It's official, as a family of 5 we went on our first hike. This was Adrian and mine second time at the park. It's located just outside of the town of Jamesville, which for is is only 15 minutes away. The parking lot is spacious to accommodate a large group of people. Being that it was a sunny warm Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was about half full.
This was also Ariana's, my youngest daughter's first hike. We tried her carrier for a short walk in the neighborhood a few days ago, made some modifications to the straps and the anterior pads to make it as comfortable as possible for a nine-month-old.
My first impression of this place could be described in 3 words, "like the Adirondacks." So it's like having a piece of the northern treasure within a short distance of our house. We chose the Cliff Trail because it provides the best views of the lake and the surrounding hills. A few hundred feet into the hike the elevation changes with large rock boulders as stairs making way to the highest point in the park.
There are plenty of wooden signs that give direction to the trails in the area. While on the Cliff trail we noticed a couple different trails that branched off to the left.
Last time I was there, it was early spring and the lake below was a bit more visible. From this point we walked on a trial that ran along a cliff and a very steep drop off if. Parallel to this trail, but a few more feet away from the edge rain was a less rockier and safer trail.
At the conclusion of the Cliff Trail there was a sign indicating that beyond this point it's no longer Clark Reservation. With a few stops a long the way due to a couple falls and more photo moments, it took us 30 minutes. Beyond that point was a high voltage powerline area that provided great views. It was also a great spot for photos.
On the way back it didn't take very long for the youngest hiker to be sound asleep. She took a good nap for the entire time back.
The kids took turns leading on the way back and we had a great opportunity as parents to speak to them about great qualities of leaders.
Overall it was a great little trip for a couple hours. At the trailhead there is a small play area with a play set, a couple slides and a few stations that describe the animals, insects, and vegetation seen on the trail. The kids enjoyed some playtime at the end of the hike.
The entire Cliff Trail, round trip is 1.4 miles and it took us 41 minutes with minimal stops on the way back.
Last year, Adrian and I walked along the trail near the lake, at the bottom of the cliff. It has a couple challenging spots because of wet areas and in order to get around them there was some off-the-trail climbing. Also at the end there is a very steep set of stairs at least a hundred steps up int order to reach the parking area.
It definitely is a nice place to go back to and explore a little more. To explore more it requires some extra time so plan accordingly.
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