Hike at Oatka Creek Park, Wheatland - Virginia Bluebells! - Sunday May 11, 2025 @ 2:00 pm EDT (43.0046, -77.7934)

Update after Prehike:

Conditions are good but damp at the Park. Mertensias are in full bloom, as well as lots of May Apple and white violets. Please bring waterproof footwear for a few places where wading through deep mud and puddles is unavoidable.

On Mother’s Day we have often hiked in search of the beautiful Mertensia, a.k.a Virginia Bluebells, a stream-bank perennial which blooms in early to mid-May. This Sunday, May 11, we will visit a truly outstanding Mertensia patch, spread out along a good stretch on both sides of Oatka Creek in Monroe County’s Oatka Creek Park. Oatka Creek Park is on the west side of the Genesee River, about 2 miles southwest of Scottsville and easily accessible from Exit 11 (Rush) on Route 390. We will hike the Mertensia Loop along the creek, followed by a longer hike through woods and grasslands around the perimeter of the park. The social afterwards will be a dish-to-pass at the park.

The 461-acre Oatka Creek Park offers mostly undeveloped woodlands and stream frontage for public recreation including fine fishing opportunities. Highlights include mature woods, isolated meadows, beautiful view of Oatka Creek, and the visible remains of the gypsum mines, which operated in the hamlet of Garbutt until the 1930’s. See https://www.townofwheatland.org/single-post/gypsum-mining-in-garbutt for the history of the park site; we will pass mysterious earthworks generated for the mine operations.

Meet at 1:45 for a 2 PM hiking start at the inner parking area – drive straight ahead past the parking lot on your left as you first enter the park from Union Street. We will all head north to the creek, cross the bridge and hike the Mertensia Loop, with the Naturalists returning as we came for a roughly 2-mile hike. The Climbers will proceed further upstream and make a larger loop around the park perimeter for a total hike of about 4 miles. The trails are well maintained but be prepared for some muddy areas; weatherproof boots and poles are advised, along with tick protection. The Park is fairly level, with some moderate rolling hills along the Climber route.

Social – Bring your favorite goodies to share for our first of the year dish-to-pass social adjacent to the parking area. There are covered picnic tables and a porta-potty, but please bring your own lawn chair in case the lodge is rented. As an option, you may contribute $5 to the social fund in lieu of food, but bring your own beverage.

Directions: From Interstate 390, take Exit 11 (Rush) and go west on Route 251. After crossing the Genesee River, go straight ahead on Quaker Road when Route 251 turns north toward Scottsville. In about 2.25 miles Quaker Road will end in a T at Union Street, with the park entrance straight ahead. Drive through to the inner parking lot.

Alternative from Springwater: Take Route 15 north to Route 251 intersection. Go west, cross river, keep going straight ahead on Quaker Road to park entrance.

Also of Interest

Posted on Apr 14, 14 by Pam

Bears in the Hemlock/Canadice State Forest

I started this article last year about this time and decided it was time to finish it. Although I have never seen a black bear, many of my neighbors have had sightings at their bird feeders, crossing the back roads, swimming across Hemlock Lake, or coming into their yard to eat garbage or compost. My up close and personal experience was hearing a growl, smelling an awful smell in the night air around my house, watching my dog sniff in the air for a few nights and bark to indicate a strange animal was close by. Although I did not see anything, I’ve been told it is a black bear.

Click for an article on one bear in Livingston Co (2008)

Last year I called the DEC to let them know something growled at me and my grandchildren in the Canadice Outlet and followed us home that night. I thought that this animal was injured, or even questioned if it was a cougar, as the smell was very strong like a dead animal and it seemed to be stalking us. My response from an officer was “get used to living with the bears lady, take your bird feeders down and keep your garbage inside! This past fall I was told by some other neighbors that someone had documented 18 bear living in the Canadice Outlet. Although I have trouble believing this, I’ve gone down to the outlet which is behind my house for many years, never thinking there were bears out there. I have to admit I am a little hesitant hiking there alone now.

