Detailed Map

Photo Album Seneca

Updated June 20, 20 JH

The Seneca Trail is our longest and most varied trail. It spans the Town from north (connecting with the Perinton Crescent Trail System) to and through Boughton Park in Bloomfield in the south. A footpath for most of its length, it has hills to climb with long vistas, low-land boardwalks, bridges, and fords. (And, in wet conditions, some muddy spots!) It is named for the Seneca Indians who had a main trail from Bare Hill by Canandaigua Lake through Ganondagan to Irondequoit Bay at least paralleling our trail.

From North to South

LaSalle Parkway to High Point

At the end of LaSalle Parkway is the connection between our Seneca Trail and Perinton's Crescent Trail System. NOTE: There is no parking space on LaSalle Parkway; use the Eastgate Square Mall parking. This section and connection was opened in the Spring of '14.

The trail goes through woods, by a small stream behind the mall. There is a spur up to the mall parking lot. Then across lawn to the traffic light for crossing Turk Hill Road. Again on lawn to where it starts up the hill under the power lines in meadow. It then climbs the hill in woods. There is a spur up to the High Point parking lot.

High Point to High St. Valentown

This section was opened Sept. '12. From the spur to the High Point parking lot, it goes through the woods along the west and then south edge of the lawn. It then turns down the hill to High Point Drive. After a short distance up hill along the Drive, it again goes down hill to Valentown Museum. The trail passes right in front of the hall. Then to the Valentown Road and High Street intersection.

High St. Valentown to Willowbrook Rd.

The trail continues at the traffic signal light on High St. by Valentown. It continues down the driveway to the pump station and goes through the woods and along the small stream toward NY 96. It then crosses the stream and up the hillside. For a short way it parallels NY 96 on the wide grass shoulder, then turns into the woods as it passes behind the small strip mall. At the south end of this mall there are spurs to the parking lot and to the signal light on NY96 to the restaurants and motel. The main trail turns to the east and follows the back of the large mall. The trail then continues south with some up and down. It is grass surface and mostly 4-foot wide. After a long climb it opens into meadow with views of the Irondequoit Valley and on to the city of Rochester skyline in the north and rolling hills to the south. After entering a wood and topping the hill, the trail winds down to Willowbrook Rd.

Willowbrook Rd. and the NYS Thruway

The trail passes under the Thruway with the single lane Willowbrook Rd. Walk to the left, facing traffic.

Willowbrook Rd. to Victor Pittsford Rd (NY 96)

The trail is mostly grass surface and 2- to 6-feet wide. There is a step-over ford in this section. The trail parallels the Thruway and climbs to another open meadow. Again there are some long vistas. Then in a wooded section, it passes through a valley believed to have been the site where Senecas ambushed the invading French Army under the Marquis de Denonville in July 1687.

Victor Pittsford Rd (NY 96) to Trolley Trail

This is the roadside of the Victor Mendon Rd (NY 251).

The Lehigh Trail goes west into Lehigh Crossing Park, just across NY 251.

The trail used to go into the Auburn Creek Apartments area. But beaver activity has flooded it out. Maybe sometime in the future we will reroute back this way. For now, the Seneca continues along NY 251 to Trolley Trail, which crosses just before the bigger Auburn Trail.

The Seneca Trail here turns to the east and cojoins the Trolley Trail for a ways. This is a generally 3-foot wide path through the woods. The trolley namesake was an electrified interurban railroad between Rochester and Geneva, and it is on that railbed the trail is built on. See the Trolley Trail description for more information.

Trolley Trail description for more information.

This segment paralles the Auburn Trail and there are several connection points.

Off to the north there is a spur trail over a bridge leading to a beaver dam. Before the flooding, this was the main path, and may someday be so again.

Now the Trolley Trail continues straight and the Seneca turns north. There is a wooded section, with some boardwalk, then into a real swamp with boardwalks and a bridge. As it reaches solid ground again, there is an abandoned house. We think it was used by trainmen.

Also in this area, the trail passes through what was in the mid 20th century, the Victor Village dump. Debris may be sighted.

There is a spur to the north to the railroad and a beaver dam.

In May '11 about 500-feet of boardwalk were constructed through the wettest areas in this section by VHT volunteers with help from the Victor High School Track Team. Other boardwalk sections have been constructed as Scout projects and by VHT volunteers. And in the summer of '23, TrailsRoc made a major resurfacing of this boardwalk.

The Trolley Trail ends at the junction as the Seneca continues south, where it joins the Auburn Trail as a fully multi-use trail with a wide stone dust surface headed east.

