Write-up: Dianna Morris
Leader: Dianna Morris
Co-Leader: Tom Smith

A large group of us met up at Gems Along the Mohawk – which, on that day, was not a great place to meet up as there was limited parking due to a bus trip that took off before we got there. I gave everyone verbal instructions of where we were headed and took off – and waited each time after 3 traffic lights on Main St in Mohawk – and still managed to almost lose a few people who had a hard time exiting Gems Along the Mohawk.

Eventually we all ended up at the Mohawk end of Spinnerville Gulf Rd and began the hike from there. The first half-mile of the hike was downhill along the closed off road (too many wash- outs from the streams on either side of the road caused the state to close the road to traffic many years ago). It was a fantastic autumn day to be outside with temps warm enough for many to be in tee shirts and shorts. Fall asters, jewelweed, Japanese bamboo and other wild flowers lined the roadway.

A half-mile down the road we turned onto the trail that led to the falls. Here the footing became a bit more difficult with lots of small rocks to negotiate as we hiked up a trail that in some seasons also serves as an overflow extension of the creek we hiked along. A final bend in the trail and we all could see the trail and many of us walked along the trail up under the cliffs to get to the base of the falls – it has been very dry so the falls were more like a bridal veil falls than the roaring torrent one may see earlier in the season. I then offered the hikers a choice of crossing the creek and taking the trail on the other side to the top of the falls, OR remaining to rest at the base of the falls until we came back down, OR heading back out to the cars. Most of the Tramps decided to follow me across and up to the top with a few heading back to the cars and a few waiting at the base of the falls..so options are good and prove to accommodate all levels of hikers!

After a steep clamber to the top of the falls we turned and headed back down – choosing to head straight down at one point rather than risking sliding down the initial steep slippery part of the trail so that we wouldn’t end up in the creek – recrossed the creek, gathered up those waiting at the foot of the falls and hiked back out to the old road. Here it was decision time again – cross the road and follow the trail a half-mile up a hill and back, head to the cars or head down the old road to another trail which was very slippery and steep and head back uphill. We opted for the 2nd choice – a smart decision! At one point on the trail we intersected the gasline right-of-way between Mohawk and Ilion – it looked like a very steep ski slope and I think I almost got some crazy Tramps to agree to climb down one side of the right-of-way and back up the other side with me – but we behaved ourselves and headed back out to the old roadway where the official hike ended and most headed back out to the cars.

There were 6 other Tramps looking for more fun so we decided to check out a trail I had not yet explored – which led us up a steep, almost wild trail that ended up along another section of the gas line right-of-way. We decided to head up the right of way to the top of the hill, and, once we got to the top, we were glad we did. The view of the Mohawk Valley from the top was fantastic and included the windmills off in Fairport – so it was worth the scramble up the rocks, wood chips and bushes on the right-of way!

After a brief break to satisfy our hungry stomachs we continued to explore and found a large field up top that someone had mowed a pathway in at some time this summer, so we followed it until it headed to a trail back into the woods – something I’ll have to explore another day. I have a feeling it might end up taking us back to the top of the falls – which would make it a fun future, strenuous loop hike for a future day!