Trip World News

Tucked into the woods, tranquil Wesley Hill Nature Preserve is marked with a simple wooden sign. Nothing flashy.

Sue Dunn and Keith Saulsbury motored right by for years before they noticed it, wondered what was inside and went exploring.

Since their discovery, the Honeoye couple visits the preserve nearly every day with their dogs, Abby and Jasmine. They have covered every square inch of the place and it never disappoints.

“This place is a gem,” says Keith. “There’s so many beautiful places.”

Deer often patter through the forest, and after a rain shower the couple is often treated to the sight of red newts crawling on the trail. They’ve also seen a bard owl and once, a handful of baby raccoons scampered up a nearby tree in unison.

“Their legs were synchronized,” says Keith, laughing as he re-created their movements before setting out on a hike last Monday.

Best of all, they are usually left alone to enjoy it.

“Even if there are other cars (in the lot), it’s wooded and big enough, you don’t see them usually on the trails,” says Sue. “It’s very quiet.”

Wesley Hill is a getaway for those seeking adventure closer to home and a success story for local lovers of the outdoors who protect wild areas in the region.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust bought it in 1999 and made it into a preserve for Dunn, Saulsbury and anyone who wants to tread the trails generations from now. The 390-acre preserve is among nearly 10,000 acres the nonprofit group has been able to protect in 12 counties.

Wesley Hill is within one of the largest intact forests and is home to Briggs Gully, one of the largest gullies in the Finger Lakes. It is supreme wildlife habitat, says Andy Zepp, Finger Lakes Land Trust’s executive director, and bear habitat.

Visitors can hike five miles of trails that wander through dense forest and open fields. Visitors on the red trail pass Anna’s Pond.

In the clearing, the drone of passing cars is drowned out by the breeze in the trees and the buzz of bees making their rounds on goldenrod. Clouds and sun reflect in the water in late afternoon.

Further down the path, hikers can step inside a small wooden cabin and sign the guest book before walking to an overlook. At the right time of year, the path to the view is dotted with bright white, brown and red sprouting mushrooms.

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Explore Wesley Hill Nature Preserve
The preserve is on Gulick Road in the towns of South Bristol and Richmond, a few miles north of Cumming Nature Center. For directions, an overview of the land and a trail map, visit the Finger Lakes Land Trust Web site at www.fllt.org.