Summer hikes: Check out these 5 public trails in the Hornell, Wellsville areas

Looking for a new place to take a hike this summer?

You don't need to take a long road trip to the Adirondacks to experience the great outdoors in New York state. Excellent trails for everyone from beginners to experienced hikers are just a short drive away, offering riverside views, towering forests, and smooth trails maintained by dedicated volunteers.

If the summer heat isn't your thing, don't worry -- these trails are open for a variety of recreational activities year-round. National Take a Hike Day isn't until Nov. 17, after all. Other annual dates to remember are National Walking Day (the first Wednesday in April) and National Trails Day (the first Saturday in June).

Here are five area trails to check out from Hornell west into Allegany County.

Shawmut Trail

The City of Hornell officially opened the Shawmut Trail in July 2017. The flat, well-surfaced hiking and biking trail starts in Michael Fucci Memorial Park at Shawmut, located at the end of Shawmut Park Drive. It runs 1.8 miles from the park to Webbs Crossing, where parking is available.

For a shorter jaunt, Shawmut features a half-mile walking trail around a pond. A sign at the head of the trail details the route, a legacy of a Boy Scout Eagle Project by Ryan Smith. Shawmut Park also features a handicapped accessible fishing pier, pavilions, restrooms, children's play area, horseshoe pits and a skateboard park.

Streetscape upgrades included in Alstom’s expansion project on Shawmut Park Drive made walking and biking to Shawmut Park easier with dedicated sidewalks and lighting.

Longterm, the City of Hornell is hoping to secure grant funding that would extend the Shawmut Trail and connect it to the Finger Lakes Trail. The proposal would include a pedestrian bridge over the Canisteo River to continue extending the trail north.

Finger Lakes Trail

The main Finger Lakes Trail starts at the Pennsylvania-New York border in Allegany State Park and runs some 580 miles to the summit of Slide Mountain in the Catskill Forest Preserve. Various branch, loop and spur trails add over 400 additional miles.

Locally, the Finger Lakes Trail travels east through the Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area and several state forests on its way to Kanakadea Park between Almond and Hornell. The trail then skirts just north of Hornell before cutting across Steuben County on its journey through the Finger Lakes and beyond, eventually connecting to the North Country Trail.

The Finger Lakes Trail is a footpath.

“Motorized vehicles, mountain bikes, horses, and snowmobiles are not permitted unless specifically approved by the landowner or public authority having jurisdiction,” according to the FLT website.

WAG Trail

The WAG Trail runs along the Genesee River following the route of the former Wellsville, Addison and Galeton (WAG) Railroad. It stretches nine miles from Wellsville south to the Pennsylvania border. The WAG is open for all non-motorized uses, as well as snowmobiling in season. The trail also provides anglers with easy access to the Genesee River.

Several bridges along the trail, including one over the Genesee River, were repaired in recent years with support from Jones Memorial Hospital’s Wellness Fund. Volunteers help the DEC maintain the trail, which is mostly flat and good for beginners.

The trail’s northernmost extension, known as the Upper Genesee Trail, was created after environmental cleanup of the river in Wellsville. It links up with the WAG at Weidrick Road and connects it with Island Park and its amenities. The trail provides the backdrop for community events like the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally, the Trout Derby and various 5Ks.

West Almond Trail

The West Almond Trail System has nearly 30 miles of loops and spurs for horseback riding on state forestland. Trails are also marked for hiking and other activities. West Almond features more rugged terrain than many trails in the area. Unlike other trail systems, though, West Almond offers primitive camping amenities at the Stewart Forest Road and State Route 244 trailheads.

Other activities include Scout orienteering, snow shoeing and cross country skiing in the winter.

IMPACT , a volunteer group, has spurred improvements to the trail system and organizes events with college students from Alfred twice a year to prepare the trails for summer and winter use. IMPACT also grooms about 10 miles of trails for cross country skiing in the winter.

The West Almond trail system is more remote than many others on this list, and hikers should take necessary safety precautions.

Genesee Valley Greenway

The Genesee Valley Greenway State Park is the only state park in Allegany County. The Greenway is a multi-use trail that stretches 90 miles from Rochester to the Village of Cuba in Allegany County. It follows the path of the Genesee Valley Canal and a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Like the WAG, most of the trail is a straight, level surface that makes for easy hiking and biking. It passes through a variety of landscapes including woodlands, valleys, rolling farmlands and villages. A non-profit, Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway , organizes events and supports improvements to the trail.

Grant funding was awarded to build four pedestrian bridges on the Greenway in Allegany County, enhancing its connectivity, and several communities — Cuba, Caneadea and Hume — received Genesee Valley Trail Town grants for projects like new pavilions, picnic tables, benches and bike racks to enhance the Greenway.

This story includes reporting previously published by the USA TODAY Network New York.

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Summer hikes: Check out these 5 public trails in the Hornell, Wellsville areas