by Orlando C. Fernando
Updated: July 9, 2000
This page gives a description and maps of the frequent areas in Rochester that I have skated over the past 3 1/2 years. I have skated on and off roads alike and consider myself an intermediate/minor-advanced skater. For each site, I've tried to give my best ratings as to the quality of the paths, but of course it's all a matter of opinion. Skate/bike times are based on touring non-sprinting runs. Hope you have the opportunity to explore them and come up with new paths on your own!
DISCLAIMER:Not all sites described on this page are necessarily used by the Rochester In-Line Skate Club. This page is simply meant for benefit and entertainment of all skaters to explore new grounds. This page is for free use and non-profit distribution, provided that the author's credit is preserved. Please feel free to send inquiries and comments to Orlando C. Fernando (ocfernan@rochester.rr.com).
Beginner level ground skating; can turn & stop
Advanced
Beginner can also cross streets & handle gentle smooth hills
Intermediate
can also skate rougher, bumpier surfaces and main streets
Advanced
can also take steeper and/or rougher hills and busy traffic streets
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Distance: approx. 15.5 miles round trip Description: This has been the first route that I have ever taken since I first in-line skated back in '95 and it still remains to this day the most popular path to skate, bike, walk, or run in the Greater Rochester area. RISC also skates here. The path going through Genesse Valley Park into the first few miles tend to be bumpy with cracks and tree roots. As a partial alternative to avoiding the steep very rough/wet hill to cross the old railroad tracks, a fellow club skater recommended skating out of the park to Elmwood Ave., then after the tunnel going through the Univ of Roch back parking lot, crossing some paths between two buildings, crossing Kendrick Rd. then entering the path from there. After the 2nd I-390 bridge, the path gets much smoother and more scenic. Choice of stairs or crossing the street when passing Edgewood Ave. near JCC (Jewish Community Center). Ditto for Clover St. The path will eventually make a 25 degree downhill onto Brook Ave. Skate a right at the stop sign to rejoin the path. The Shoen's Place scene shows up shortly after with families feeding ducks, restaurant patios, a bike/skate shop, and two ice cream shops. The path turns gravel beyond that. It's best to start and end from Shoen's Place actually since it's a quicker run downstream than up (& because of the ice cream shops! ;) |
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Distance: 6? miles round trip Description: This short portion of the Erie Canal runs through a little Fairport/Perington area. The east-west path runs close to the 2nd parking lot. Head left (going right eventually will run into gravel). Absolute beginners may want to stop and loop back at the first intersection (rt. 250 Main St. North). Others can continue by crossing the street (or taking the pedestrian tunnel under the drawbridge if it's not wet). Continue on the path which for a few minutes becomes hard brick passing by a dock and series of benches. Brick haters (like myself) can opt to detour by taking State St. off of Main and skating it to the end; duck walking through the barrier gap & grass to rejoin the now smooth path again. Continue on the path which goes under Turk Hill Rd. and runs into Cobb Rd. Cobb is VERY quiet people/trafficwise in the evenings and weekends. Skate down Cobb until the end. Don't let the Dead End sign fool you! The path restarts here, allowing you to go about 1 mile further before it turns to gravel. Finally, loop back to the start. I prefer this route as a morning or evening run as rt. 250 tends to be very busy during shopping time. If you're lucky, you may witness the raising of the drawbridge there for passing boats. |
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| CONTACT RIT FOR CAMPUS MAPS |
Distance: variable Description: RIT is one of the few Rochester universities with an extensive skateable campus. Probably the best spot for Henrietta first-time skaters to practice. The beginner can have nice short practice runs on some of the smooth parking lots toward the west of the campus, west of the tennis/ice rink parking lot. (There's at least 8!) Try a bit of slaloming up and down the one way driveways around the visitor's information booth. The endurance skater can park at the sports lot and skate under the pedestrian bridge (going west from the Student Center) to join with the eastern campus road which takes a 2 1/2 mile semicircle around the entire campus (one major hill & drop on the far westside). Skating runs between the campus buildings are good to moderate. Several paths are rough, though the path leading to the student center & bridge are quite smooth. Other good paths here are certainly possible! I'd prefer skating here on weekends and off-semester weekdays. The campus walkways to and from the student center and a few west side parking lots are the only well-lit areas at night. |
