Danby SF: Loop Trail from Bald Hill Road to Diane’s Crossing and back
Meet-up: Dirt parking lot at the corner of Bald Hill Road and Comfort Road, Town of Danby
Click here to see the Google Maps page showing the coordinates of the meet-up.
Click here and scroll down to see a topo map showing the trail configurations and the Abbott Loop.
Paper or digital maps of the Finger Lakes Trail may be purchased from the Finger Lakes Trail Conference at:
About Finger Lakes Trail Maps and GPS data
Map sheets M17 and ” The Abbott Loop” depict portions of the hike route described below. The Dove Trail is not represented on the FLTC maps.
This is a 100% loop trail that we created by combining 2 existing separate walks that each involved walking in, turning around and walking back. Everyone was delighted the first time we devised this loop because many of our hikers really prefer loop trails.
Here’s how it works: From the meet-up we walk south for 0.6 miles along Bald Hill Road as it runs downhill through dense forest. This stretch is used by pickups during the week but it’s usually pretty deserted on weekend mornings at 9:30. When we reach the junction with Station Road we enter a fairly newly created and very picturesque trail called Dove’s Trail. This leads us to the north leg of the Abbott Loop, another very picturesque trail and also one of the steepest we do — luckily, we head downhill on this to its terminus at Diane’s Crossing. Here we head back uphill on the FLT past the Chestnut Lean-to, to where we’ve parked. The walk takes us through a large amount of very good scenery. The best part is that we no longer have to climb up the killer north leg of the Abbott Loop. The uphill section is now on the Chestnut Lean-to trail, which is much less steep.
If you’re running late, Dove’s Trail starts on the east side of Bald Hill Road just before you reach the spot when Bald Hill becomes a dirt road. The trail is blazed in pink. If you can’t spot the trail entry, walk south on Bald Hill until you reach the crossing of the Abbott Loop, and take this heading downhill.
Last edit: 07/2022 JFR