FLT: Shapley Road to Searles Hill Road

 

 

With school year almost over, my solo hike opportunities will soon be on hold for the summer, and I want to be mindful to make the most of my last few chances until September.  I determined that if I was aggressive with pace, I had just two more hikes eastbound on the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) before reaching the village of Bainbridge.  That seemed like a good goal for myself, so today I started off on Shapley Hill Road where I'd turned around on my last hike.  There is a small parking lot and kiosk here associated with Wiley Brook State Forest, which made it very convenient.

 

I headed south climbing up a small hill through a red pine plantation.  It was sunny and warm, despite the early hour, and extremely humid.  It appeared to have rained heavily overnight and every plant was dripping with moisture that never dried throughout the hike, making for a very muggy and sweaty hike. 

pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule)

northern wood sorrel (Oxalis montana)

crossing a tributary of Mud Pond Creek

The trail crosses a tributary of Mud Pond Creek, and follows the larger brook for a short distance.  The stream and deep dark hemlock forest were very charming, but I didn't linger, as in addition to my need to keep a decent pace, there was a lingering and unpleasant odor, the source of which was revealed at another stream ford: a large dead fish, writhing with maggots and buzzing with flies.  I hurried away, fueled by the desire to escape - I did NOT want those same flies landing on me.  Ugh.  I soon popped out onto Cooper Schoolhouse Road, and turned right, following the blazes uphill to the intersection of Town Line Road, which the FLT follows southeast before turning back into the woods.  

looking northeast (back) along Cooper Schoolhouse Road

looking southeast along Town Line Road

The trail emerges again onto Town Line Road (above, looking back west) to cross at a diagonal and enter a yard.  This always gives me pause and I had data here, so checked the FLT online mapping with the aerial base mapping.  Once I confirmed I was in the correct spot and the trail indeed follows the edge of the lawn in front of a private residence, I scooted quickly along to where the trail left the mowed lawn and entered the adjacent hedgerow.  I did not photograph the home out of respect for the privacy of the homeowners gracious enough to allow the trail easement.  Thank you!  The trail crosses an open field, then follows the edge of another before re-entering the forest. 

brief roadwalk on Case Road

The trail descends down to Case Road, which the trail follows south for 500-600 feet before turning back into the woods and continuing southeast toward my planned turnaround at Searles Hill Road.  This section included another charming stream crossing. 

approaching Searles Hill Road

looking west on Searles Hill Road

looking north along Case Road on the return hike

note the double blaze on the mailbox marking the turn into the lawn on Town Line Road

Town Line Road; double blazes mark the turn onto Cooper Schoolhouse Road

approaching my starting point at Shapley Hill Road

MapMyRide tracked this out-and-back hike at 8.7 miles roundtrip with 770 feet elevation gain.  It was an hour and a half drive each way and with the length of the hike, I was definitely a little rushed.  However, I was glad to have made the effort, and had a great time despite the humidity.