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Distance: 10 miles round trip Description: This run runs parallel to I-390, crossing intersections and overlooking backyards and orchard trees to reach the Ontario State Pkwy at nearly the northernmost area of Greater Rochester. RISC skates here also. If you parked at Olive Garden, skate onto the pedestrian bridge that crosses West Ridge Rd. and follow the path straight going north. You will come to the Olympia High School (the alternate starting point). Follow the path onto Maiden Lane and make a left, crossing the street. The path will continue northward just after the I-390 overpass. Keep following the path, crossing the streets in this order: Vintage La., English Rd., Latta Rd., & Janes Rd. The path will end just before the Ontario State Pkwy. For variety, intermediate skaters have an alternative detour at Olympia high school. You can take a west path off the main path which ramps up to a pedestrian bridge over I-390 onto Fetzner Rd. Follow it about 1.5 miles. Broad smooth shoulders eventually appear to allow for good sprinting to the Vintage La. and/or English Rd. intersections. Make a right at either intersection to rejoin the main path shortly before the I-390 underpass. Be careful on this path during the early Spring season as much dead grass tends to pile up onto the road. I consider the path section running between Vintage and English the most scenic as it runs through the woods and field of the English Rd. park - very picturesque! |
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Distance: 8.6 miles round trip Description: This goes through a series of roads, principal and residential, along the coast of Ontario Lake in North Greece. Skate out the back entrance into Crescent Beach Rd. and make a left. Go all the way down to the Long Pond. Rd. intersection and make a right onto a wooden pedestrian bridge (take your time on this bridge!) Crossing the bridge brings you to the start of Old Edgemere Dr. Make a left onto it and take any of its last intersections to make a left onto Edgemere Dr. (Old Edgemere gradually dead ends onto a very potholed cracked driveway). Taking North Dr. from here will give you several residential streets to skate around and return. Otherwise, to extend the trip you can proceed west on Edgemere Dr. for about a mile and make a left onto Manitou Rd. After a gradual hill, make a right into Braddock Bay Park to loop around and head back to the start. On the jouney back you may opt to retrace your exact path back which has quieter traffic or take Edgemere Dr. all the way. I prefer retracing my steps. You'll pass several waterways and ponds on this route along with avid fisherman young and old and an occasional boat. Edgemere Dr. does tend to get busy with some local traffic so you may prefer this route on a Sunday morning or late summer evening. |
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Distance: approx. 5.6 miles round trip Description: This route spends about a third of the time on Marsh Rd., a third of the time on a path adjacent to rt. 31, and a third on some short residential streets to loop back. Coming out of your parking lot, skate a right onto the generous right shoulder of Marsh Rd. (skaters, like bicyclists should skate with traffic!). Just before the rt. 31 traffic light, you'll see a path form on your right. Duck walk your skates through the grass or gravel onto this nearby path and simply follow it as it heads west along rt. 31. It's windy and narrow with two significant but not killer hills. Be wary of bikers/pedestrians/skaters coming the other direction. You'll cross one private road intersection. When the path joins rt. 31 at the Woodcreek Dr. intersection, make a right. It's a somewhat rough street as you make your way to the dead end. Make a right on Rainberry just before that (you won't have a choice). Skate through this small very smooth residential road, crossing the Woodcreek Dr. intersection as it becomes Creek Ridge Rd. You'll come back to Woodcreek Dr. not far from the entranceway. The result was you made a figure 8 around the whole residential area. Come back to the rt. 31 path and head back to the start. Now don't get too speed crazy on the downhill path! :) The return drag on Marsh Rd. makes for an excellent sprint. Try Eagle Pointe, Hunters Pt., Kitty Hawk Dr., and Landmark La to extend your Marsh Rd. return trip (haven't experimented yet). Marsh Rd. after 7pm and on Sunday mornings is not that busy with traffic and is probably the best occasion to skate this route. |
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Distance: Roughly 2-3 miles of skateable paths Description: Ontario Beach is Rochester's most popular overlook to Lake Ontario. There are very flat paths that run from the east pier to the west beach volleyball/basketball recreation area. Only one section near the gazebo gives a hint of a hill and it's only waist high. Take the somewhat rough pier walk all the way to the south to reach the boat launch area. Take the much bumpier (not advisable for beginners) pier walk all the way to the north to the end of the inlet to reach the red/white striped pier marker - a neat lookout point for passing sailboats, motorboats, and show-off jet skiiers. Mid-summer you may even find an incoming Canadian vessel docking for open tours. You'll also find two open ice cream shops in-season (and frozen custard shop across the street from the parking, if you so desire). Plenty of sheltered and unsheltered benches to sit and eat, drink, read, or gaze. For a skater it's a place to be seen (if you want to) as well as to see. Though short on trails, it's high on scenery (not just people ;) Caution: There is a major end-of-summer beach festival near Labor Day that you shouldn't step in skates for. |
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Copyright 2001 by Orlando C. Fernando.
This page is for personal use only and not for reselling nor distribution
to people outside his intended audience.
