Trail Stewards Needed - Southern Tier Area (contact us for more info)
HIKE RATING GUIDE
Pets are not allowed on hikes
1 - Leisurely pace or nature walk
2 - Moderate pace
3 - Brisk, steady pace
4 - Fast pace
A - Flat or gently rolling terrain
B – Steps/stairs, moderate hills
C – Fairly steep steps/stairs, hills or ravines
D – Steep hills, scrambles possible
See the bottom of this page for additional important Hiker information
Bring lunch on all day hikes
The weather may force cancellations or changes to an outing.
If in doubt, please check the calendar on this page before you leave.
Members will receive a Google email with the latest updates.
Always check trail conditions before you hike at:
Members: Refer to your Tales newsletter or the Google group email for hiking leader and contact information
8/19/2025 10:00 AM 4 Miles 1B
Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area Saunter
MEET: in parking area on Shisler Road near Wehrle Road in Clarence.
8/23/2025 10:00AM 5 Miles 2B
Franklin Gulf County Park
MEET: in Larkin Road parking lot. We’ll hike the orange trail loop, then continue onto a
combination of gray/green/red/blue trails.
8/26/2025 10:00 AM 3-4 Miles 1A
Akron Bike Path Saunter
MEET: in Buell Street parking lot north of Skyline Drive.
8/30/2025 10:00AM 3 Miles 1A
Lehigh Memory Trail and Farmers Market in Williamsville
MEET: in parking lot behind Walgreens & Panera on Main Street and Union Road.
9/2/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 1A
Riverwalk - Niawanda Park Saunter
MEET: near trail across from Mississippi Mudds on River Road, Tonawanda. Optional: lunch after hike at Mississippi Mudds.
9/6/2025 10:00AM 4 Miles 1A
Audobon Nature Center
MEET: at the center, 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, NY. The nature center has about 6
miles of trail along ponds and through trails. We will do a four mile, flat trail hike. There is an
optional wooded loop about 1.5 miles. Bring lunch and water. Indoor bathrooms and gift shop.
Museum admission is a small fee. Take Route 62 along the Amish Trail for Saturday shopping
for baked goods, cheese, quilts and more.
9/7/2025 9:00 AM 4 Miles 2B
Erie County Forest
MEET: in parking lot on Genesee Road (42°33'03.1"N 78°34'14.2"W). We’ll hike from Genesee Road to Allen Road and back.
9/9/2025 10:00AM 4 Miles 1B
Stiglmeier Park Saunter
MEET: in last parking area on the right from main entrance off of Losson Road. Rain will cancel hike!
9/13/2025 10:00 AM 4 Miles 2B
Chestnut Ridge Park
MEET: in casino parking lot. We will walk to the other side of the park across the bridge to pick up the road that loops through the park. We will return to the casino retracing our steps. We won’t be walking big mother.
9/14/2025 9:30AM 6.4 Miles 2B
Conservation Trail – Bear Road to Centerline Road (CT7)
MEET: in the Hunters Creek Park parking lot at 11650 Centerline Road, Wales. We will carpool to Bear Road (Access 5) and hike back to Centerline Road (Access 2).
9/15/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 2B
Erie County Forest
MEET: in parking lot on Genesee Road. Bring lunch for picnic under shelter after hike.
9/16/2025 10:00AM 3 Miles 1B
Creation Walk Nature Trail Saunter
MEET: in parking lot on Two Rod Road 2/10th of a mile north of traffic signal on Bullis Road and Two Rod Road, Marilla.
9/20/2025 9:30 AM 4-5 Miles 2A
Conservation Trail (CT7&8)
MEET: on Getman Road, west of Burrough Road. Easy terrain. Hike over new puncheons built by the Foothills Trail Club.
9/21/2025 9:30AM 6 Miles 2B+
Golden Hill State Forest, Great Valley
MEET: in small parking lot on the corner of Golden Hill Road and Fire Lane Road (42°14'42.1"N 78°32'08.7"W). Carpooling encouraged. A couple of good hills.
9/27/2025 9:30 AM 6 Miles 2B
Franklin Gulf County Park
MEET: in School Street parking lot in North Collins.
9/28/2025 10:00AM 5-6 Miles 2B
Little Rock City via Rim Trail
MEET: at intersection of Route 242 and Whig Road in Ellicottville. We’ll “wagon train” to start of loop hike. We will hike on Rim Trail, Bent Rim Trail, portion of FLT, through Little Rock City and return to start. Bring a lunch.
9/29/2025 10:00 AM 4 Miles 1B
Chestnut Ridge Park Orienteering Trail
MEET: in small parking lot next to beginning of orienteering trail (6121 Chestnut Ridge Road, Orchard Park). Bring lunch for socialization afterwards in casino.
9/30/2025 10:00AM 4 Miles 1B
Williamsville Escarpment to Glen Park Saunter
MEET: in front of bottle return area at Wegmans, Sheridan Drive and Essjay Road.
10/4/2025 9:00 AM 9 Miles 2C
Conservation Trail Fuller Road to Middle Road (CT5&6)
MEET: at Middle Road trail crossing (42.5293,-78.5822). Carpool to hike start.
10/7/2025 10:00AM 4 Miles 1B
Akron Falls County Park Saunter
MEET: in Cummings Lodge parking area on Skyline Drive. Rain will cancel hike.
