ithacahikers

Wednesday, November 4

Six Mile Creek, Mulholland Wildflower Preserve and Businessman’s Lunch, Ithaca

Hike report by Jim

Seventeen hikers took advantage of the warm November temperatures to come out for our hike of Mulholland Wildflower Preserve and Wells Falls. This is hike #1 on our list of regular hike locations: hike #1 – ithacahikers.

The morning temperatures were climbing as hikers arrived for today’s hike. The sun shone brightly through the forest canopy that was much depleted of its leaf cover from my pre-hike of this route just a few short weeks ago. What I think was a Crane (bird, not machine) stood legs-deep in the middle of the creek watching the group gather as ducks paddled slowly down the Creek.

We were fortunate that while there were a few other hikers and dog walkers in the Preserve, they were not in such great numbers that would have taken up more of the very limited parking area.

Hikers set out from the parking lot on the lower trail section identified as the “Wildflower Preserve Trail” on city maps of the Preserve that follows the north side of Six Mile Creek. On my pre-hike of the area I’d found some fairly recent large blowdowns blocking the footpath along today’s route that I was happy to see had been mostly cleared from our route this morning.

Trail conditions were dry; not surprising, given the recent limited amounts of rain in the area. Water flow in Six Mile Creek was adequate and enjoyable.

The group stopped in the woods for a photo and paused to look at some of the shale cliff faces on the opposite side of Six Mile Creek. Because we had several new hikers today, I walked the lower trails as far as the dead end before the cascades before turning around and continuing on our normal looping blazed hiking route.

We climbed the blue blazed hillside trail towards the second dam service road marked as “East Hill Trail” on city maps of the Six Mile Creek area. We turned easterly about two thirds of the way up the hill and followed the narrow blue blazed treadway that offers a good view of Second Dam and Six Mile Creek from an elevated location, especially now that the leaves are mostly gone from the trees. This footpath hugs the hillside as it follows one of the large old iron water system pipes, crosses over one seasonal waterway, climbs a short distance and eventually reconnects with the service road closer to Second Dam.

The group hiked to the overlook above Second Dam; from there I showed the group how the service road runs out and turns into a very minimal trail as it heads towards Third Dam. The group then turned around and walked the blue blazed service road to Giles Street.

Walking down Giles Street, we passed the Preserve parking area, crossed the Giles Street bridge above Van Natta’s Dam (also known as First Dam) and turned on the blue blazed trails that descend towards Wells Falls. The leaf cover here was especially thick, concealing the uneven surface and rocks that wait beneath the leaves. Reaching the creek and the stones walls that tower high above, the group took a short while to enjoy the views and take some photos before returning to Giles Street. City maps of Six Mile Creek show that the trails here extend along the Creek as far west as James Street, although I’ve never checked out that section of the trails.

Upon reaching Giles Street the hikers expressed a desire to see the upper blue blazed trail that circles the hill above First Dam. The bottom section of that particular trail has been washed out but was navigated by some careful hill climbing and reliance on nearby roots for handholds. The group circled the summit of the hill and descended to the creekside before returning to Giles Street.

The hikers got back to the cars about ten minutes early.

Warm welcome to hikers Sonja, Ceril, Amala, Steve S, and Vicki R, who joined us today for their first hike with the group!

Saturday, November 7

Monkey Run Natural Area, south side of Fall Creek, Varna

Hike report by Margaret

15 Ithaca Hikers including new hiker, Adam, met at the dead end of Monkey Run Road in Varna on Saturday, November 7th, 2026.  Hike leader Margaret F. warned the group that she had found many ticks on her dog after pre-hiking the trail a few days earlier.  The weather was chilly and drizzly as the group headed South West along the orange blazed trail.  We had to climb around a back hoe stopped mid dig at the entrance to the big open field before reaching the red blazed trails that follows Fall Creek north and back to the parking area.  Since the group finished about 30 minutes early, several hikers chose to continue along the Dryden Rail trail to take a look at the new bridge crossing Rt. 13.  The bridge was closed and construction on railings was ongoing.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, November 8

Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenters Falls, Cayuga County

Hike report by Claire L.

Thirteen hikers and one dog met at the parking lot near Carpenter Falls for an out and back hike on the trail to Skaneateles Lake. The weather conditions were good, with some sun, but the previous day and night rain made the leaf covered trail pretty slippery at times.  Numerous roots were hidden under the leaves. There were a couple falls, fortunately without serious injuries. At times the trail led us to the rim of the ravine where Bear Swamp Creek runs and we could hear the waterfalls but it was too dangerous to attempt to take a look down. We went uphill and downhill all the way to the lake where we took the group picture.

