Guest blog written by Conrad Baker, local Genesee Valley explorer and expert of all things nature @conrad.in.the.genesee.valley
The hype is real. Dell Collective raises the bar to chandelier height.
Holly and I had heard for years that this place is a must-stay, it has 2,000-plus five-star reviews, and so on. There was no way this place was going to live up to our insane expectations. And yet…it still blew us away.
Highbanks was our home for a weekend of planned and surprise forest skiing, camel feeding, and mushroom cooking.
We rolled up to Highbanks to see the barn backlit and beaming with winter afternoon sun. The door swept open to a chandelier-lit, green/white/earth toned palatial barn gone jungle sanctuary. And it was like…the satisfaction of the first knife chop through fresh celery was a smell…turns out there’s a Dell Collective fragrance.
Holly and I had to literally run around to see the rooms and plants and stand fully clothed in the shower rooms and climb into the loft and spend some time basking in the size, beauty, and comforting familiarity of this place. It felt so natural to put the bags down and plan the first adventure, as if we had already a hundred times. But we had places to be, places to ski.
We zipped down the road to the Castile entrance to Letchworth State Park. About a two minute drive into the park, we parked at Trout Pond. We clipped into our cross country skis and started on Trail 3 around the pond.
The pine plantation woods there feel primeval. Trail 3 connects to Trail 2A, one of our favorites, that snakes down into the Dehgayasoh ravine and crosses the creek with footbridges in true old-growth forest. Holly can “snowplow” to slow down and turn…I mostly snowplow with the seat of my pants…but I only took one nosedive. It’s a challenging trail to ski, we recommend doing as I did and just carry your skis on a shoulder through the steep parts, and enjoy the woods.
The whole journey feels like you’re in a 10,000 year old cathedral, with the creek playing the music. Took our selfie by the canyon looking out to Inspiration Falls, finished the loop, and made it back to the car well before dark. Dinner time.
The Hole in the Wall is an institution of Perry. We walk in and the Bills game is on. We settle in and there’s a special on, mention their ig post for half price pizzas and $1 wings. Of course we’d seen the post, and you didn’t have to tell us twice! The yellowjacket sauce is sweet with just the right amount of sting. It’s local flavor…Perry school’s mascot is the Yellowjacket.
Coming home to Highbanks was a gift. Crisp, cool sheets that warm the second you pull them up, pillows for every preference, wireless chargers, peace and quiet. We had already made arrangements to meet the animals in the morning.
You see the sunrises on Dell Collective’s ig, you see the photos and the videos. To roll out of bed and lean against the barn door frame with a cup of coffee as the sun cracks the horizon line is…gold.
If you’ve never met a capybara, they’re shy until they see an apple. Then it’s game on. Getting to even see these creatures in person feels like meeting a celebrity. Feeling both dwarfed and comforted by a curious camel was another first. Belly rubs for a sleepy pig? Yes please.
The animals are all so sweet, clearly comfortable with people, and best of all gently accept their treats. We could see any animal lover like us melting in the barn surrounded by these gentle ones. We grew up around animals, but we still noted that there were so many options of different sizes, from cozy lap bunnies to the towering camel, of course named Sandy.
Holly topped off her coffee mug and headed to work, I was on a mission to get fresh mushrooms for dinner. Though there are state forests around that allow foraging (not state parks like Letchworth), the shrooms aren’t exactly growing everywhere in the winter. Fortunately for us, a new small mushroom grower, Fruiting Fungus, had popped up on Conesus Lake about 20 minutes away, and I had nothing but time. A cruise over the hills later, I had a nice little pile of trumpets and snow oysters.
Dinner was buttery mushrooms and a Riesling out of the Finger Lakes. Holly and I picked away at our vows and the band’s set list for the wedding.
Sundown one last time, and back to bed for us.
It’s hard to nail down the big-picture magic of Dell Collective. It’s rustic luxury, it’s simple indulgences, it’s comfortable adventure. It really feels like you’ve lived here for years. You open a drawer that feels like the silverware drawer and bam. Silverware. All is as it should be.
The nooks. The view. The full but not cluttered feel. It’s all spot on.
We waited until the last morning of our stay to open the guest book. We knew it would gush with praise for Amanda and the properties, but even we were taken aback by what folks’ stays here really mean. Bridal parties stay here, engaged couples like us, or families with multiple kiddos in tow.
What stuck out to us the most was how each group found different parts of the property perfect for their needs. We were touched to leaf through the guestbook and read all the ways that this place had really clicked with so many people from all over the country. It’s really special, and we’re grateful for having been part of it for a weekend.
This piece is one small thanks for our short, unforgettable time there. We’re glad you found this spot, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
