ithacahikers

Wednesday, July 29

Cascadilla Gorge Trail and Cornell Campus, Ithaca

Hike report by Mark Sussman

On Wednesday, July 29^th, nine hikers and 2 dogs met for a hike up Cascadilla Gorge, across the Cornell campus, around Beebe Lake to the Herb Garden, then down Tower Road to Libe Slope and Llenroc. One of the highlights was seeing a Bald Eagle sitting on a log in Beebe Lake.

We finished in a bit under 2 hours. Aside from a fine cooling mist at the beginning of the hike, we avoided rain. The group definitely seemed to enjoy the route.

Saturday, August 1

Bob Cameron Loop, Connecticut Hill, Newfield

Hike report by Nina F.

Fifteen hikers and four dogs met to hike the Bob Cameron Loop of the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area. This lovely hike features a small gorge, switchbacks, and pretty hemlock forests complete with abundant ferns, moss and pine needles covering much of the path. The hike begins along Tower road, where you briefly along the Fingers Lakes trail before turning to follow the orange blazes that denote the Bob Cameron Loop Trail. The total distance for this hike is 2.8 miles, with 465 feet of elevation gain. Since the trail is slightly shorter than the club typically hikes, we finished a few minutes early, allowing a little time for socializing before people departed.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, August 2

Potato Hill State Forest, Caroline

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Nine hikers and two dogs on leashes did part or all of this 4.25-mile hike on the FLT. The route went from Level Green Rd. through the new Finger Lakes Land Trust Summerland Preserve. We turned around to return when we reached the new sign at the eastern edge of the Summerland Preserve, which is about 0.2 mile away from where the FLT begins to go steeply down to 79. Weather forecasts for at least a week had predicted rain for this morning, and it pounded about an hour before the hike started. Although it didn’t rain on us, there was certainly a lot of water on the trail. The huge field at Summerland was golden with tall grass, and the air was clear enough to see Endicott if you knew what direction you were looking.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, July 22

Finger Lakes Trail from White Church Rd., Brooktondale

Hike report by Kathy K

8 hikers and 1 dog met at the parking area 4 miles south of Brooktondale area, where the FLT crosses White Church Road.

Lovely day for the classic hike #24: a big T-shaped out-and-back hike.  FLT west across the field to the old railroad path, a mile south on FLT to end of White Church Rd where it ends at Coddington Rd, turn around and go north on the railroad path about 2 miles (a mile past the turn to the field)  to Ridgeway Rd (second mile is no longer part of FLT after it was rerouted), then back a mile to the path to the field and our cars

Very pretty scenery and views of the swamps next to the trail. But the paths is all somewhat overgrown with invasive honeysuckle and wild rose and ,,, Jim will reach out and find out who/if the trail is being maintained; some of us may go do some pruning…

The rail trail portion will eventually become part of the Coddington Valley Rail Trail as it gets completed from Burns Road to White Church  Rd. We did peek at the path heading north from Ridgeway Road. It’s been covered in water for years now; will be interesting to see how the rail trail gets connected there.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, July 25

Finger Lakes Trail through Lower Treman

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Sixteen hikers and two dogs on leashes did all or part of this annual 5.25-mile, pre-cookout hike. This circle route starts at the parking lot for the Tappan Mitra preserve off of 13, goes west on the FLT to the picnic shelter (to bypass the campground), and cuts over to the Treman south rim trail. From there, it goes west to the bridge near the base of Lucifer Falls, crosses the bridge, and takes the gorge trail all the way to where it ends at the parking lot for the lower falls. Then we walk back to the FLT on the road that leads through the campground and take the FLT back to the cars. This hike has about 775 feet of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours 15-20 minutes to do, depending on how many stops we make. But this slightly longer hiking time works great for arriving at the cookout at noon.

Here are some pictures I took at the cookout:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/gDBk8HJAoTp7WUKy7

Roger and Gunilla, thanks for opening your home and your gorgeous lands to the hikers for yesterday’s cookout, to the many people who helped with set up, cooking, and clean-up, and to the many new and old friends who were there. It was a beautiful day for this cookout, too: no thunderstorms or smoke.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, July 26

Roy H Park Preserve to Hammond Hill State Forest, Dryden

Hike report by Nina F.