After returning to the starting point, we continued on the boardwalk to the platform facing Carpenter Falls. Five members of the group went down and back up approximately 200 concrete steps to get a view of the falls from the base.

It took us about 1.5 hours on the trail and then some extra time to see Carpenter Falls. It was a beautiful hike that was originally supposed to take place on September 27 and was rescheduled because of the weather.

Wednesday, October 28

Fall Creek Valley Natural Area to Park Park and the area of Cornell Arboretum, Ithaca

Hike report by Jim

Fourteen hikers met on Forest Home Drive for a looping hike through the Fall Creek Valley South Natural Area that takes parts of several of our other hikes and tries to put them into a single hike that we can do during the fall hunting season. This hike has now been added to our hikes list as hike # 4-5.

Weather conditions for the hike were good, with clear skies, generally sunny and warm enough to make for a comfortable hike.

After a quick group photo, the group started off on the red and blue blazed trails on the south side of Fall Creek. Crossing Forest Home Drive the group entered the yellow blazed trails of the Park Park, which offers an elevated view of Varna below. The views were not as good as those in the winter when the trees have lost their leaves. While many leaves were still on the trees during this hike, there were enough freshly fallen leaves along the route that we were often shuffling our feet through an ankle-deep layer of leaves.

Leaving the overlook area the group moved westerly, hiking along the blue blazed Morgan-Smith trails that run between Forest Home Drive and the Arboretum. Entering the F.R. Newman Arboretum grounds  visitor.map_.2019.pdf,  we hiked around Grossman and Newman Ponds before walking to the nearby orange blazed Treman Woodland Walk/ Cayuga Trail. That in turn led to the Floriculture War Memorial Trail (also part of the Cayuga Trail) that follows Forest Home Drive. The War Memorial Trail leads to the entrance road to the Arboretum, which the Cayuga Trail crosses at the Caldwell Road intersection.

Entering the Mundy Wildflower Gardens, we did a loop through the trails there before returning to the Arboretum. We re-traced our route until we reached the Leon-Ballord Allen Memorial Trail/ Cayuga Trail, which we took back to Forest Home Drive and our cars.

I had pre-hiked this route twice last week and thought that I had the hike dialed in at nearly a full two hours, but we ended up getting back to the cars after only 90 minutes. For next fall I will have to add some other trails within the Arboretum to extend the hike to a full two hours.

Saturday, October 31

Ithaca City Cemeteries

Hike report by Nancy H.

This year, our annual Halloween hike had to follow a different route because the Stewart Avenue bridge remains closed for a few more weeks. Instead of meeting at Stewart Park and first visiting Lakeview Cemetery, we gathered at the base of the Cascadilla Gorge trail. About 30 hikers (plus two dogs) attended, several in costume, including a clown, Little Red Riding Hood, and an elegant Gothic lady with a raven-topped fascinator.

There was still plenty of fall color in Cascadilla Gorge. After we climbed to the top, we walked across the Cornell campus to admire Ithaca from above, then made our way down the slope to the City Cemetery. We paused at the Firefighters’ Memorial and admired the old grave markers. Back in Fall Creek, we walked through the neighborhood and stopped at Tioga Street’s “Halloween house,” where the owner was putting the finishing touches on his elaborate and very spooky display.

By this time, it was starting to get late, so some hikers went back to their cars. Others proceeded back up the hill, this time through Lakeview Cemetery, where we stopped at Carl Sagan’s grave. As always, his grave was decorated with tributes from people honoring his memory. More hikers turned around at that point, but several of us continued to Sunset Park for a late-autumn view of Cayuga Lake. We took a different path through Lakeview down the hill, and then returned to our cars.

The entire hike covered more than five miles and lasted close to 2.5 hours. Hopefully next year, both the Stewart Avenue bridge and the gorge trail will be open and we can resume our traditional hike!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, November 1

Finger Lakes Trail from Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park, Alpine

Hike report by Jim

Twenty four hikers and one dog met at the Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park for an out and back hike on the FLT. This is hike # 66 on our list of regular hike locations: hike #66 – ithacahikers.

I would like to make note of Casey C rejoining the group for todays hike after a long absence. Welcome back Casey, it was good to see you!

