With improving weather it’s time for a trip in the outdoors. Hiking is a great activity where one can clear your head after months of indoor activities.
Route 104 Trail is a flat easy route suited for biking, hiking and rollerblading. The 6.1-mile trail is paved pathways oriented parallel to New York State Route 104, hence its name. It is in Webster NY with Salt Road to the east and Bay Road west.
The trail has its route mainly north of Route 104 beginning in the west. Then it switches to the south side near the east end. The trail is separate from the busy highway making it safe for travel. But caution must be taken crossing busy cross streets at each crosswalk.
Access can be at any of the eight cross streets along the trails route. From Salt Road the trail passes over Phillips Road, Webster Road (Route 250), Holt Road, Hard Road, Five Mile Line Road, Gravel Road, Maple Drive, and its last at Bay Road. A convenient parking lot at North Ponds Park is near the eastern end of the trail.
Other trails and parks are near Route 104 Trail. North Ponds Park has Bird Sanctuary trail, and 1 mile North Ponds Loop trail. The Hojack trail starts at North Ponds Park traveling northwest to Lake Ontario. For a longer adventure any of he trails may be combined.
New York State Route 104 highway runs 182.41 miles in an east-west direction along Lake Ontario in the state. It passes through cities of Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, Oswego and six counties. The route was first established as Route 30 in 1908, and then changed to Route 104 in 1924.
Webster is a town of 37,926 population just south of Lake Ontario. It was named after statesman Daniel Webster. Lake Ontario is north of Webster bordered on the east by Wayne County, the Irondequoit Bay to the west, and the Town of Penfield is south. The town motto is "Where Life Is Worth Living”. It was tragically in the news in December 2012 when a gunman barricaded himself in a house, burning surrounding houses in the neighborhood, resulting in a fiery tragedy.
Sports Illustrated magazine bestowed Webster the title "Number 1 Sportstown in New York” in May 2005. Its magazine publisher David Morris stated "Webster's commitment to finding creative and resourceful ways to enhance sports for the well-being of its community fits perfectly with the principles of our Sportstown Program, as well as the overall mission of our anniversary celebration." Webster's sports facilities include two lighted stadiums, a hockey/soccer complex, an indoor track and an Olympic-size indoor pool.
In addition to North Ponds Park the town of Webster has Whiting Road Nature Preserve, Webster Park, Gosnell Big Woods Park, Irving Kent Park, Ridgecrest Park, and Empire Blvd. Park.
What better way to start a new hiking season than on the newly discovered Route 104 Trail?
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