Russell Joy Park, Fredonia, NY
Visited December 30, 2021
Park Entrance: I used Google Maps: Russell Joy Park Playground, Fredonia, NY 14063. It brought me to the main entrance off of Howard Street, just a few minutes off of Route 20.
Also a gravel parking lot: Spring Street at an unmarked entrance near Pucci's and across from the back parking lot of Mary's Deli.
39 degrees Fahrenheit, no wind, 12:20 AM - 10:45 AM
Restroom facilities are near the first paved lot as you arrive through the main entrance but they were locked today.
Dogs on lead welcome
My walk was less than a mile but walking on the gravel path over two bridges along the burbling of the water among the variety of trees was very enjoyable. The small waterfall was a nice surprise. I not sure of the name of this water but it joins the Canadaway Creek which leads toward Lake Erie. I was glad to revisit this park since I came here last year with my daughter, her boyfriend, and Wesley just before I started this website. During our daughter's life, we have been here for a friend's birthday parties, a Scout end-of-year picnic, Quest hike drop off and closing ceremonies, and geocaching so being here when it is so quiet is a great contrast to the boisterous noise that I have experienced at other times.
The trail is gravel with a slight incline. There is mud if you leave the trails near the picnic shelters and playgrounds. I haven't needed to use one in ages, but these trails appear to be stroller friendly. The two bridges were slippery this time of year.
My husband and I had the park to ourselves when we arrived but a small family group and their dog was at one of the playgrounds as we left.
There was some trash, mostly drink containers.
No mosquitos were awake yet this morning
Parking: Two large paved (accessed via main entrance via Howard Street) and one small gravel (Spring Street)
I heard a few birds and saw a gray squirrel. There were mosses and a variety of tree species including oaks.
No actual websites for the park but this was posted for the baseball field:
http://fredonia-ny.new-york-pages.com/russell-joy-park-baseball-field.html
Entrance from Howard Street (I know one of the guys named on this sign!)
Entrance to park. First paved parking lot is on the left.
Tennis and basketball
1 of 3 picnic shelters
The largest of the parking lots
Baseball field, 2nd of the 3 picnic shelters, and 1 of the 2 play areas
Entrance to the trail from the paved road in the park
I went straight (left). Then I caught that trail we see to the right on my way back. It leads to the 2nd picnic shelter by the 1st play area and the baseball field.
Second playground and third picnic shelter. These are near the Spring Street entrance and parking.
Spring Street entrance and parking. (That is Pucci's to the left.)
View from Spring Street Parking
There is a small waterfall on the approach to the trail from Spring Street parking.
One of the two bridges. May be slippery.
One of the two bridges
A slight incline near where we first entered the trail from near the large paved parking lot.
Back to where the trail splits off and we followed it to the right this time. It led to the second picnic shelter.
Walking from second picnic shelter and first playground up small incline to the first parking lot (to left) and the first picnic shelter (to right of this image) where we started our walk.