LEHIGH VALLEY TRAIL; NORTH BRANCH:
MENDON-ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: August 5, 2015
Length: Lehigh Valley Trail: North Branch; 12.9 miles
Lehigh Valley Trail; South Branch; 0.9 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat stone-dust rail trail.
Directions:
To Start from Rochester Junction in Honeoye Falls [Southern End]; From I-390 take exit 11 to Route 251 east 3.8 miles. Turn right on Plains Rd. The parking lot will be on your left.
To Start from the E Henrietta Road parking lot in Henrietta [Central Section]; From I-390 take exit 11 to Route 251 east. Turn left on E Henrietta Rd (Route 15A) and travel north 2.2 miles to the parking lot on your left.
To start from Genesee Valley Park; Northeast parking area in Rochester [Northern End]; From I-390 take exit 17 to Route 383. Head left (north) to Genesee St. Continue straight on Elmwood Ave and cross over the Genesee River. Take an immediate right on Moore Rd into the park. Parking lot will be on your right.
The Lehigh Valley Trail; North Branch follows the old rail bed of the former North Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR. It connects to the Erie Canalway Trail; Syracuse-Rochester and Erie Canalway Trail; Rochester-Buffalo at its northern terminus in Rochester and the Lehigh Valley Trail at its southern terminus in Rochester Junction. There is also a short trail section that follows the Lehigh Valley Trail; South Branch from Rochester Junction to Clover St. For more information visit; LEHIGH VALLEY TRAIL; NORTH BRANCH .
Starting from Rochester Junction in Honeoye Falls [Southern End]; A replica Train Station is located here (restrooms and water fountain) next to where the original Rochester Junction Station once stood. There is also an old red rail car.
Note; The Lehigh Valley Trail passes through Rochester Junction, as well as, a short section of trail along the Lehigh Valley Trail; South Branch. Head past the replica Train Station and site of the old Rochester Junction Station to the junction of the Lehigh Valley Trail . An informational board is located here. Heading right the Lehigh Valley Trail travels west where it connects to the Genesee Valley Greenway . Heading left the Lehigh Valley Trail travels east where it connects to the Auburn Trail . Head left, passing by the site of the old RR Interlocking Tower and Pump House and you'll come to the Lehigh Valley Trail; South Branch on your right. Follow the stone-dust trail into the woods and across a wooden bridge before you come to an intersection. Continue straight. Note; Left takes you across two wooden bridges and back out to the Lehigh Valley Trail. The trail turns left off the old rail bed through the Great Bend Nature Park before bringing you to the gravel Clover Street parking area after 0.9 miles.
The Lehigh Valley Trail; North Branch begins from the junction with the Lehigh Valley Trail (0 Mile Marker), travels past the Train Station and across Plains Rd where it heads north. You pass by the old RR Speeder Shed followed by the 0.5 Mile Marker (Mile Markers located every 0.5 miles). Partially open wooded corridor. I haven't checked out this next section. Cross Route 251 followed by Route 92 at 2 miles. Cross Jeffords Rd followed by E Henrietta Rd (Caution; crosswalk, but high speed traffic) at 3.6 miles where you'll find the E Henrietta Road parking lot in Henrietta. I have checked out this section. Map Board located here. Travel through a tunnel underneath Route 71 and another tunnel underneath I-90 where the trail veers right off the rail bed taking you past open fields to Nevins Rd at 5.5miles. You must continue on-road north along Nevins Rd (residential) out to Lehigh Station Rd where a crosswalk takes you over to Florendin Drive. Continue north along Florendin Drive (residential) and you'll pick up the stone-dust trail on your left at 6.2 miles. Come to some ball fields at Veterans Memorial Park and head left around the fields, over a bridge and past the Town offices to Calkins Rd at 6.9 miles. Head left following a wide sidewalk. Cross some RR tracks, travel underneath I-390 and come to W Henrietta Rd where you turn right. Narrow sidewalk or shoulder available. Turn left on Bailey (sidewalk or wide shoulder), cross some more RR tracks and come to John St at 9.3 miles. Here you cross over to a paved trail and travel right alongside John St. Cross Jefferson Rd to a sidewalk which you follow briefly along Brighton-Henrietta Townline Rd over more RR tracks and across Red Creek before rejoining the stone-dust trail on your left at 11.1 miles. Continue north along a power line corridor, crossing a sub-station access road, followed by Crittenden Rd and E River Rd at 12.6 miles.
Note; Left along E River Rd brings you to the entrance of Genesee Valley Park.
Continue north along a crushed gravel road passing by a power sub-station and you'll come to two sets of old RR bridges, side by side, that cross over I-390 and the Erie Canal bringing you to the paved Erie Canalway Trail; Syracuse-Rochester after 12.9 miles and the end of the trail.
Note; To reach the Genesee Valley Park; Northeast parking area in Rochester head left along the paved Erie Canalway Trail; Syracuse-Rochester traveling underneath Moore Rd through Genesee Valley Park; Northeast (North of I-390 & Erie Canal & East side of Genesee River). On your right is the Genesee Valley Park; Northeast parking area. See; Erie Canalway Trail; Syracuse-Rochester for more trails.
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CLICK HERE FOR NORTHERN SECTION MAP
CLICK HERE FOR SOUTHERN SECTION MAP
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