Eberhard Preserve starting from White Church Road
Tuesday 05/21/2024 4:00 pm
Hike rating:
Event/Trailhead location:
The Finger Lakes Trail crosses White Church Road at 861 White Church Road, Caroline (click here for map). There is a small parking lot adjacent to the road.
Hike Leader: Gary Mallow
Contact:
Hike leader contact information will be sent in the email acknowledging that you have registered for this hike.
Hike Details:
This is a out-and-back hike of 6 miles rated moderate.
We will hike the Finger Lakes Trail heading west from White Church Road, ending at the pinnacle of Eastman Hill, just north of the Eberhard Preserve.
The hike begins and ends at the FLT parking area 861 White Church Road, Brooktondale.
Dress for the weather, wear sturdy boots, bring water and a snack.
If you will have trouble navigating to the trailhead, email the hike leader.
Check this space the day of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.
Detailed Hike Description
Join Gary Mallow to explore a relatively new section of trail and a new nature preserve along an abandoned rail line right-of-way and the Eberhard Preserve. We start with flat, easy hiking with no turns along the rail line, then it’s a challenging little pitch uphill in the preserve. Just when you think you’ve got the height of land, you turn a corner and there’s more. It’s all good. After hiking up a total of 770 feet of elevation over a mile or so, we reach our destination of Eastman Hill at 1690 feet. At that point we’ll have a break and then it’s back downhill to the cars.
The work of clearing and rerouting trail on and near the preserve was completed in 2022. It took an army of volunteers, the staff and resources of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and an all-day National Trails Day project led by Cayuga Trails Club Trails Chair Daivd Priester, but we got ‘er done.
Now you get to enjoy the result: a beautiful forest of hemlock and oak along the glacially eroded side of the valley that transitions to oak, hickory and hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana – Wikipedia, known as hardhack, ironwood or leverwood) as you gain elevation and reach height of land. It’s preserved indefinitely and open to the public for nature appreciation, birdwatching, or just a light hike with friends. Join us!