Build and maintain a trail and you can choose what to name it.
Several branch loops off the Finger Lakes Trail map M19 are named for nationalities. There’s a Spanish Loop, a Swedish Loop, and a Lithuanian Loop Trail.
The Lithuanian Loop is south of Virgil off Babcock Hollow Road. It was named after the nationality of the landowner and FLT personality, Joe Dabes. Joe has hiked the Finger Lakes Trail end-to-end nine times!
The Spanish Loop Trail was named after the cultural heritage of Alex Gonzales. Alex and his wife Michele built and now maintain this trail. In Michele’s honor, the Swedish Loop Trail harkens back to part of her heritage. Alex and Michelle also built and named the Lithuanian Loop Trail. So they’re the one’s with the “nationality” bent.
They tried to build an Irish Loop Trail to honor another part of Michele’s heritage (and in homage to Alex’s research and teaching specialty of Irish literature). But, the DEC refused permission to build the trail (their UMP, Unit Management Plan, said that there were already enough trails in the area).
There is an Irish Hollow Trail. It’s not a loop, and the “Irish” is the name of a geographical feature (the hollow) that no
Take A Hike - Finger Lakes
doubt predated the construction of the trail, according to Terry McConnell.
The Spanish Loop Trail is off Daisy Hollow Road south of Dryden and is one of the many trail you can hike using the guidebook “Take A Hike – Family Walks in New York’s Finger Lakes Region.”
