffalo to New York City, the LVT included key stops in Victor, Mendon, and Rush, with Rochester Junction serving as a vital hub.

[00:00:56] Following the railroad's decline and eventual bankruptcy, Monroe County acquired the old right of way in 1976. The Mendon Foundation proposed converting the abandoned railroad line to a recreational trail leading to the development of the Lehigh Valley.

[00:01:12] The trail was completed in 2004 and now spans approximately 15 miles, offering a multi-use path for walking, hiking, biking, and our personal favorite equestrian activities. It is the keystone and connects to both the Genesee Valley Greenway and the Victor's Auburn Trail. And it has plans to extend all the way north to the Erie Canal Trailway System.

[00:01:36] My morning adventure on this trail started on the west side of the Genesee River at the parking area next to Casella. It's on River Road in Caledonia. Although the sign directing you to the parking area shows a horse and rider, the area itself is small. We're talking, maybe you can get your small truck and two horse bumper pull trailer parked in there. If there's another car, don't bank on it.

[00:02:00] You might be able to back up in if there's another vehicle, but there's a curve in the road where folks like to see if 88 miles an hour will really send you back to the future.

[00:02:10] I discussed in my previous episode.

[00:02:12] I'm a little chunk to ride my horse right now, and I really wanted to check out the trail before committing to bringing a trailer. That's smart on my part, so I opted to hike it. Goal initially was to do a three mile down and back for a total of six miles for the day, but lucky me, my huzzah band was willing to pick me up and rush so I could do the full five miles before the muggy disgustingness of our spring weather got to be a little too overwhelming.

[00:02:39] If you haven't ridden any portion of the LVT before, it's not like the Genesee Valley Greenway. The trail, when it was finished in 2004, had a wide stone dust path and an equally as wide grass covered gravel section to the south of the trail.

[00:02:54] Signs still clearly state that horses should not be on the dust path and to please ride alongside it. However, no one has maintained the trail width over the past years, leaving just the stone path usable for the majority of my journey. While some of the side was rideable to keep off the dust, the 12 foot height required for equestrian trails has long since overgrown with branches and downed trees creeping their way towards the center.

[00:03:22] It is mowed for much of it, but mowing sadly doesn't equate to trail use for rider and horse which can often exceed 8 to 9 feet in height. I guess my point is, while they ask for us to keep off the dust, the likelihood of being able to comply is slim. There are even a few sections where the wide dust path itself is down to a single herd lane path width. The trail is quite lovely though, with the 5 miles between Caledonia and Rush traveling over many bridges, the first one being the largest crossing over the Genesee River. Unlike the Erie-Attica Bridge crossing, This one does not have mounting blocks on the far side, nor does it have a wide scope fencing to assist funneling you and your horse across.

[00:04:10] Signs, however, state to clearly dismount and hand walk across the bridge. Unless you can ground mount, I don't know how many of you will choose to do so. 

[00:04:20] I'm not sure if the rubber matting that is down for snow machine use is taken up in the summers like it is over the Erie-Attica. But, it was on while I made my trek. The theme of matted wooden bridge crossing with no mounting blocks is consistent throughout all of the numerous bridge crossings that this section had.

[00:04:39] The trail itself was quiet for the most part. My early morning departure to beat the heat had me the only person on the trail. Well, that was until one e bike snuck up on me. The guy was nice though. He gave me a verbal warning way back before overtaking me. Like many multi use trails, keep in mind that it is heavily used and that you and your horse should be comfortable with folks that yielding signs posted.

[00:05:05] While there are only two road crossings, one requires you to ride alongside Fishell Road for about 600 feet. This road section also takes you under the 390 overpass which has a large parking area under it. This is a potential spot for horse trailer parking and it's not a bad spot since you can park in the shade of the overpass.

[00:05:28] Honeoye Creek is also right there with easy access should you feel the need to investigate or let your horse get their hooves wet. Keep an eye out for the typical broken glass as this is clearly a hangout spot.

[00:05:41] From this point to the Rush Creek Side Inn, there are no more road crossings.

[00:05:46] Lindsay: But, more bridges, or tunnels under roads, complete with colorful graffiti art. Once away from the sounds of the highway, you once again feel like you're on a secluded trail. And it's so nice.

[00:05:58] I completed my day's walk at the Creekside Inn. But if on horseback, I would travel across the road to Lehigh Street. There is another parking area large enough for horse trailers for you to start your LVT adventures from.

[00:06:10] The road itself is also quiet with wide shoulders for additional parking. Should the area itself be crowded? 

[00:06:15] So far, trail ratings for the day. I'm going to go with parking. Two hooves. While the trail is designated for horse traffic, they surely didn't take into account trailer parking.

[00:06:33] Maps and signage? Four hooves. Being a relatively new trail, the signage is well done and complete. There are half mile markers throughout, though I'm not quite sure where mile zero is that they're referencing. So, just know that they are mile markers, they just will tell you that you're a half mile from the one before it.

[00:06:52] Difficulty? I'm gonna go with two hooves. The trail itself is not difficult. I mean, it's a railroad bed. But do make sure you have a bomb proof horse, since it's heavily used by hikers and bikers and while we can only dream that dogs are on the leash, we all know that they aren't.

[00:07:06] Maintenance. Three hooves.

[00:07:09] Not as nice and kept up as the Greenway, but for a trail that's 20 years old, it's holding its own. Do your best to stay off the dust, but, you know, if they don't maintain a bridle path on the south side, it is what it is.

[00:07:23] I have plans to complete the additional 12 miles of this trail this summer as I work to get my first Greenway patch. Yeah, that's right. 

[00:07:30] For those of you that like to collect patches or maybe ride with a goal in mind, be sure to check out the RTR website for a bunch of great challenges. I'm also looking to create one for a trifecta, a 32 mile connection from the Greenway through the LVT and finishing in Auburn. So stay tuned! Well that wraps it up for today.

[00:07:52] As always, respect the trail, put on that brain bucket, and pick up at your trailer site. Happy trails!