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Longbranch Park

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fallschirmhosen
fallschirmhosen
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
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1
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Editor Pick

Longbranch Park

Longbranch Park

Longbranch Park has two sections...one sitting next to Onondaga Lake, and then a picnic area north of the lake. The picnic area is not really a place to run, although it is home to Liverpool High School's cross-country teams. The pathways are all gravel or wood-chipped, and unmarked. But, if you know the cross-country course, then you'll be able to mark a 5k route easily. In the back of the picnic area are some rolling hills, though nothing hard whatsoever. Since it is not widely known, you can often go there and not find a single person there with you, making it a very peaceful place.

To reach the "other" part of the park, cross Longbranch Road near the bridge crossing the lake outlet, and travel under the Thruway bridge overpass. This brings you to the West Shore Trails. These trails used to be a GREAT place to run. But, thanks to people with rollerbladers and strollers, it is now not as great of a place to run. The trails used to be entirely dirt/gravel, which prevented any rollerbladers or strollers there. But, in the past few years, they decided to pave the trails, which brought over strollers and rollerbladers from Onondaga Lake Park, making the trails more congested. They did leave one section of trails unpaved, but they are not along the lake and less enjoyable.

The West Shore trails extend for 2+ miles, and actually consist of two parallel trails...one next to the lake, one not. Aside from the rollerbladers congesting the paths, it is a nice place to run especially if you want to extend a run to/from Onondaga Lake Park (accessible via the lake outlet bridge/Longbranch Road bridge).

To extend your run to places beyond Onondaga Lake and Longbranch Park, two pedestrian bridges link the West Shore Trails to suburban streets in Solvay. Once over either bridge, it is a steep incline uphill for 1/4 to 1/2 mile to reach State Fair Blvd. Once on State Fair Blvd., heading south will bring you to the New York State Fairgrounds in less than 2 miles.

Like Onondaga Lake Park, these trails are basically out-and-back, although you can create a pseudo-loop by taking one trail out and then the parallel trail back.

From journal Running in Central New York

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