10/11/2025 10:00 AM 5 Miles 2B
Beaver Meadow Audubon Center – Second Annual Memorial Hike for Gus Phillips
MEET: in the parking lot at the road at 1610 Welch Road, North Java. Rain will cancel hike.
10/12/2025 1:00 PM 3-4 Miles 2A
Village of Hamburg
MEET: on Pine Street beside ZJ’s Family Restaurant (140 Pine Street, Hamburg 14075). The walk will wind throughout the various neighborhoods in the village. Bring water.
10/13/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 1A
Anna Mae Bacon Bird Conservatory and Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery Saunter
MEET: in Hamburg public parking lot across from the Hamburg theater. Socialization afterwards at Spot Coffee.
10/14/2025 10:00 AM 4 Miles 1A
Clarence Hollow Scarecrow Saunter
MEET: at Clarence Town Park on Main Street (Route 5) near the white clubhouse building in the park.
10/18/2025 9:00 AM 6 Miles 2B+
Letchworth State Park – Trail 7
MEET: in lower falls parking lot. From Castile entrance turn right, the first left down to “y”. Stay left, park in big lot.
10/20/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 2A
Niagara Falls Goat Island Loop
MEET: in Fisherman’s Lot (43.1250N, 79.0751W), first parking lot off Niagara Scenic Parkway Route (Robert Moses Parkway), second exit on circle. An email with a visual map will be sent out to all members the week before the hike. Bring lunch and folding chair for socialization afterwards adjacent to our parked cars (weather permitting).
10/21/2025 10:00 AM 1.5-2 Miles 1B
Urban Saunter – Seneca Bluffs to Higgins Park
MEET: in parking lot at Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park at 1670 Seneca Street, Buffalo. (Google will tell you to turn down Jordan Place. It is just a paper street. The parking lot is across the street from Community Tire.) We will walk around Seneca Bluffs, go past Southside Elementary School, through Mungovan Park to Thomas F. Higgins Natural Habitat Park.
10/25/2025 9:30 AM 4-5 Miles 2B
Conservation Trail (CT8)
MEET: in Darien Lake State Park parking lot on Broadway (Route 20). We will hike to Sumner Road and back. Easy terrain, mud possible (rainy season?). Suggest wear orange if you have it.
10/26/2025 10:00 AM 5 Miles 1A
Village of Hamburg and 18 Mile Creek Loop
MEET: in the Union Pleasant School parking lot 150 Pleasant Ave, Hamburg, NY in the village opposite blue Unitarian Church. We shall do a sidewalk and road route along 18 Mile Creek and back. We shall pass by two new bakeries on the route: 18 Mile Bakery and Ladybird. Both are open Sunday’s until 3pm, but checking websites for fall hours is recommended.
10/27/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 2B
Franklin Gulf County Park
MEET: in Larkin Road parking lot (988 Larkin Road, Eden 14057). We will hike the orange loop and to bridge and out. Bring chair and lunch to “tailgate socialize” in parking lot afterward, weather permitting. There are several creek crossings and some elevation.
10/28/2025 10:00 AM 3 Miles 1A
SGT Billy Wilson Park Saunter
MEET: in Dash’s parking lot in Williamsville (Hopkins Road side near bicycle shop). Snow/rain cancels hike.
Important Hiker's Information
INSURANCE NOTE: Attention members: Foothills Trail Club carries liability insurance to financially protect all of us in case a participant in a Foothills activity is injured. As a condition of our insurance coverage, no pets of any kind are allowed and every participant in an activity needs to sign the liability waiver before the activity begins. So please make sure you sign the form!
Hike Leaders and Hikers: Before you commit to lead a club hike or plan a personal hike, check the trail conditions to ensure that the trail is open. This information can be found on the FLT website: www.fingerlakestrail.org. Click on “TRAIL CONDITIONS” and select the map # for your intended hike. Map numbers that appear in ORANGE have trail closures for hunting. Trail conditions are outlined for all the other maps #’s.
HIKER RESPONSIBILITY: We remind you that you, and only you, are responsible for your own actions. Come to our events prepared. Do not participate if the event may present a hazard for which you or your party members are not prepared. If weather is questionable or if you have questions, please call the named hike coordinator; the hike may be canceled. When participating, please respect the coordinator and do not break away from the group without telling them. We suggest you always keep your eye on someone in front of you, and behind you if you are in the lead. Please remember that hike leaders are not guides; they are volunteers, willing to share their knowledge and experience with you. Please give them your cooperation and respect. The leader has the right to refuse anyone who is not prepared for the outing. In addition, if the hike leader does arrange carpooling, passengers are expected to contribute toward the cost of transportation. Finally, since there are RISKS INVOLVED in hiking everyone participating does so at his or her own risk.
REMEMBER TO RESPECT LANDOWNER RIGHTS: Stay on the trail, don’t take shortcuts, don’t walk on crops, don’t build fires or camp on private land and NEVER, EVER enter landowner buildings.
BE SURE TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO LEAD THESE ACTIVITIES.
HIKE COORDINATORS: IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL YOUR HIKE OR SEND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HIKE TO FOOTHILLS MEMBERS VIA THE CLUB’S GOOGLE GROUP.
Please refer to your Tales newsletter or the Google group email for hiking leader and contact information