Eleven hikers and four dogs met at the north parking lot of the Roy H. Park Preserve to hike out to Hammond Hill State Forest. Fun fact: Roy Park provided a grant to hike leader (Nina) for bat research that she and husband/co-hike leader Steve conducted many years ago on Rafinesque big-eared bats in Virginia. Mr. Park apparently was a bat enthusiast.

The beginning of the hike is gorgeous, taking you along boardwalks above the marsh before leaving the Preserve and moving into the state park, where we followed the red DEC trail marker discs. The trail is lovely there as well, with pine needles covering the path and nice pine trees throughout.  After a mile and a quarter, we crossed Hammond Hill Road to continue on more wooded trails. After checking with everyone’s schedules, we walked a slightly longer than usual route, so the hike ended about 15 minutes late and was over five miles. Luckily, the trail was shady for most of the hike, which was helpful as the temperature climbed.

There are a fair number of people who use this trail system and we passed quite a few other hikers and dogs.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, July 15

South Hill Rec Way/Six Mile Creek

Hike report by Kathy K

Twelve intrepid hikers and one dog met for a hike near South Hill Recreation way before the air quality got really bad.   Hike #2-1 from Crescent Place. 

We went down in the woods, admired the views from two overlooks, and continued on to the southern end of the trails to rejoin the railroad path; being short of an hour we continued south a few minutes on the railroad path, then turned around and walked back on the railroad path arriving at the cars about 15 minutes early.

Happily, Jim knew the hike well! (he was already on the trail waiting for us, so isn’t in the photo).

Welcome  to new hiker Mary! and visiting hiker Trey (the tallest hiker).

Saturday, July 18

Finger Lakes Trail east from Lake Road, Dryden

Hike report Nina F.

Four hikers and one dog met on an extremely rainy morning to hike the Finger Lakes Trail east from Lake Road in Dryden. The entire trail is on private property. Per the FLT website, this hike is extremely underrated, and I would agree. Despite being close to Dryden and Ithaca, it barely receives any traffic and it’s quite gorgeous along all segments of the hike. The walk starts along the road from the parking lot next to the Jim Schug Trail, then turns into a lovely field that you walk through to get to Havington Hill. Past the field, the trail becomes very steep for nearly a mile as you climb Havington Hill. There are switchbacks, but it’s still quite steep. Usually, hikers are rewarded with great views of the valley once they get to the other side of the Hill. However, on our rainy morning, the views were somewhat limited (though pretty in their own, foggy way). From there the trail continues through gorgeous woods filled with many different types of ferns until the turn around point. The rain really started coming down on our return trip, leaving us all soaked by the time we were back to the cars. Nonetheless, it was a lovely hike with good company.

Sunday, July 19

Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale

Hike report by Kathy K

7 hikers and 2 dogs enjoyed the cooler weather to  hike in Shindagin Hollow state forest from the north end of Braley Hill Road to the west.  Moderately hilly hike with some trails (no serious water crossings) and some very rural road walk in forest. This is a modified version of Hike #28-3.

We did a big clockwise loop: started by going up the yellow trails (#8, #6) made for mountain bikers, with gorgeous stands of ferns,  to upper Bald Hill School Road.  Then north over to top of Leonard Rd and down that mile-long dirt road with lovely scenery & water running down beside the road (second photo). The bottom of Leonard Rd meets up with Chapel Hill Road. From there you can walk back along Central Chapel Rd (about 4 1/2+ miles total).

Next time we’ll try going counterclockwise to do the boring road part (Central Chapel Rd) first.