Todays hike took place entirely on FLT map sheets M15 and M16. FLT map sheets are available in paper or electronic formats at: Purchase Individual Maps – Finger Lakes Trail Conference  Sale of the map sheets help to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance.

When I arrived at the Veterans Park, I saw a group of around 12 hikers approaching the parking area on foot. My first thought was that I had missed my own hike because of the time change, but as they approached, I realized I didn’t know the group, asked them who they were, and found that they were a group of librarians (!)  hiking around ten miles on the FLT today.

The rest of today’s Ithaca Hikers soon began arriving, nearly filling all of the available parking spaces in the park. After a quick group photo, we set off in a south easterly direction on the FLT, hiking through young forests and along open fields until we reached Route 6. Weather conditions were generally warmer than I had expected; while the fallen leaves were thick underfoot, it was surprising to many of us to see how many trees still wore their leaves in late fall shades of tan and brown. Crossing the bridge on Route 6 we turned onto Gulf Rd and followed that road until the FLT footpath veered onto its own path that closely follows Cayuta Creek. Here the FLT footpath consisted of mostly dry ground with gentle elevation changes for the last mile or two before we reached our turn-around point. Cayuta Creek itself was barely flowing along its length, even in those parts where I’ve always seen it reliably flowing in the past.

The group reached the turn-around point where a former footbridge spanned a side creek feeding into Cayuta Creek; that bridge collapsed a few years ago and has yet to be replaced.

The return leg of the hike was uneventful, and soon the group found itself back at the cars wishing each other a good week until the next hike.

Fo those hikers tracking their FLT miles for a 2026 FLT 50 or FLT 100 patch todays hike included 5.5 FLT miles.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, October 21

Hoxie Gorge, Cortland County

Hike report by Jim

Eight hikers met in the parking lot near the end of Hoxie Gorge Rd in Cortland County for an out and back hike on the FLT through Hoxie Gorge State Forest.

This is hike # 60-2 on our list of regular hike locations: hike #60 – ithacahikers.

Today’s hike took place entirely on FLT map sheet M20. Map sheets are available for purchase in paper or electronic formats from the FLTC at: Purchase Individual Maps – Finger Lakes Trail Conference . Sale of the maps helps to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance.

The morning was cold and the undergrowth coated with frost when I arrived at the parking area. The skies were clear and the sun filtered through the remaining leaves in the forest canopy.

In the past we normally start this hike by following the blue blazed trail from near the parking lot that follows the stream bed, but the last couple of times we’ve done that hike we’ve found part of the blue blazed trail (which is a former part of the FLT footpath before a trail re-route) damaged due to blow downs. So today I had the group hike the SUNY Cortland McDermott Nature Trail to its junction with the current FLT footpath.

I found the trails today to be largely obscured due to a layer of freshly fallen leaves obscuring the footpath. So, I had to pay close attention to the blazes while other hikers called out some blazes they saw before I did (thanks, Mary M!)

Much of this section of the FLT consists of narrow tread criss crossed with many roots which were concealed under the leaves. A couple of hikers fell along the way because of this, but no one was hurt.

A decent amount of water was flowing in the creeks, but it was not so deep as to cause problems fording the streams.

At the junction of the McDermott Nature Trail and the FLT we found the footpath to be heavily washed out since the last time we hiked the area. Hopefully this damage will be repaired in the future. 

We made it to the Hoxie Gorge lean-to in decent time and skipped hiking beyond the lean-to due to the recent loss of the open fields beyond the lean-to to planned future development. On the return leg of the hike found ourselves with much time to spare, so we took the blue blazed side trail I had avoided on the outbound leg of the hike. We found that the damaged portion of that trail section has been completely eliminated and that section of the blue blazed trail has been re-routed to co-locate with the McDermott Nature Trail. The remaining portion of the blue blazed trail does follow the creek bed for a short while and is worth checking out.

The group made it back to our cars 15 minutes early, but no one seemed to mind.

For those hikers tracking their FLT miles for an FLT50 or FLT100 patch todays hike included 1.8 FLT miles. I’m not sure of the blue blazed trail counts towards FLT miles so that section is not included in the mileage totals.

Saturday, October 24

Roy H Park Preserve to Hammond Hill State Forest, Dryden

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Sixteen hikers and no dogs were on today’s hike. This was on another glorious near-peak day. When we headed out from the northern trailhead at Roy H. Park Preserve, thick frost covered the shadowy areas. Then we entered the woods, where brightly colored leaves made it look like the trees were on fire.

