Chaffee Falls

OVERVIEW: An easy woodland walk, partly along a crystal-clear brook and culminating in a small waterfall.

TOTAL MILEAGE: 1.5-mile loop

ELEVATION GAIN: 150 feet

TERRAIN: Mostly wood road with very gentle grade. Two short (less than 100 feet) steeper pitches.

LOCATION: From the intersection of US Route 7 (Main Street) and VT Route 3 south of Pittsford village go north on Route 7 for 0.5 miles to Furnace Road. Turn right onto Furnace Road for 1.4 miles to its intersection with Hitchcock Road. At the intersection leave Furnace Road, which turns to the right, and continue straight ahead on Hitchcock Road for 0.7 miles. Look for a rough gravel lane on the right with a sign "Pittsford Trails - Chaffee Falls Trail". Turn onto the lane for 100 yards to a parking area. Park in the parking area. Start you walk from either side of the parking area.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Follow the round, white trail markers with the green "Christmas tree" arrows. The route, which you may traverse in either direction, is a loop and will return you to the parking area.

POINTS OF INTEREST: A portion of the route follows Furnace Brook to Chaffee Falls and an inviting swimming hole below. Furnace Brook is named for an iron furnace, which was in operation a mile or so downstream from the falls in the 1790s.

OPTIONS: The Ridge Loop Trail and the Crossover Trail each provide an optional route for a portion of the Chaffee Falls Trail.

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