Rails to Trails, Prospect Station

Visited December 24, 2021

Parking: Available at the Prospect Station trailhead, which is located at the intersection of Prospect Station, Fish and Barnes roads. The address is 6830 Barnes Road, Westfield, NY.

50 degrees Fahrenheit 1:50 PM -2:42 PM

No restroom facilities.

Dogs on lead welcome

There are miles of trail leading in both directions from parking but today we attended with 50+ others for a remembrance event for the 1872 Christmas Eve train crash and a celebration of 30 years of the Rails to Trails.

The trail from parking to the train crash site and back to parking is .6 miles total.

The trail is a flat gravel and mud path.

My family and I shared the trail with over 50 people of all ages. The trail easily fits 4+ people walking side by side.

No trash noted but watch out for the dog poo on the side of the trail.

It was warm enough that there were a few mosquitos awake today.

Parking: Gravel

My family and I heard a few birds and saw poison ivy vine creeping up trees. There were mosses, ferns, cherry trees, and other tree species.


The Rails to Trails are great for geocaching. Check out www.geocaching.com.


The news article advertising the memorial event:

https://www.post-journal.com/news/local-news/2021/12/rails-to-trails-to-commemorate-1872-train-crash/

For more information about Rails to Trails:

https://chaurtt.org/trails/

https://www.tourchautauqua.com/files/WkjYui/c-rails-to-trails-brochure-3.pdf

Map:

https://chaurtt.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/cr2t1_west_brocton_wheelchair1103.jpg

Poison ivy creeping up these trees


Memorial led by president of Rails to Trails and a song shared.

"This may be all that is left of Mr. Hardenburg's 1866 Studebaker wagon used in the recovery effort at the scene of the 1872 train wreck.

July 26, 2020: Wesley's first geocaching hike on the Rails to Trails

This is the sign at the parking area.