On the connector trail between the boardwalk and N. Hammond Hill Rd., red trail markers were somewhat scarce, and there was a big tree down exactly in such a way that it looked like a trail reroute. Other than that, the route was pretty easy to follow.

We hiked the connector trail to N. Hammond Hill Rd., headed east on Yellow 1, then took Yellow 6 south to Blue 1, which we took southwest to the seasonal part of Hammond Hill Rd. Then we headed north on Hammond Hill Rd., and retraced our steps on the connector trail and boardwalk to the cars. 

This hike took 2 hours 35 minutes to do, was about 4.5 miles and had about 650 feet of elevation gain. We saw no hunters while on the trail. 

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, October 25

Bock Harvey Forest Preserve and Riemen Woods, Enfield

Hike report by Sarah S.

14 Hikers arrived at the Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve parking lot to find it already filled to the brim with cars. Bundled in layers, we set out in chilly 38 F. temps, heading up the main trail from the parking lot.  We quickly overtook the kiosk and emerged out into a field, where we were immediately bathed in bright sun and treated to blue skies.  The field was half in sun and half shrouded in frost.  Several hikers noted a stark temperature change from one section to the next.  The fields were filled with goldenrod (and other wildflowers) that had faded to a brown-gray and were flecked by the bursting white of milkweed pods. 

We popped out into a clearing after our first incline of the morning to find our 15th hiker waiting for us at the Lean-to.  (We never figured out why so many cars were in the lot to start!)  We paused at a bench/overlook to take our usual group photo, and admired the last vestiges of fall foliage.  Deep in conversation, the group was urged along past the lean-to and onto the trail.  We followed some heavily leafed up and downs and emerged across a small wooden footbridge onto Porter Road.  Turning right, we walked down the road a bit to pick up the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) on the left.

We hiked past some skeleton trees and then up…. and… up…. and… up….and…up…. until we finally reached the Riemen Woods Bivouac area.  Many of us chose to shed a layer, having sufficiently warmed up.  We made a hairpin turn and paraded back down a gentler sloped trail, with leaves swirling around us as we went.  We came back out on Porter Road.  This time we turned left and quickly right to trek back across the wooden footbridge to the FLT.  

We followed the FLT down past the blue trail and continued on into the Old Growth forest boasted by the Bock-Harvey Preserve.  We turned left onto the yellow trail, and looped around.  Admittedly, the yellow blazes were really hard to follow with so many yellow leaves all around!  We came upon the Pondering Log and our long-time hiker and group organizer shared some of the history of the Bock-Harvey land; including that it has been in the family for many many generations before being gifted to the Land Trust.  As we continued on the yellow path and joined back up with the FLT we contemplated just how much time those many generations could span and decided it must be a lot, indeed (The Finger Lakes Land Trust Website suggests early 1800s).

The FLT runs half the perimeter of another field and sent us into a lovely twisty wooded section before tricking us (or at least the hike leader) into stepping ankle deep in mud.  We trudged along and finally emerged on Rowell Hill Road.  At this point two hikers decided to take a 7 minute road walk back to their cars, while the rest of us braved trudging back through the mud.  We retraced our steps back to the yellow trail, turned right onto the main trail, and back to the cars.  We finished the hike right on time today with a total mileage of about 4 miles. 

Wednesday, October 14

South Hill Rec Way from Burns Road

Hike report by Jim

Thirteen hikers and three dogs met on Burns Rd in the Town of Ithaca on the last warm fall day before an approaching cold front is forecast to arrive on Thursday, for a loop hike of the easterly end of the South Hill Rec Way and associated blue blazed trails. This is hike 2-3 on our list of regular hike locations hike #2 – ithacahikers  . See map of trail system at linked hike.

When hiking the South Hill Rec Way, the group normally starts from Crescent Place, which normally puts the easterly end of the Rec Way near Burns Rd beyond the reach of our normal two-hour hike duration. The limited parking available on either Crescent Place or Burns Rd limits this hike location to a Wednesday group hike. Even so, we still received a comment from a passing Rec Way user today about the number of cars we had parked on Burns Rd.

The group gathered for our normal photo and then set off on the Rec Way. While there are still many leaves in the canopy overhead, enough leaves have fallen that much of the Rec Way is covered in leaves to varying depths. This led to the familiar Fall experience of shuffling through those leaves during our hike.