A week ago neighbors on Canadice Lake Road reported seeing a large black bear walking down the road and another seen on Canadice Hollow Road near the outlet area. The bears are waking up (they do not hibernate, just go into a deep sleep) and are on the move now that the weather has warmed. If anyone has any reports or pictures please comment to this article and we can begin to document stories. Maybe we can learn to live with the bears if we can see their patterns, be aware of their locations, and know how to handle an encounter if we have one.

Eric lillie says:

July 6, 2018 at 12:49 pm

I have experienced the same things in that area and jumped a large bear out of the swamp right there.
There were several large piles of dung which at the time I thought to be horse but after reading know it to be black bears.
Also in the pines close to the road just at the Hallow and Lake Road there were several pieces of white tail up in the crotch of one, which could have only been placed there by a bear.
Up at our cabin on Larance Hill Road there have been several signs and actual sightings of black bears at bird feeders and on the southwest corner on the nature conservatory.
I have smelled the bears and been growled at while out in my yard and hunting the areas.
I also had a bear dig up my pet Labrador we had berried in 2016
It was after the cookies and dog biscuits which were berried in with her.
No other animal could have dug up the area and done so much damage iother than a bear.
It scattered her bones all
Over but did not chew any of them and dug up a 3 foot deep grave to get in to it.
The grave is a total of 4 ft deep so no fox or coon did that .
It tore up her dog bed and a heavy blue tarp like it was paper towels.
What concerns me is that this bear is either old or young and is hanging around the cabins even with several dogs around.
This is a dangerous bear.

From our Archives

Posted on Oct 31, 14 by Pam

Expanding the Northeast Section of the Springwater Trail - Reynolds Gull Area Road Hike - October 26, 2014

It occurred to me this past week that Springwater Trails could expand the development of our original plan for a 32 mile continuous trail around Springwater. While being a trail angel for a long distance hiker named Chosen, I had the opportunity to help navigate her trek through the area of Swain on the Finger Lakes Trail and Franklinville on the North Country Trail. Due to hunting season, obstacles and closures on the trail, I followed her by car around the back roads of Allegany and Cattaraugus County, enabling her to complete a day distance trip of 22 miles on state forest trails and dirt or paved roads without carrying her full backpack. It’s called “slackpacking,” a benefit that hikers have when they have a trail angel to provide support services.

On the local level, this experience with a long distance hiker expanded my hike planning to taking a look at our original plan of a continuous 32 mile trail around Springwater. The idea of the trail around Springwater was developed a few years ago by an original committee called Springwater Parks and Trails. Using this background information, our president Mark designed a large scale map of where the trail could possibly be located. To date we have 4 trail areas in progress, 3 with landowners permission and one on state land.

The proposed “master plan” in the northeast section of Springwater accesses Harriet Hollister State Park to the north in Canadice to the newly acquired state park property on Wetmore Road, following Town Line Road westward near the Nature Conservancy areas to a dirt road called Reynolds Gull Road. The trail would then drop unto Canadice Lake Road, hopefully accessing some private property someday and connect with the DEC Hemlock/Canadice State Forest at Johnson Hill. Once reaching the large parking lot Rt. 15A, hikers could continue hiking the south boat launch trail to Hemlock Lake, or access the Village of Springwater to the south to explore the western part of the town.

13 hikers this past Sunday traveled the proposed route, starting at 2000′ and dropping to 1000′. Two cars transported 10 hikers and two dogs to the top of Reynolds Gull Road while 3 hikers leisurely enjoyed hiking the Johnson Hill Trail, crossing the top of a dry waterfall. Long distance hikers completed 6 miles in 2 hours exactly. They picked up speed as they walked paved and dirt roads, accessing a DEC grassy trail off Johnson Hill Road which provided scenic views of fall trees, Hemlock Lake, steep gullies and waterfalls. Reynolds Gull Road alone is a beautiful road to walk and the waterfall on the Johnson Hill trail is spectacular most of the year, especially in the winter and spring.

After the hike we warmed ourselves by the campfire at Pati and Jim’s, where a delicious roasted ham was prepared by Jim, healthy meals by others, and even 3 desserts! Thanks go to Pati and Jim for hosting our social and to Chosen for her inspiration and education.