Driving through the Rochester area one can't help but notice the plethora of signs identifying the Genesee Riverway Trail. What a great idea, one imagines, a 24-mile long scenic trail that takes you alongside a river. The only problem is that I saw those signs as I was driving in a car down a busy suburban or urban street with no river in sight.
I remain optimistic that there are some great rewards for those who follow the signs and cover the length of this long, wandering "trail" but for those who exit Lower Falls and follow the signs to Upper Falls I can say with certainty that this part of the path is far from scenic. Instead, it took me down a dicey urban street that doubled as a wind tunnel, across a bridge to a dirt lot, and past some people that made me feel a bit further from my comfort zone than I prefer to be. For that reason, my friend and I saw Upper Falls from a distance, but never made it there. She looked at a street of downtrodden, possibly abandoned buildings and declared that it was time we go back from whence we came. "I'd bike this, but I'm not comfortable walking it" she announced, and later her neighbor chastised her for having gone down to "that area".
We experienced nothing unsafe but we did feel as though we were chancing things by continuing on the path. Further, it was a nice September day but virtually nobody except us was out following this part of the trail.
Because I'm the type of person who sees a 24-mile scenic hiking path and wants to then "do" that, I've no doubt I'd try this path again. I'd do more research and start and end at a very different point. A bike would be a good way to cover things; quicker, and possibly safer. Still, given all of the places that I saw signs for this well-marked walk, I harbor a strong belief that much of it is similar to what I experienced.
Still interested? Do your research first by reading up on things here: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/grt/ read more