After a short walk on the Rec Way we turned onto the first small blue blazed loop. Margaret and I recently adopted this loop as volunteer trail maintainers after noticing during our frequent hikes of the Rec Way that the loop was extremely overgrown by the end of summer. The city forester who oversees the Rec Way and its associated blue blazed trail system advised us that the volunteer who had been maintaining the blue blazed trails in previous years had stepped away from that responsibility this year. Margaret and I spent a day last week ahead of today’s hike weed eating and re-blazing the single short loop, leading her to dub it the ” Smurf Trail” due to the shade of “Yosemite Blue” paint used for blazing the footpaths route.

The hikers today navigated that loop without incident. There are a few blowdown trees that the forester has been advised of that will require city crews to remove. The footpath was in generally good shape, although recent rains have left it somewhat muddier than we found it to be last week.

Exiting the first loop we continued on the Rec Way until reaching the access point for the much bigger westerly blue blazed trail loops. The group turned down that path, making our way through the woods in the vicinity of Second Dam and continuing on the blue blazed trails until we returned to the South Hill Rec Way in the vicinity of the Iacovelli playground.

From there the group made its way back to our cars at whatever pace we each desired. The last hikers got back to our cars about fifteen minutes earlier than normal, but I don’t think that anyone objected to this shortened hike duration.

Welcome to Susan O on her first hike with the group today!

By the way, the city forester is still looking for volunteers to maintain the remainder of the blue blazed trails in the area of the Rec Way. It’s too much trail distance for Margaret and I to do by ourselves.

Saturday, October 17

Lime Hollow Nature Preserve, McLean

Hike report by Claire L.

12 hikers met at the Gracie Road parking lot.

We started west on the LeHigh Valley trail up to the Hawthorn Connector from where we reached the High Vista Loop. We completed the loop with a nice view of the Baldwin Pond before returning to the Hawthorn Connector and heading south on the Fen Way loop. On the way back north we took the FenWay connector bridge and after a steep climb we reached the northern part of the Mill Pond loop. We passed a deer exclosure which is part of conservation efforts at Lime Hollow and kept going straight East on the Bog Spur. We reached Gracie Road at the one hour mark.

After a 2 minute walk along the road we arrived at the start of the Maple Run on the East side of Gracie Rd. As we reached the Chicago Bog we had a light drizzle of rain. After a pause to enjoy the view we headed North toward the LeHigh Valley trail and got on the Marl Pond loop. We completed half the loop by using the connector trail before getting back on the LeHigh Valley trail and on to the parking lot.

Everyone enjoyed this new itinerary. Rain had been forecast, but it ended up being a very pleasant mostly dry fall morning with quite a bit of sun to highlight the colorful landscape.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, October 18

Arnot Teaching Forest, Newfield

Hike report by Jim

Fourteen hikers and one dog met at the north gate of Arnot Teaching and Research Forest, for an out-and-back hike of roads within the Forest. This is hike # 52 on our list of regular hike locations: hike #52 – ithacahikers.

The morning started out cold and crisp; with the seasons first frost arriving the previous night. Temperatures had risen somewhat by the time the hike stared, but the temps throughout the hike remain pleasantly cool. Skies were clear and the sun shone brightly through the breaks in the forest canopy.

The group posed for a photo before setting off on Irish Hill Rd at whatever pace the individual hikers found most enjoyable. It didn’t take long for the group to become strung out over a long distance.

On Irish Hill Rd the group passed the first of several sections of the Forest along our route which had been extensively logged just a few short years ago. I am happy to report that nature has concealed the scars of that operation fairly well, with just a few piles of logs or brush stacked high and still visible from the road to bear witness to the past activities there.

The group reached Banfield Rd, the first major intersection, and turned left to continue the hike in a southerly direction. This section of the hike is marked by a few minor elevation changes, with the road rising and falling along our route. There was a noticeable depth of freshly fallen leaves blanketing the road, leading to that familiar sound of the shuffle of feet through the deep leaves so often heard on our seasonal hikes in the area. Also unique to Banfield Rd is an observation area, a break in the surrounding forest, that offers a good view of the surrounding hills on a clear sunny day like today. Many of the visible trees were one shade of fall foliage or another; including bright yellows and brilliant reds, with a few holdout greens still remaining in the mix.

The group soon reached Station Rd and turned there. This section of the hike is notable due to the deer fencing and more brush piled high that block access to areas of the forest that used to offer short side trails we could hike.

