in 1926, three artists—John C. Wenrich, James Havens, and Colburn Dugan—bought a 90-acre piece of heaven along the northern rim of Briggs Gully, one of the Finger Lakes Region’s largest gorges, as a place for peace and quiet contemplation. By then, after hundreds of years of clearcutting, the hemlocks grew from shady bottoms of the gullies, the white and red pines overshadowed the younger maples, and the majestic oaks spread their massive branches towards the sun. It is today the Wesley Hill Nature Preserve and it includes the massive Briggs Gully and several other gullies, about 10 acres of old-growth forests, a wide range of wildflowers, and breathtaking views of the hills around Honeoye Lake. The reserve is home to black-throated green warblers, thrushes, chipmunks, and other forest dwellers.
Wesley Hill Nature Preserve, 6060-, 6280 Gulick Rd, Naples, NY 14512, Phone: 607-275-9487