MOUNT MORRIS—About this time of year, Old Man Winter becomes just that—old. Cabin fever sets in, youngsters climb walls, and there is only so much cupboard cleaning one can do.

On a recent weekend, I called a friend who lives in Wyoming, N. Y., to be the wingman on a trip to the Letchworth area. Better than a GPS, he helped unearth some interesting stops along with our main targets: The Genesee River’s Mount Morris Dam and Letchworth State Park.

Here’s what we found on this outdoor adventure:

Mount Morris Dam

The Genesee River, unusually, flows north from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario. In its path is Rochester and the reason for the dam. After years of flooding and destruction, the Army Corp of Engineers built in the gorge near the Livingston County village of Mount Morris what is the largest flood control dam east of the Mississippi.

Completed in 1952, the impressive Mount Morris Dam protects Rochester downstream while providing tourists with an enjoyable outing, starting with the William B. Hoyt II Visitor Center and Museum. There we learned about the dam’s history and viewed fascinating photos of the devastating waves that filled Rochester streets prior to the dam’s construction (like the Great Flood of 1865, on St. Patrick’s Day, a not-so-lucky event in the city’s history).

Budding seismologists in your group will love the earthquake data center. (Note: You may have to ask someone to fire up the computer, as we did.) Earthquakes happen all the time in varying degrees, and a map in the center records them around the clock, using colored rings to denote location and size. The red rings around Haiti were a sobering reminder of the destruction that follows a major event.

The main attraction is outside, of course. Viewed from above, the, 230-foot-high concrete dam is a sight to behold. As the snow and ice begin to melt, the dam begins its real work regulating the water flow.

Unfortunately, you cannot just walk across the dam. The free tours are by appointment only. We were content just to gaze into the massive gorge carved out by Mother Nature. Equally amazing were the thousands of Canadian geese we saw in the water, all honking away. We looked for bald eagles as shown on the Web site, but didn’t see any.

Even in winter, the nearby playground offers kids a chance to romp around. Or take them on a hike along the Finger Lakes Trail (accessed from the parking lot) that goes along the gorge. (Use caution because the fencing is sketchy.) Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are also encouraged at the recreation area.

If you go

Winter hours for Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area are 6 a. m. to 11 p. m. The visitor center is open from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. most weekdays, closed on federal holidays. Admission is free. On Saturdays now through April 3, the center will host a series of lectures honoring “The Greatest Generation.” All begin at 1 p. m.

To visit the dam, take Route 36 from Mount Morris to Route 408 to Damsite Road (the visitor center road is closed for repairs). For more information or to set up a tour, call (585) 658-4790 or visit the Buffalo District Army Corps of Engineers Web site at www.lrb.usace.army.mil and click on Mount Morris Dam link.

Letchworth State Park

You can embrace winter in all its frozen splendor at Letchworth State Park, which surrounds the Genesee River gorge above the dam. It is amazing how the character of a place changes with the seasons, especially in a park setting. Instead of bright and warm colors of summer and fall, the cool palettes of winter—whites, grays and blacks—are brought to the forefront.

We headed to the Trailside Lodge Area (Castile entrance) for the 2:30 p. m. Winter Wonder Walk we found listed on the not-so-easy-to-navigate state park Web site. (The lodge has a wonderful warming fire, small snack stand and restrooms.)

As we waited for our guide, we watched youngsters flying down the nearby hill on inner tubes provided free by the park.

Our small group assembled, the guide took us on a non-strenuous walk through the woods to the middle falls lookout area. Along the way, she relayed the fascinating story of William Pryor Letchworth, the wealthy Buffalo businessman who donated the park to the state in 1907.

Upon his death in 1910, Letchworth was buried in Forest Lawn. One can’t help but think he probably would have preferred to be laid to rest at his beloved land near his Glen Iris Estate, now home to the Glen Iris Inn (closed for the winter). Without giving too much of the story away, we were also intrigued to learn about a possible long ago unsolved murder the park is researching.

After the guided walk, we headed out on our own to explore the partially frozen falls and icy landscape of Letchworth. Giant ice shards created from the falls’ water spray and natural ice sculptures redefined the banks of the flowing river.

Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are also permitted in the park. However, we didn’t see any trace of ice skating or sleigh rides, both mentioned on the park Web site.

Upcoming weekend events include: Novice Nature Ski Hike, today at 1 p. m. (bring your own cross-country skis and meet at Trailside Lodge); Hogsback Trek, Feb. 27 at 10 a. m. (bring lunch and meet at Hogsback Overlook); and Mount Morris Canyon West Trek, Feb. 28 at 10 a. m. (bring lunch and meet at Mount Morris entrance gate).

Interesting March events include some indoor “Ed-Ventures,” the Near Equinox Signs-of-Spring Walk on March 21 and a Full Moon Waterfalls Walk on March 30, along with several other hikes.

For more information visit the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Web site (http://nysparks. state. ny. us/) and click on the “State Parks” link to get to Letchworth Park site, or call (585) 493-3600.

Along the way

We made two detours on our drive. The first was a ride to Piffard and the Abbey of the Genesee to see the Abbey Church and visit the book and bread store, where we bought the famous Monks bread. There are no tours, but the reception room is open to guests for rest and reflection. Winter store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m., Sundays 8:30 to 9:30 a. m. and then after Mass until noon (closed the remainder of the day). Please observe the quiet atmosphere of the location if you visit. For more information visit www.geneseeabbey.org or www.monksbread.com. The store phone number is (585) 243-0660, Ext. 21.

The second stop was at Letchworth Barn Antiques (www.letchworthbarn.com; (585) 469-6064) on Main Street in Mount Morris, where we checked out items from prints and books to glassware and furniture. If it’s still there, check out the creepy skull print on the right wall as soon as you walk in.

Where to eat

A seasoned weekend traveler always worries about the stomach. We discovered a couple fun places to ease those hungers.

A must stop is Lantz’s Bulk Foods and Restaurant just outside Warsaw on Route 20A. This odd combination works. You can shop a huge assortment of bulk foods and baked goods before sitting down for a great (and cheap) breakfast. Lantz’s is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a. m. to 5 p. m. If you are traveling on Sunday, there’s the Silver Lake Family Restaurant in Warsaw.

Near the Mount Morris entrance of Letchworth is Brian’s USA Diner (www.briansusadiner.com; (585) 658-9380). Its word of mouth reputation and busy parking lot are positive signs. Open Sunday through Tuesday, 5:45 a. m. to 2 p. m. and Wednesday through Saturday until 8 p. m.

If you are feeling up for an adventure after a long day of touring, check out Fred’s Tavern (adults only) on Main Street in Mount Morris. Look for the cool neon sign and New York Yankees banners in the windows. Inside the dark bar, you’ll have fun making out the murals of famous Yankees (past and present) while you soak in the local color. Fred’s only serves addictive peanuts, but the bartender can provide the menu to the Leaning Tower pizzeria across the street (use the pool table light to read it). The Leaning Tower will deliver to your bar stool, or you can pick up food and bring it back. Fred’s is flexible.