Along Auburn Trail to School St. and nearly Maple Ave.

Crosses Rawson Rd. and School Street.

Bicycle caution: The next sections are NOT for bikes. There is a stairway. And bikes are not allowed in this part of Ganondagan. There is an on the road bypass for bikes on School St. and Road. Rejoin the Seneca Trail where it crosses School Road.

School St to Dryer Rd

Here the trail continues as part of the Auburn Trail, a portion runs parallel with an active, but lightly used, railroad spur. The Seneca Trail leaves the Auburn Trail and heads south. Here we see something unusual: a stairway! At the bottom is a sharp turn where it crosses Great Brook. The bridge over Great Brook has been known to wash out in spring floods, but has been rebuilt higher. The Seneca Trail passes the RG&E substation and crosses Dryer Rd as it continues east then south.

Dryer Rd to Victor-Bloomfield Rd (NY444) and Ganondagan

This dirt and grass surfaced trail is 2- to 3-feet wide through woods and over hills. It has a short steep section as it crosses a driveway, then turns west into Ganondagan..

Ganondagan State Historical Park to School Road

The trail is on rolling hills in meadow and woods. It has a grass surface with some boardwalk. Due to springs, it can be muddy in places. It is generally 4-foot wide. There are several connections with State Park Trails. One of which is a short spur down to the Brook, where there is a small waterfall. At times there are co-blazes with park trails. The Seneca Trail follows the purple blazed Purple Park trail south through woods along Great Brook. It crosses the Brook on a large park bridge and on out to School Rd.

School Rd to Boughton Hill Rd.

The Seneca Trail crosses School Rd. Here the blue blazed trail to Fort Hill and Dryer Rd. Park goes straight west. The Seneca Trail turns along the roadside of School Rd. and then west on Boughton Hill Rd. to the first driveway to the south.

Boughton Hill Rd. to Bloomfield Rd and Boughton Park

This is the longest section of the Seneca Trail, about 3.8 miles, with no trail head access inbetween.

There is parking off of Boughton Hill Rd. The trail begins along the "farm driveway" and passes the large metal barn. It then enters meadow and woodland. The surface is grass and dirt. This section parallels Great Brook for a way and is one of the prettiest trail sections.

Seneca Trail Bridge at the Apple Farm

The trail crosses Great Brook again. The bridge was constructed in the summer of '07 with lots of help from the Apple Farm. The Seneca Trail makes a sharp right uphill turn to continue along the brook. The blue-blazed alternative trail continues straight off the bridge to rejoin the main red-blazed trail farther south. This alternative is wider and generally easier. It is in meadows mostly.

The Apple Farm to Bloomfield Rd and Boughton Park

• Caution: This section may be shared with equestrians. Horses have the right of way. If you approach from the rear, be sure to make “human” noises soon enough not to scare the horse or rider.
• Caution: This is also private hunting grounds. The trail is CLOSED in the fall and spring hunting seasons for your safety and at the landowner's request. See http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html for current hunting season information.
• Caution: There are also several private trails intersecting. Please stay on the marked Seneca Trail and respect the landowners rights. It is the landowners continuing cooperation that makes it possible to have a publicly accessible trail.

There is no public access to, or parking for, the trail from Cherry St.

The Seneca trail continues through active farms, woods, and meadows.

There is another bridge over the East Branch of Sucker Brook.

The trail next connects with the trail system in Boughton Park. Just into the park, the Seneca Trail turns south at a junction of park trails. The red blazes mark the way. Also at this junction is the blue blazed alternative trail that goes to the Sternie Rd. parking lot on the west side of the park then along the West Pond to the Boughton Road parking lot. The only other place of potential confusion is at the top of the dam where the Seneca Trail makes a U-turn while a park trail continues straight ahead.

The Seneca Trail continues down the east side of East Pond to the Boughton Rd. parking lot.

• Boughton Park parking in both lots is restricted to residents and tax payers of the towns of Victor, East Bloomfield, and West Bloomfield. Parking permits are REQUIRED and available for free at the three town halls. Tickets are issued and/or cars are towed.

Plans

Way out dream: That VHT's Seneca trail be part of a network of trails from Irondequoit Bay all the way to the Finger Lakes Trail system. The FLT currently has a branch that comes up to the Bristol Hills.

Elevations and Distances

Caution: Elevations are from USGS. They are very precise, but not necessarily accurate. They may be from any place up to 100-feet from the trail!