the Way of the Turtle

1.6 Mile Walk on the Auburn Trail
Saturday, December 24, 2011

Ann and I walked the Auburn Trail (an old railbed southeast of Rochester) from Railroad Mills Rd to Fishers Rd back in August, 2010. There had been considerable controversy regarding this section of trail, which the Town of Victor Parks and Recreation Department wanted to resurface much the same as the other sections of the Auburn Trail - a 10 foot wide stone dust path, with two+ foot wide shoulders - and which many local residents and trail users wanted left in a condition much closer to the unfinished state - a realtively narrow path running down the center of the old railroad grade, with as little disturbance as possible to the surrounding environment. Late summer and early fall this year, a collapsed culvert over the Irondequoit Creek had been replaced by a bridge, and the trail had been resurfaced in a compromise plan - about eight feet wide. I was curious to see what the new trail was like, so this morning we headed over to Fishers for a short walk.

This would be a great trail for a short stretch of XC skiing - fairly flat and relatively straight. We saw a few birds, heard a few more, and spotted several hawks as we walked from Railroad Mills Rd to the new bridge and back. I think I like walking this trail more in the summer - then there are flowers, insects, and more birds to see, as well as frogs and turtles in the wetlands alongside the trail. But even in the browns and greys of winter, the trail has its own beauty.

I can't say I'm particularly fond of the trail resurfacing. As with the work done to resurface the other sections of the Auburn Trail and the Lehigh Valley Trail, the new trail is more of a stone dust road than what I think of as a trail, and some of the character of the trail has definitely been lost. I suppose if the new surface makes it easier for more people to use the trail, it is ultimately a good thing... but I still miss the more rough-and-ready trails that I rode my bike and walked on in the past.

JMH