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Willseyville Swamp Private Area
Town of Caroline
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The Ridgeway Trail is on the old railway bed of the Delaware
and Lackawanna Railroad. This railway was Ithaca earliest
(1837) and once featured an inclined rail lift up South Hill. With
the demise of the rail industry this line was eventually closed, and
has not seen trains since 1956. The trails crosses two
swampy areas formed by railbed: the swamp between Ridgeway Road and
White Church Road, has been informal dubbed Ridgeway Swamp.
The slightly smaller swamp south of the White Church Road is called
Willseyville Swamp
by the locals, because it not very far from the back-side of
Willseyville.
The trail is well maintained, level and easily accessible. The old coal cinders provide an excellant running surface. This combined with it relatively long length (approximately 5Km) makes it a favorite jogging trail. Here's some way points... Waypoint Map.
The raised railbed cuts a straight path through some of the good
swampland. Songbird, waterfowl, hawks and owls abound in field,
swamp, forest-edge and forest environments. There are several beaver
structures dotted throughout the swamps. The Snapping Turtles
egg-laying on full-moon June nights is worth noting. The steep,
forested, hillsides of the glacial valley create many natural views.
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The trail in this section is well maintained by all groups of users, from CTC to ATV riders. Without their continued use and maintenance the trail would have become overgrown and inaccessible decades ago, as evidenced by the rail bed segments that have not seen similar use (mostly because critical bridges are out).
The railbed is privately owned by NYSEG. Trail users should excerise
due respect for surrounding property owners rights.
After crossing the bridge on railroad bed, the trail cuts eastly
from the railroad and crosses White Church Road to reach
Shindagin State Forest
at the top of the hill/valley. The trail was re-routed in 1998 to
follow up the creek valley to the connecting logging road - rather
than around some newly built houses. This improves the trail, cutting
across a wonderful glacial-till field and along the creek east of
White Church Road. The old logging road to the hilltop is one of the
steepest sections of FLT in the county.
Making loops from the Ridgeway Trail to the top of Eastman Hill and
back is one of my favorite looped hikes. Great views, good plants and
birding, and a fair bit of altitude for exercise. The adbandoned end
of Eastman Hill Road can be used make a loop out of FLT on top of
Eastman Hill.
Finger Lakes Trail
The Finger Lakes Trail uses a portion (~1 Km) of the ridgeway
rail-trail to cross the swamp. To the west, the trail leads up to
Eastman Hill where a great view of the Coddington Valley can
be seen from the FLT from near the top of Eastman Hill. The FLT comes
down Eastman Hill to Coddington Road and turns on to Ridgeway Road.
At the power lines, it cut into well-maintained woodlot. Many
woodland/wood-edge song birds in this forest. A recently updated
catwalk cuts over to the rail-trail (water backed up from beaver
activity).
Wildilfe
Wildflowers
Birds
Mammals
Catbird
Canadian Geese
Chickadee
Grouse
Junco
Ovenbird
Redstart
Robin
Scarlet Tanger
Turkey
Wood Thrush
Yellow Warbler
Yellowthroat
Blue Bird
Cedar Waxwing
Beaver
Deer
Muskrat
Old Structures, Cementaries, and the like
1916 era concrete bridge near Ridgeway Rd.
