The nature of cross-country skiing makes finding places to ski simple. One great place is Genesee Valley Park. New York States Monroe County has 21 county parks across the Rochester vicinity. Many local inhabitants have visited its oldest at Genesee Valley Park.
The historic character of the park makes it a valuable county asset. The park is popular with cross-country skiers, crew teams, fishermen, golfers, and kayakers. Genesee Valley Park has 800 acres along the eastern shore of the Genesee River and New York State Barge Canal, with Red Creek passing through the park. Four footbridges cross the Genesee River and New York State Barge Canal.
The parks multiuse trails may be used for hiking, biking, and great for cross-country skiing. A trail follows alongside Red Creek with additional trails throughout the park. A trail across the Genesee River connects with Genesee Greenway Trail.
Genesee Valley Park is open 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily. The park is equipped for year round activities. There are seven baseball diamonds, a soccer field, cricket field, playground areas, and paved trails. There is fishing and a car-top boat launch under the expressway at the park. Eight picnic shelters and lodges are available for rental from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Leashed pets are welcome with a Carry-In Carry-Out policy for garbage.
There are two 18-hole golf courses with a driving range, practice greens, golf lessons, a teaching area, clubhouse and pro shop. North Coarse was built in 1900, and South Course built in 1929.
Famed landscape architect Frederic Law Olmsted designed the park, in addition to Highland Park and Seneca Park. Naturally occurring, rolling pastoral fields of the locale were emphasized in planning the park. The park’s east and west sides were designed for different purposes. While the park’s west side were for recreational activities the east side provides a feeling of a large pasture. A flock of 80 sheep were added to the park supporting the park’s pastoral image also keeping its grass trimmed.
Genesee Valley Park is at 14620 Genesee Valley Park. The park has easy access via Elmwood Avenue, Wilson Boulevard, East River Road, or Crittenden Road. University of Rochester is near the park's north entrance. The park is 3.6 miles south east of Rochester International Airport with US 390 bisecting the park.
University of Rochester is a private research university with 5,600 undergraduates and 4,600 graduate students. It has a significant footprint in the community with an earned reputation in many areas.
Rochester International Airport is west of the park covering an area of 1,136 acres with three runways at an elevation of 559 feet. This county owned airport is three miles southwest of Rochester’s central business district. The public use airport had 137,601 aircraft operations for the year ending in December 31, 2006.
If you haven’t cross-country skied in Genesee Valley Park why not throw your skis and poles in the car and take a short drive.
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