Victor Hiking Trails, Victor, N.Y.

VHT Pages:

Trail Maps & Descriptions
Includes new V3 Dynamic Map

Calendar

Newsletter - Current

Photo Album

Auburn Trail Improvements and Connections

News:

1/26/08 Making Mile Markers for Auburn Trail on 2/2 & 2/3. Help is needed. See the Calendar.

1/26/08 Lehigh Trail Trestle over Auburn Trail This great project, a combined effort by Victor Hiking Trails volunteers and Victor Parks and Recreation personnel, is just about completed. It is now open to hikers, skiers, and bikers. The actual decking and side rails have been finished. Trail surfacing and guide rails work is soon to be finished. Trail surfacing to the east, on to Lehigh Crossing Park and the Trolley Trail will be accomplished next season; currently it is rather large railroad ballast stone.

This project was financed by grants from The Dill Foundation, The Genesee Region Trails Coalition, Town of Victor, and Victor Hiking Trails.

Seneca Trail - South
A magnificent bridge has been constructed over Great Brook on the land of The Apple Farm. This extends the Seneca trail from Boughton Hill Rd. to NY444 (Bloomfield Rd.) at the Apple Farm Store. There is a branch trail, blazed yellow, on the Apple Farm using their mowed farm roads. Next year we will cut a new trail through woods and brush. This section of the Seneca trail also features a great beaver dam, pond, and house. The Apple Farm in addition to being a land owner for our trail, is now a sponsor of VHT for all of the extra help given in building the bridge. Thank them when you are there!

Thanks also to the Victor Teen Adventure Club for their help in bridge building -- and dirt shoveling.

Auburn Trail Update Work is progressing from Maple St. east to Mertensia Rd. This trail will have to have some on street sections. Around the corner of East Victor and Break Of Day Roads it will be on a widened shoulder. It will be along School and Maple Streets and between them will use the paved portion of the Trolley Trail.

There is a new, lower traffic volume, alternative route in the Village that avoids travel on Maple St. It uses Coville St, the parking area behind Saint Patrick's Church, and the Trolley Trail (which crosses Maple St.). It is (or will be) blazed yellow.

Fishers to Perinton & Powder Mills Park -- Design work will take place this year; construction will commence in ’08 and finish in ’09.

Winter 2007 Newsletter is available online.

We got the grant! The federal grant we applied for to extend the Auburn trail from Fishers Main St. to the Perinton/Pittsford line and Powder Mills Park has been approved.

Welcome to the Victor Hiking Trails, Inc. official Homepage!
Your contribution will help establish a network of hiking trails in the town of Victor.

We are a grassroots organization that began exploratory meetings in the fall of 1991. We have accomplished a lot, but we still have much work ahead of us. We currently have over 20-miles of open trails. These include well connected multi-use rails-to-trails, secluded woodland rambles, stream side walks, and longer cross-town hiking trails. Some connect various town and state parks, others exist by themselves. In addition, we are actively scouting out possible sites and negotiating with land owners and developers for permission of public access to their property. Our purpose is to develop a trail system which will preserve open space and provide an educational and recreational experience for everyone in the town of Victor.

We the People: Involved in Victor Hiking Trails are kindred spirits. People who care about the land on which they live. People who enjoy nature in all its bounty. People who want to improve their town and leave something that will add value to our lives. People like you. We welcome you among us. We meet on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Victor Town Hall at 85 East Main Street. Meetings are informal and everyone is welcome. Please try to join us, you can get to know us better.

VISION

• Create and maintain foot trails in the Town of Victor.
• Promote a meaningful relationship with nature.
• Promote individual responsibility for protecting the environment.
• Provide recreational activity through walking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.
• Provide education to the public through nature interpretation, historical information and proper use of trails.
• Promote good relationships with all people (landowners, government officials, adjacent townships, and trail users).

• Trails of various terrain, landforms, views and habitats for various plant and animal species.
• Trails in various geographic sections of the Town of Victor with access by as many residents as possible.
• Trails of various lengths and difficulties.

Dave Wright - Chairperson

Jeff Hennick - Vice-Chairperson & WebMaster

Nat Fisher - Secretary

Chauncy Young - Treasurer

Carol MacInnes - Trail Master

Larry Fisher - Trail Boss

Roberta Lockwood - Historian

Ruth Nellis - Education

Dave Coleman - Membership

HISTORY

• 1980's - Conservation Board initiates concept.
• Summer of 1991 - Town Board approves concept
• September 24, 1991 - First organized meeting
• May, 1992 - Incorporated in New York State
• September 18, 1993 - First trail opened
• June 16, 1994 - Tax exempt status approved by Federal Government
• September 17, 1994 - First Bridge Walk(Fund Raiser)

• Enjoy nature.
• Care about the land.
• Want to improve Victor.

• Hikes - Second Saturday each month and two weekends each year
• Maintenance - Usually One weeknight and one weekend morning each week
• Meetings - Third Thursday each month 7:30 p.m. at Victor Town Hall

How You Can Help
We need assistance in a myriad of areas. Join us at a meeting and volunteer your services.

Some of the needs (but by no means all) that we have are:

• lead hikes
• draw maps
• measure trail lengths
• make and install signs
• build trails, bridges and boardwalks
• build map boxes
• identify trees,flowers and birds (Monkey Run, example)
• illustrate
• take photos
• write articles for our newsletter and the Town newsletter
• collect donated items
• work on a committee
• recruit new members
• work on a fund raiser
• scout possible trail locations
• help with paperwork
• make phone calls

We'll create more opportunities as we grow. Maybe you can provide a skill or interest we need but haven't even thought of yet. You will be surprised how skilled you are. Join us and put your talents and interests to work.

Annual membership dues are:

• $10.00 Supporting Membership
  $20.00 Contributing Membership
  $100 Trailblazer Membership
  $250 Path Builder Membership.

If you join or renew at the $20.00 level or above, you can sign up a friend or neighbor for free.

Other donations needed by Victor Hiking Trails

Services:

• a storage facility to store donated tools and supplies
  
• expertise in small engine maintenance
  
• map production and copying
  
• ability to build trail-head map housings

  Tools:
  

• post hole digger
  
• sledge hammer
  
• maul
  
• clippers
  
• loppers
  
• pruning shears
  
• shovels
  
• hatchets
  
• hammers
  
• hand saws

  Equipment:
  

• bush hog
  
• chain saws
  
• mowers
  
• weed whackers

  Misc.:
  

• gas cans (2.5 gallon only)
  
• funnels
  
• safety goggles
  
• plastic garbage bags (for collecting trash and litter)
  
• water proofing such as Cuprinol
  
• money (always handy)
  
• pressure treated planks (to build bridges)
  
• pressure treated wood (to build map housings)
  
• nuts & bolts
  
• Plexiglas (to cover signs)
  
• exterior grade plywood
  
• first-aid kit