Excelsior Glen
Tuesday 05/24/2022 4:00 pm
Hike rating:
Event/Trailhead location:
Shoulder parking on Jolly Rd. 0.4 miles east of Route 79 near the Route 414 intersection in Watkins Glen(click for map).
Hike Leader: Gundy Lee
Contact:
Hike leader contact information will be sent in the email acknowledging that you have registered for this hike.
Hike Details:
Brief Hike Details
This is an out-and-back hike of 3 miles rated strenuous. We will hike the Finger Lakes Trail in Excelsior Glen.
The hike begins at the Jolly Road trailhead for the Finger Lakes Trail in the Town of Burdett, Schuyler County.
There is a difficult creek crossing on this hike with potentially fast moving water and slick rocks. Consider your ability to negotiate this crossing carefully, and bring hiking poles.
Dress in layers appropriate for the weather, wear sturdy boots, and bring water.
If you will have trouble navigating to the start point, email the hike leader at the address above.
Check this space the day of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.
Detailed Hike Description
This week’s short hike takes us to the Finger Lakes Trail as it traverses Excelsior Glen near Watkins Glen. Excelsior is a lovely little natural area which boasts at least three dramatic waterfalls.
Excelsior is privately owned. The Finger Lakes Trail on either side of it is road-walk, so we will confine our hike to just the glen, starting on Jolly Rd., hiking to State Route 79, then retracing our steps and returning to the cars. Coming back up the glen is an adventure in aerobics, with a gain in elevation of about 700 feet, so be prepared to catch your breath. Should be plenty of time to stop to identify wildflowers, such as Indian Pipe, possibly discover some skunk cabbage and marvel at a shale outcropping that we hike underneath. We may see ravens, gulls coming off Seneca Lake, and hawks. If the trees have not leafed out, we’ll get a glimpse of the lake. This shortie will get us in and out of the woods well before sunset.