The various members of the group turned around at whatever location they reached at the one-hour mark into the hike and re-traced their way on the roads back to their cars without incident.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, October 7

O.D. von Engeln Preserve, Freeville

Hike report by Jim

Thirteen hikers and one dog met in the parking lot of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve for a hike led by Claire. This is hike # 44 on our list of regular hike locations: hike #44 – ithacahikers.

The weather was cool but sunny as hikers arrived at the parking lot.

We started the hike promptly at 9:30, which caused a few late arrivals to have to run to catch up to the main group.

The preceding evening had low temps in the high 30s, and the footpath was covered by the first layer of dead leaves which crunched underfoot as the group hiked. Falling acorns hit the forest floor at times along our route.

The group completed most of the outer loop of the Preserves trail system ( see trail map here: Malloryville-Swamp-Preserve.pdf ) before we bushwhacked a short distance off the trail system to the near-by former railbed. We followed the rail bed in a northerly direction, following the edge of the Preserves property, crossing over a couple of old railroad trestles along the way before we returned to the northern end of the Preserves property where several unofficial trails exist but where, per the signage, hiking is allowed.

Re-entering Preserve property from the rail bed, we followed those winding trails through the woods until we turned off the footpath to follow along the crest of a fairly substantial esker. This esker led to an old but still solid beaver dam, which the group crossed without incident.

Once on the opposite bank of the pond above the dam, we followed the edge of the pond before returning to the trail system. We took those trails along the edge of the Preserve property back to the railbed and from there back to the trails in the lower end of the Preserve.

Once back on the official Preserve trails we continued the outer loop we had started the hike on until we reached the Esker trail that runs up the center of the Preserve. The hikers followed the Esker Trail to its northern end and then retraced our original route on the outer trail back to the parking lot.

Saturday, October 10

The “Chunks” Hike, Stone House Rd., Enfield

Hike report by Nina F.

A gorgeous fall day brought out 26 hikers and one dog to hike what Ithaca Hikers call “The Chunks,” a relatively new hiking route that begins at the parking lot along Stone House Road in Enfield. This hiking route came about after late property owner, Margaret Bald, left her historic stone house and 140 acres of surrounding lands, located at the junction of Stone House and Woodard Roads in the town of Enfield, to the Finger Lakes Land Trust in 2022. After acquiring the property, the Land Trust created a loop trail through what is now known as “Margaret’s Woods” and a connector path to the Finger Lakes Trail. There was a ribbon cutting in 2024 to officially open the new hiking area. Ultimately, this Land Trust property will be taken over by the Office of State Parks and Historic Preservation and absorbed into Robert Treman State Park.

Jim named this hike The Chunks after pre-hiking it with Leigh Ann some time ago, who commented that the various portions of the hike: the loop through Margaret’s Woods, the access trail toward the state park, the CCC trail, and the loop through upper Treman, each has different qualities and attributes to them. Leigh Ann described the hike as being broken up into various ” chunks,” each chunk bringing its own unique attributes and qualities to the overall route. The route features a mix of scrub trees, maples, hickories, gullies, streams and a fabulous view of the 115 foot Lucifer Falls in Upper Treman State Park.

We did all the chunks Saturday, starting with the loop through Margaret’s Woods. After walking the loop, we crossed back through the parking area (where we ditched outerwear in our cars as the day, and our bodies, warmed up) and took the connector trail to the FLT into upper Robert Treman State Park. At the end of the connector trail we crossed the small bridge over Fish Kill Creek and followed the FLT all the way to the Lucifer Falls overlook, where we turned around and headed back. The hike ended at 11:30. 

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, October 11

Finger Lakes Trail in Danby State Forest from S. Danby Road to the Tamarack Lean-to

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Twelve hikers and two dogs on leashes met up for this hike. Given that the remains of Hurricane Isaias were moving through the area, we lucked out during the hike. There was a little light rain at the beginning and end and no moderate rain. The wind was enough to make a few trees creak in eerie ways appropriate for October. This hike goes from South Danby Rd. east to the Tamarack lean-to and back on the FLT. It’s delightfully chill and feels pretty flat, even though it has almost 600 feet of elevation gain across its 4.1 miles. We encountered a few people who had camped out at the Tamarack lean-to or a few hundred feet west of there, all of whom were packing up before the heavier rain arrived. Amazingly, we returned to the cars before the heavier rain arrived. This was about 12 minutes early, just before the rain was set to pick up again, and no one minded. 

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.