Wednesday, July 8

Mundy Wildflower Gardens (Forest Home) to Beebe Lake Loop, Ithaca

Hike report by Margaret

On July 8, 2026, 17 hikers and 1 dog met at the Mundy Wildflower Gardens parking lot (hike 4.4. at hike #4 – Forest Home Hikes – ithacahikers). The morning was sunny and very warm as the hikers headed into the Mundy Wildflower Gardens. Vegetation in the wildflower garden was lush. The group climbed the steps out of the wildflower gardens and crossed Judd Falls Rd. to enter the Cornell Botanic Gardens Nevin Welcome center area (Cornell Botanic Gardens | Cornell Botanic Gardens) and enjoyed wide array of flowers in full bloom there. The group continued across Forest Home Dr. and made a counter-clockwise loop around Beebe Lake enjoying the shade as the heat and humidity increased. The group headed up the trail behind Mann Library and into the Cornell Campus to visit the Polyform (PolyForm — Jenny Sabin Studio) sculpture, enjoy pocket gardens along Tower Rd and visit the Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory Greenhouse | CALS. On such a perfect summer day, a stop at the Cornell Dairy Bar was welcomed. To complete the hike, the group zipped down the Botanic Buzzline | Cornell Botanic Gardens towards the Nevin Welcome Center and back into the Mundy Wildflower Garden.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, July 11

Cayuga Trail South Loop

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Seventeen hikers and one dog on a leash did part or all of this hike. From Stevens Suspension Bridge, it went east on the northern side of Fall Creek, crossed the Creek at the old Freese Rd. Bridge, and hugged the creek all the way to the high bluffs on the red trail. We returned the same way. This was beautiful day, and the 4.8-mile hike was nearly flat. With that said, it felt about 10 degrees hotter in the fields than in the woods, which was too hot for complete comfort (and one very hot dog). Thanks to everyone for the happy birthday wishes – and happy birthday to Elizabeth R., Jack V., and Jim R., whose birthdays are also within the same two-week stretch.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, July 12

Black Diamond Trail from Kraft Road

Hiker report by Kathy K

Black Diamond Trail from Kraft Rd.  #58-1

16 hikers met on a perfect summer morning.  Welcome to new hiker Robert!

The group set out North towards upper Taughannock; many made it to metal bridge over the creek and down the north rim some, turning around and getting back to cars at exactly two hours and over 5 ½ miles.  The group had all kinds of conversations going on, and discovered a lot of crazy connections.

Saturday, July 4

Monkey Run from Hanshaw Road

Hike report by Nina F.

Eleven hikers and two dogs met on an extremely hot and humid Independence Day to hike Monkey Run trail. This trail is part of the 550 acre Monkey Run Natural Area that forms a long corridor protecting Fall Creek on its route to Cayuga Lake. The trail follows the creek from the rims of forested banks and, at creek level, through rich floodplain forest and wet meadows. We had some lovely views from on top of the bluffs, and also wound our way down to the Creek (where the dogs cooled off on such a hot day).Though there was rain in some areas prior to our hike, and we felt raindrops as we returned to the parking lot, we managed to miss being rained on. Despite temperatures approaching the 90s before the end of the hike, an occasional strong breeze helped make the hike bearable.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, July 5

Upper Buttermilk Falls State Park from Yaple Road

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Seventeen hikers and four dogs on leashes met where the Buttermilk Spur Trail crosses Yaple Rd. for this out-and-back hike into Buttermilk Falls State Park. The previous day I pre-hiked the original route for this hike, which led around the east side of Treman Lake and up to La Tourelle and found that it is not as appealing as it used to be. The trail is more overgrown than in years past, and there are new Danger signs along the route. For example, there is one Danger sign at the start of the spur trail up to La Tourelle and another on the trail leading down to the dam from the east. My guess is that the park is trying to get people to use the trail on the west side of the lake for out-and-back hikes because the footbridge at the northern end of the park remains washed out.

So, this Sunday hike was an out-and-back from the meet-up spot to the bear trail to King Road. From King Road, people went various ways as it suited them. Most of the group chose to go down the gorge trail, turn around at the top of the very long stairs beside the lower falls, cross the creek at the mid-way foot bridge, and return to King Road on the rim trail. Some of the group chose to go all the way down to the bottom of the lower falls to get more steps. Others chose to hike just on the rim trail. 

Most of the group returned to the cars in two hours, after about 4.25 miles and 600 feet of elevation gain. Although the weather was cooler than the previous day, it was more humid, and it felt like a drippy sauna the whole way.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.