Mike Carr and photographer, Todd Schei describe a day of their ride Snowmobiling Oneida County January 2006. (Text reprinted with permission of PrintComm, publishers of New York Snowmobiler, the official publication of the New York State Snowmobile Association)

Riding From Rome

When you look at a New York state snowmobile map, Oneida County is right in the middle of it, with trails emanating in every direction. At its center is the city of Rome, readily accessible to the trail network and a great place to start an exploration of this area.

My first visit to Oneida County was early last March, when photographer Todd Schei and I had the opportunity to spend two days exploring the region on Friday and Saturday, March 4 & 5. For two avid snowmobilers from Wisconsin, this was a chance to ride in a new place and experience it for the first time. With two days to visit, plenty of fresh snow on the ground and the trails in optimum condition, our hopes were high for a great riding experience.

The starting point for our daily excursions was The Inn at the Beeches, a well-known hotel and conference center on the north edge of town. This eminently comfortable establishment is in a park-like setting and is trail accessible via a mile-long spur that connects to the main network. It's a perfect place for snowmobilers who enjoy having quality accommodations right on the trail. The Beeches restaurant is also on the property, offering upscale dining as another option after a long day on the sled. We had the opportunity to enjoy a dinner there, so we can testify to the caliber of the service and the cuisine, which were excellent.

Red Carpet Service

Our two late model Ski-Doo rentals were provided by Safety Trails, Inc., a firm that offers snowmobiles and ATVs for visitors on a daily or weekend basis. Owner Tom Brunet brought the two sleds over to us, so we could ride right from the hotel property. That kind of red carpet service is really appreciated when you're from out of town and looking to get onto the trails as soon as possible.

As out-of-towners, we got good advice from Paul Ziegler of the Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau, who put us in touch with Jim Rolf of the West Rome Riders club. Jim was kind enough to map out a suggested route for us on the Oneida County snowmobile map, so we were definitely pointed in the right direction to begin our explorations.

Friday morning looked promising from the start. While we were enjoying breakfast, the snow began to fall and the first half inch was blanketing the landscape by the time we got the sleds going. It snowed all day long, making the ride even more enjoyable and memorable.

Heading Northwest Toward Taberg

Leaving the Inn, we circled around the west side of town until we found trail C7F heading northwest toward Taberg. The first several miles were a long, straight run on what we guessed must have been a railroad or utility right of way. Before too long, we were off into the countryside, as the trail wound through a mixture of forested areas and rolling farm fields. The riding was excellent and the trails were outstanding. When we encountered a groomer coming our way, we gave a "thumbs up" salute for the smooth ride we were enjoying.

Beyond Taberg, we swung east briefly and then headed north past the tiny burg of Point Rock and into the northwest portion of Oneida County. This area contains plenty of state-owned land with a variety of mixed forest and some noticeably large trees. The trails were twisting, turning and smooth. When we encountered yet another oncoming groomer, we knew why!

Enjoying the Rolling Farmland

Our lunch stop was at Plumbley's Pond, a popular pitstop where we refueled the sleds with gasoline and ourselves with pizza. While we were eating, a number of deer came into the yard and we were able to view them from the restaurant.

It was snowing steadily when we mounted up again and headed south for Camden, enjoying a combination of forest trails and agricultural fields along the way. The rolling farmland featured a number of swales and blind hills that required caution. After skirting the town, we headed north again and then east, passing through Point Rock once more and continuing on a section of trail that was new to us.

At Westernville we crossed the Mohawk River. At the top of a steep hill, we scared up a flock of wild turkeys that flew into the tall trees, where they roosted above as we continued on. Sundown was approaching, but we were having too much fun to quit. Instead of immediately returning to Rome, we chose a lengthy spur trail heading south toward the town of Floyd, which we thought might be a nice little side excursion. It was all ours to enjoy and this mostly wooded trail kept us busy until dark, when we backtracked toward Westernville and turned south for the return to Rome. Back at the Inn, the odometer showed 126 miles for the journey and all of it was excellent. We topped off the day with a car ride downtown for dinner at the Savoy, one of the best restaurants in the area, where we enjoyed a great meal.

Hitting a New Trail in Poland

Our second day of riding took us east, starting with a run through rolling farmland to Barneveld, where we enjoyed an early lunch at the Adirondack Lanes bowling center. After chatting with some local sledders, we took their advice and headed to the town of Poland on a new trail they had told us about. The route was across rolling farm fields, making for some quick running. At Poland, we crossed West Canada Creek and made our way north to the Hinckley Reservoir. After a quick run across the snow-covered ice and back, we refueled the sleds and then headed northwest into Hinckley State Forest.

Todd was in the lead in the midst of the forest when we rounded a bend to find a beagle sitting in the middle of the trail! We slowed to a stop and the friendly little dog (who bore a name tag marked only Spanky) jumped up onto Todd's sled to pose with him for a photo. After the picture was taken, Spanky jumped back down and we were again on our way.

After emerging from the forest, we stopped for a break at the Penn Mountain Bar & Grill, where we enjoyed a soft drink before continuing on to Alder Creek and Forestport. Then it was northwest toward Boonville, running along and upon a frozen canal, dropping down from the adjacent trail and back up the embankment time and again. At Boonville we crossed the distinctive new covered snowmobile bridge that featured beautiful latticework on each side of the structure. With its unique design featuring local timber, this 70-foot span has already become a landmark in the area.

From Boonville we headed west and then south to West Leyden, traversing small wooded plots and open farm fields. By this time it was late afternoon and we were seeing plenty of sleds along the way. Because of the traffic, the trails were a little choppy for the final leg back into Rome, but we weren't complaining. Back at the Inn, the odometers showed 128 miles for the day's travels.

Our two-day visit to Rome was a great riding experience. Certain areas were very reminiscent of Wisconsin riding and the trails were of similarly high caliber. The trail network was excellent, and the local snowmobile clubs do a superb job of marking and grooming the trails. They have a system to be proud of. My hat is off to them, as well as to the countless landowners who allow trails across their property. This is an area well worth a visit!

For information on snowmobiling and accommodations in this area, contact the Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 426-3132 or online at www.oneidacountycvb.com.

For snowmobile rentals, contact Tom Brunet at (315) 794-0198 or online at www.safetytrails.com.