Finger Lakes Trail

[stranger]

Heya,

I was hoping someone could answer the following questions about the Finger Lakes Trail:

- What's the overall terrain like, I'm familiar with the Catskills but am curious about the rest of the trail?
- How often can you resupply on average?
- Any public transportation to the western terminus?
- How are the ticks?
- How much road walking is there?
- How much private land is there?
- Can you camp on private land?
- Best thing about the FLT? Worst thing?
- Any other information that might be helpful?

Cheers.

[ki0eh]

The FLT is not flat but west of the Catskills rarely do individual climbs approach 1,000' - 500'-700' is typical.

The FLTC sells at minimum cost an End-to-Ender's guide, frequently updated, with resupply, trail angels, etc. listed. Their office is very quick to respond to inquiries.

I think it's fair to say there is no public transportation to the western terminus access point just over the PA border on the NCT. The trail angels listed in the End-to-Enders guide will be you way of getting there from more known locations such as Buffalo. Unless you want to come down the Conservation Trail then you would be able to get transportation to Niagara Falls.

There are ticks but not to me as bad as the PA A.T. area.

Road walking is variable. Near the east end are several days of road walks past the NY City reservoirs. The central portion, say from Bath to the Cannonsville Reservoir have no continuous roadwalks more than a couple of hours but many periodic walke usually on back roads.

FLT is about 1/2 on private land and 1/2 public.

Some of the lean-tos (shelters) and bivouac areas (campsites) noted on the map are on private land. The maps are printed on demand from the office and contain the latest information as of the day you order. Each 8 1/2 x 11 map is about a day's hike so I think many will maildrop the maps.

Best thing is the variety. It's not the continuous green tunnel as is the A.T. Nearly every day will have woods walking, pastoral views, and especially in the centreal portion frequent waterfalls and streams. The public land is almost always bought-out farms from the Great Depression so you pass many old cemeteries, foundations of houses and farmsteads, old orchards, and a lot of what-the-heck-is-that (enough so that for years a photo guessing contest has appeared in each issue of the FLT News). There are very few rocks but often mud. I suppose the worst thing is that many FLT sections see little use and for each section where the maintainer religiously mows every week, some others have little evident treadway. Usage is increasing and many sections have been relocated onto more sustainable pathways.

As for other things to note, I'd have to say that the name "Finger Lakes Trail" isn't as apt as it could be because at only one location (and that, in a Watkins Glen village park) does the FLT actually traverse the shore of a Finger Lake. Instead, the trail is an extended exploration of the Allegheny Plateau (the Catskills are just the highest portion of the plateau). At one point it was proposed to be the "Alley Cat" trail for connecting the Alleghenies and the Catskills, and although less dignified that name would have been truer.

And I'd have to say again about how responsive the office staff is to hikers and how many FLT volunteers would love to see folks out on their path and be helpful. Hiking the FLT you will likely encounter all the best and most genuine forms of "trail magic." Those with something to prove, tend to stick to other white blazed footpaths. :D

[Toolshed]

I've done the NCT offshoot form Salamanca to the Bruce Trail, the Bristol hills offshoot from Hammondsport to Letchworth and most of the trail between Pa and Watkins Glenn. Though most was in the 90's. Ki0eh's got it right. The Only thing I will add is that there is a lot of clay and glacial till and it can be very slippery. the hills run N/S, so you are continuously walking up one and down another, or worse, side slabbing on many hills. I find it gets tiring on the ankles.

But I will say I grew up nearby and we have land a couple of miles form the trail and it is wonderful country up there. Very friendly folks as well.

[ki0eh]

The worst of the side slabbing sections are disappearing, replaced by properly dug and graded treadway. Many sections show quite a change from when I started hiking the FLT in the 1980's, to now - one example that comes to mind is the 4 miles in Schuyler County east of Sugar Hill towards Watkins Glen SP. Your ankles will tell you when you move from renovated to un-renovated tread. Lynda Rummel, the FLTC's Director of Trail Quality, has an eye for standards that would possibly even satisfy Minnesota Smith.

[stranger]

Thanks for the info...sounda like an interesting trail, I've heard about it for years but never met anyone who's done it, met Ed Sidote at the Gathering way back in 1996 but missed his presentation on it.

I've ordered the end to enders guide, so will look at that when it arrives!

Cheers

[Toolshed]

The worst of the side slabbing sections are disappearing, replaced by properly dug and graded treadway. Many sections show quite a change from when I started hiking the FLT in the 1980's, to now - one example that comes to mind is the 4 miles in Schuyler County east of Sugar Hill towards Watkins Glen SP. Your ankles will tell you when you move from renovated to un-renovated tread. Lynda Rummel, the FLTC's Director of Trail Quality, has an eye for standards that would possibly even satisfy Minnesota Smith.
LOL - that section comes to mind. IIRC, there is a nice fire tower on Sugar Hill not far off the trail and a lot of horsemen get together there with their steeds on weekends to ride along the dirt roads.

[stranger]

It appears quite a few sections are closed in May for hunting...does anyone know if they provide alternative routes in these circumstances?

[ki0eh]

Each of the maps marks hunting season detour routes (another good reason to order masp just before you hike), typically these are not blazed. The dates of closure don't really align either from segment to segment. Another reason to closely read the generally excellent maps, vastly changed from years ago.