The Road Less Travelled-A Series
Volume 7-Highland Forest- An Onondaga County Park
Welcome back to my series of stories regarding outdoor adventure. The stories to date have involved cross-country skiing as it has been a banner winter for skiing. The conditions have been superb since Christmas.
However, the weather has changed quickly, as this week brought temperatures in the 50s and 60s. The snow is going fast. Skiing may be over for the season here in Central NY State. Or maybe not.
This past Sunday, just a few days ago, when Winter conditions were still pristine, I headed out to explore Highland Forest in Fabius, NY. I have been here before, the last time was two years ago. It was great to return.
Upon arriving at the park, and driving up the main road, the first thing that comes into view is the beautiful Skyline Lodge. Perched atop the hill, it is a huge building that hosts weddings, dinners, and other events. It also has a ski/snowshoe rental shop within, although the rentals are not available this Winter due to Covid-19.
Highland Forest, an Onondaga County Park, boasts more than six square miles of forest terrain to be explored. It has 40 miles of trails for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. A year round destination. But wait, there’s more. There are also cabins available to rent for youth group camping, and picnic areas as well. Even some hunting is allowed.
I have been coming to this wonderful park for many years. My first experience was sometime around 1980 when I went cross-country skiing here. I then returned years later when, as Scoutmaster, I brought my Boy Scout Troop here for cabin camping 3 or 4 times. We chose this destination since it is minutes from Toggenburg Mountain. I brought the troop to learn how to downhill ski/snowboard. At the end of a great day enjoying the slopes, we returned to Highland Forest to prepare a hearty dinner and relax for the night at the cabin. Well, the adults relaxed. The boys, however, still had plenty of energy.
The cabins are wonderful. They are rustic, yet adequately equipped with a woodstove, gas cooking stove, and some even had lights. Now they have converted the heating to propane, probably for safety reasons.
The park has 40 miles of cross-country ski trails, 20 miles of which are groomed and track set. For this visit, I chose one of the track set trails, the West Wind loop. This trail is 4 miles in length, and is rated as intermediate in terms of difficulty.
If you have never skied on a track set trail, I encourage you to give it a try, if there are any such trails in your area. It is wonderful. Skiing heaven. Gliding along in these perfectly groomed tracks provides the greatest possible skiing experience.
This trail has plenty of level and/or gently sloped areas. It also has a few challenging grades, which require the snowplow (down) or herringbone (up) techniques. Or if you haven’t mastered the snowplow maneuver, taking off your skis and walking down the hill works also. I speak from experience.
Another great feature of this trail is that much of it is set up as a one way trail, which is a great advantage, especially on the hills. The trail system in this forest is well designed.
As I was completing the trail and heading back to the parking area, I spotted the horse-drawn sleigh gliding through the forest. This is another activity that can be enjoyed here. 20 minute rides are given on weekends throughout the winter. The horses are stabled on site. A trip back in time.
If you live in the area or will be travelling near Fabius, NY, I highly recommend this park. You won’t be disappointed.
