Geneseo, New York to Mount Morris, New York

 It rained on us while we were making coffee at Deer Run Winery so we scurried up to their party pavilion and waited until we had blue sky. Glenn found Cricket Cafe in Geneseo that had outdoor dining on the street so we enjoyed our first breakfast out in the college town of SUNY, State University of New York. After driving back to Letchworth State Park, we stopped at the Park Headquarters Picnic Grounds and hiked the Hemlock Trail along the top of the gorge to the Civilian Conservation Camp Cabins. We then set up camp at the Highbanks Campground and relaxed after our five mile hike and cooked chili in the instant pot.

At Hogsback Overlook

Gorge is over 550 foot deep

Shady, wooded trails

Original Civilian Conservation Corp cabins built in 1940's for rent

Damp wood with lots of fungus and mushrooms and moss

Swampy overgrown trail

Our campsite at Letchworth State Park

After breakfast, we headed to the south end of the park stopping at St. Helena Picnic Area and taking the trail down to the fishing hole at the bottom of the gorge. We then headed to the historic Glen Iris Inn and the Middle Falls were right there. We took the Gorge Trail up to the Upper Falls and then backtracked past the Middle Falls down to the Lower Falls. It was a spectacular hike and that cold Summer Shandy beer back at the campsite tasted great. All the nearby breweries are closed today.

At the bottom of the gorge

Smooth river rocks

Blooming bushes

Sunny wildflowers

Glen Iris Inn

Middle Falls

Observation deck at Middle Falls

Upper Falls

Mist thrown out by the falls

Beautiful stonework

Genesee River down in the gorge

Beautifully maintained old stone walls

Civil War Monument

Lower Falls from above

Looking back at Upper and Middle Falls

Bradford, Pennsylvania to Geneseo, New York

 Right out from Willow Bay Campground we headed across the state line into New York. We had another beautiful back roads route stopping at a local produce stand for fresh picked corn and tomatoes. We came into Letchworth State Park through the Castile entrance and followed the rim canyon road above the Genesee River through the park to Mount Morris Reservoir. We stopped at the overlook to view the "Grand Canyon of the East". Next stop was at the Mount Morris Reservoir Overlook for a picnic lunch and waiting for the thunderstorm to pass. We headed out into the countryside around Geneseo to Dunbar Farm Brewery where we enjoyed a brew listening to a band under a tent next to the corn fields and hops. We are staying at the Harvest Host Deer Run Winery for tonight and then return to Letchworth State Park for two nights. The park map has a wide selections of hiking trails to choose from. The Deer Run Winery has a huge party room and event parking lot which was our campsite for the night. We each tasted three white and three red wines and picked one red and one white to purchase. We roasted our fresh corn on the grill while our beef stew cooked and then called it a night. It rained in the middle of the night and we woke up to a gray sky that turned blue after coffee was made.

Mount Morris Dam

Dublin Corners Farm Brewery

Outdoor tasting room

Country band

Growing their hops

Deer Run Winery near Geneseo and finger lakes

Tasting Room

Selection of wines and jellies

Sunrise at winery

Our campsite at winery

Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania to Bradford, Pennsylvania

 We had a nice back route through the foothills of Pennsylvania to Willow Bay Campground in the Allegheny National Forest. We stopped at Bradford Beer Station Brewery in Bradford for a beer tasting and yummy quesadilla and hot chicken wings on their back patio as the rain started. We headed on to our campsite near the Reservoir at Willow Bay for two nights. 

Phil the groundhog from Punxsutawney, Weather Capital of the World

Our campsite at Willow Bay

Covered bridge at Marilla Reservoir

Misty fog over the reservoir

Great coffee break spot

Beautifully maintained trails and birdhouses

Alongside the kayak launch

Kinzua Bridge State Park Sky Walk

Sky walk on old aqueduct and train bridge

Sky walk history

Trail down to creek

The collapsed supports  from the tornado

View from below to other side of collapsed bridge

Logyard Brewery Taproom mirrors

Cheers from Logyard Brewery

Downtown Kane sculpture

Wise, Virginia to Ohiopyle , Pennsylvania

 We got up in the dark and cooked breakfast so we could get away at daylight after a pleasant stay at Mountainrose Winery. Our route through West Virginia took us past New River Gorge National Park at Fayetteville. We stopped at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and took the scenic stairway down to an overlook of the gorge and the third highest bridge in the US. It was a stunning view and the area looks inviting for a return camping trip. We are camping at Ohiopyle State Park south of Uniontown, Pennsylvania for three nights.

New River Gorge Bridge

New River Gorge

Stunning vista

Steep climb up

Our campsite at Ohiopyle State Park

After a leisurely breakfast we drove into the town of Ohiopyle, the center for blue water adventure sports whitewater rafting. We headed across the bridge at the old train depot to the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail and then over to the Great Gorge Trail to Cucumber Falls. We followed the Cucumber Falls Trail back along the Youghiogheny River. By then we were thirsty enough to head to Christian W Klay Winery for a wine tasting. On the way back we stopped at the Stone House Butcher for steaks to grill out. Our final stop was at Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington along with Mount Washington Tavern Historical Landmark. The movie and displays along with the trail to the fort were well worth the visit.

Scenic railroad tourist town

Waterfront park

Biking and hiking trail

Cucumber Falls

Stunning view from above Cucumber Falls

Along the Great Gorge Trail

Christian W Klay Winery

Also a lavender farm

From distillery across the street, sold chocolate covered liquors

Backside courtyard

Fort Necessity

Battlefield at Fort Necessity

Civilian Conservation Corp stonework

Monument to George Washington

Wishing the Tavern was open for business

Veterans Memorial for Pennsylvanians

After a pleasant night and a great omelet breakfast, we headed back into Ohiopyle for a hike across the bridge to the Ferncliff and Fernwood Nature Trails and through the Oakwoods Trail. We took a drive to Confluence, small town where the rivers meet and found a local produce store and hardware store returning along some real narrow backwoods to the General Store for ice cream.

Ferncliff Nature Trails

Gorgeous hardwood forests

Along the river under the bridge

Swimming holes