Salt Springs State Park near Montrose has spectacular waterfalls and hiking trails along with the namesake Salt Springs. The Onondaga people of the area used its salt for food and as a valuable trade asset.
Near one of these springs is the start of the Hemlock Trail, which leads up a hillside to an old-growth grove of tall hemlock trees, estimated to be over 300 years old. In the serenity of this grove is a large boulder known as Penny Rock.
This boulder is slotted with various grooves, and in these crevices people pound in coins using nearby stones, hopefully earning some good luck for their efforts. Prying out a penny is said to bring bad fortune. So visitors can enjoy the splendor of the tall trees and rush of the waterfalls, and perhaps earn a little good luck.
