Three Trailways, Single Long Run

Wild turkey beside the Highland Crossing Trail between Elmwood Avenue and
Westfall Road. (4/26/20)

Weather: Cloudy w/light rain; 43°F (Real Feel 36°F), Wind E @ 7 mph at 6:45 a.m.
Route: At the end of this morning's 10.7 mile run, I managed to step foot over three different trails south of the 490 Expressway and running through Rochester and, primarily, Brighton: The Highland Crossing Trail, The Erie Canalway Trail and the Brickyard Trail.

Pre-Run Ruminations: While running some familiar roads on the south side of of the city yesterday morning, I came across a trail marker I had somehow missed in the past. After passing by Highland Park and, later. making my way down Westfall Road in the nearby town of Brighton I saw a colorful sign announcing the Highland Crossing Trail. Our community has a number of beautiful short trails connecting larger streets, for example the Brickyard Trail connecting Elmwood Avenue with Westfall Road, which offer a nice change of surface during long runs. Once I made it home, I decided to follow up Saturday's 10  miler with a course that would take me down the part of this previously unknown trail that I had not passed over before.

The Town of Brighton website  describes the Highland Crossing Trail as the result of a "collaborative project that created a multi-use neighborhood connector trail traveling through the Town of Brighton and the City of Rochester... connect[ing] with two regional trail systems, the Erie (Heritage) Canalway Trail in the south and the Genesee Riverway Trail in the northwest..."

Post-Run Reflections: The light rain and cooli-ish temperatures made it a perfect Sunday morning for an easy long run. Despite more cars of the road than in past weekends, the quarantine continues to make road running a safe activity. Though some town and city streets clearly had more traffic, the six lane "highway" at South Winton was completely absent any motor vehicles. Looking back through the pictures that follow, it continues to be disconcerting how empty trails and roads that previously, even at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, would have travelers on them...

The Highland Crossing Trail from entrance on South Avenue to Erie Canalway Trail to Elmwood Avenue:

The Highland Crossing Trail joins South Avenue and Robinson Drive in
Highland Park.(4/26/20)

The final left before the Al Sigl Center sets you on paved trail. (4/26/20)

The notable "scenery' on the part of The Highland Crossing Trail lies primarily in
the monuments off the path to the left including the Vietnam Veteran's and
Victims' Rights Memorials. (4/26/20)

After a quick pass behind Al Sigl Center, the trail crosses Elwood and continues
east down the avenue. (4/26/20)

The Highland Crossing Trail from entrance on Elmwood Avenue to Westfall Road:

Highland Crossing Trail picks up at first right off sidewalk past the closed
Rochester Psychiatric Center high-rise. (4/26/20)

Pleased to find that this section of the Highland Crossing is comprised of crushed stone
rather than  paved blacktop; while I understand having paved blacktop for trail in
Highland Park, I really enjoy running on the small stone. Also note that one of the residents
of the senior living apartments to the left has placed a feeder on the trail
that attracted a wild turkey! (4/26/19)

Wooden bridge over marshy area. Noticed numerous blue jays and finches
in this section of trail. (4/26/20)

Well maintained trails and brush. (4/26/20)

Highland Crossing Trail entrance at Westfall Road. Cross the street and continue
south down Sawgrass Drive to enter Brighton Town Park. (4/26/20)

Into Brighton Town Park and onto Erie Canalway Trail:

Off Sawgrass Drive is trailhead into Brighton Town Park. (4/26/20)

Around the pond to the right... (4/26/20)

... takes you down more crushed-stone, past a few offcie buildings and ultimately to
the Erie Canalway Trail. (4/26/20)

The Erie Canalway Trail from western-most section of Brighton Town Park to exit at South Winton Road:

A very popular walking/cycling/running path with lots of mileage if one
is willing. (4/26/20)

Hawk on light-post along trail. This part of the trail has had the wooded
areas clear-cut to make way for expensive canal-side housing. (4/26/20)

One of the many possible trails off the longer Erie Canalway Trail, this one
leading into Meridian Centre Park. (4/26/20)

I exited here and continued north on South Winton Road before meeting up
(again) with Westfall Road. (4/26/20)

The Brickyard Trail at the Sandra Frankel Nature Park between Westfall Road and Elmwood Avenue:

Find myself using this trail backward and forwards quite frequently. Offers a
scenic respite from paved roads and is always chock full of birds (and, more often
then not, walkers and dogs). (4/26/20)

Crushed stone, wide open space and bird chatter: what more could one
ask for? (4/26/20)

At little less than a mile, Brickyard Trail is short walk with quite a bit to see.
Very well maintained, too! (4/26/20)

Despite the gloomy "April showers" weather, a very nice morning for a quiet run along numerable small connecting trails. We are incredibly fortunate in the Rochester-area to have so many options or trail walking/running/bicycling with many degrees of "difficult". Over the course of this entire 10 mile run the only inclines to run up were outside the trail system. I appreciate this fact as it allows more community members to feel comfortable getting out on them. We have many hilly parks here for those willing to brave them, it's nice to have reasonable trails for children, seniors, and those (like me) just looking for a little break from roads. Even if it does feel sometimes, during the COVID-19 pandemic, like I am the last man on earth...