Author: Benben

Wednesday, June 4

Hinchcliff Family Preserve, Spafford, Onondaga County

Hike report by Jim

Seven hikers met on the first really warm and sunny summer morning of the year for a hike of the Hinchcliff Family Preserve led by Casey C. This is hike # 60-8 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-60.

Water was flowing well at all stream crossings, and there were a few muddy spots along the way. Overall, a good and enjoyable hike day and location.

Saturday, June 7

Cayuga Trail South Loop

Hike report by Jim

Twenty -two hikers and two dogs met at Flat Rock for an out-and-back hike of the Cayuga Trail South Loop. This is hike # 4-2 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-04. While the FLTC does produce a Cayuga Trail map available in both print and electronic formats at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. There are better Cayuga Trail maps available elsewhere.

As I arrived at the parking area, I found that there were numerous tour buses and private vehicles lining the road. I found that a foot race was just ending, and luckily the majority of the vehicles were gone by the time the remainder of the hikers began to arrive.

The morning was warm although a little humid after recent heavy rains, the after-effects which impacted our route this morning due to the amount of footpath that was under standing water or reduced to a flowing stream due to the quantity of water coming off open fields and hillsides onto the trail.

The hikers started out from the parking area and crossed the Stevens suspension bridge before turning right on the opposite side of that bridge and making our way along Fall Creek. The creek was flowing vigorously and quite loudly, the water levels very high after recent rains. We stayed close to the creek, continuing to make right turns at successive trail intersections.

Eventually the trail breaks free of both the woods and the creek as it enters several open fields as it draws closer to Freese Rd. Here we encountered both ankle-deep standing water as well as flowing water of the same depth that transformed the footpath into a flowing stream Arriving at Freese Rd we crossed the derelict old bridge (yes, they’re still planning on replacing it…) before making a left turn and rejoining the orange blazed footpath as it now followed the southerly bank of Fall Creek.

We soon entered and traversed a couple more open fields before returning to the woods, which I greatly prefer over hiking in open fields. There are some good viewpoints of the creek along this part of the hike, and I made sure to grab a couple of quick seasonally appropriate photos to use for future Meetup thumbnails for this hike, to replace the winter photo we posted for today’s hike.

Reaching the turn-around point we reversed course and re-traced our previous route back to the cars. Along the way we encountered a couple of dog walkers and trail runners but otherwise had the trail to ourselves.

Warm welcome to Lucia, Yeonso and Francisco, on their first hike with the group.

Of course, the sun came out as soon as the hike ended. So it goes in Ithaca….

As a quick PS, a reminder that our annual summer picnic will be the first weekend in August. We will need a number of volunteers to forego the hike that morning to make preparations for the picnic.

We are also in need of more hikers who may be interested in leading group hikes in the future to make their interest known.

Sunday, June 8

Loop Hike: FLT and Lower Treman Park Trails

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Sixteen hikers met up at the Shady Corners parking lot for this hike. We followed the FLT west to the YMCA shelter, then took the spur trail northwest from the YMCA shelter to the rim trail. From there, we followed the rim trail to the bridge below Lucifer Falls, crossed this bridge, and followed the gorge trail east to where it ends at the lower Treman parking lot. We returned to the cars by walking along the park road back to the FLT, then taking the FLT back to the Shady Corners parking lot.

This was the first day in a while that didn’t have rain, and the creek was powerful and impressive. The air quality was worse than the day before – not good for sensitive groups. This air quality gave this hike a golden-hour quality all the way through. Most of the group returned to the cars by noon, and a few hikers took longer. 

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, May 28

Trumansburg Walking Tour

Hike report by Mark Sussman

On Wednesday, May, 28 18 hikers and 2 dogs met at the Trumansburg Farmers Market for a hike around Trumansburg. We were supposed to begin by exploring the Habitat Trail, but we skipped that due to wet conditions. We did explore the old and new neighborhoods, and discussed several of the items of historical interest. These included showing where Robert Moog’s workshop was and that Morse Chain began in Trumansburg in 1880 before it moved to Ithaca in 1906. People enjoyed the beautiful and varied architecture of the village houses. They also commented that it was an excellent time of year for the hike since so many things were in bloom.

The hike finished in 2 hours and covered over 3 miles.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, May 31

Kennedy State Forest

Hike report by Jim

On a very wet Saturday morning five hikers and two dogs met on the seasonal part of Owego Hill Rd for a loop hike within James Kennedy State Forest that included parts of the Spanish Loop, the FLT, and the Ukranian Loop, with a short road walk at the very end to close up the loop route. Most of this hike was led by Greg; thank you Greg for stepping up on request to lead the group!

This is hike # 40-5 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-40.

All of today’s hike took place on FLT map sheet M19, available for sale in paper or electronic formats at https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/ . Sale of the map sheets help to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance. Hikers should know that the FLTC has recently updated Map Sheet M19 as well as the various International Trail map sheets for Kennedy Forest. Be sure to update the maps you carry!

Yes, it was very wet. As the early morning passed, I received a number of cancellations via text or on the Meetup page, leaving me wondering if anyone would show up. In the end we had a small crew of hikers and dogs who were willing to brave the continuous precipitation and mud.

Yes, there was mud, a lot of it. So much mud that I soon gave up trying to avoid it, and near the end of the hike at the very last stream crossing I actually face planted into it as a rock in mid-stream shifted under my foot and I ended up on my face on the far side of the stream.

There was a good amount of water flowing in the streams, an obvious result of our many recent days of rain. Nothing too deep, although as I said I quickly lost any interest in trying to stay dry during the hike. That made the stream crossings a little easier to navigate.

We had the trail to ourselves for the duration of the hike.

We did encounter one small blowdown as we started the downhill portion of the Spanish Loop off Owego Hill Rd. It was easily navigated around.

For those who are trying to earn their 2025 FLT50 or FLT100 patch, todays hike included 1.1 FLT miles. I am not sure if the International Loop trails are being counted as FLT miles for patch purposes.

View photo album of the hike.

Sunday, June 1

O.D. von Engeln Preserve, Freeville

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-Seven hikers met in the O.D von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville for a hike of the trail system there. This is hike # 44 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-44.

Compared to Saturday’s weather the Sunday hike was a distinct improvement; the sun appeared briefly as hikers arrived at the parking lot, and while it didn’t stay sunny long, the morning was still a huge improvement over the non-stop rain we enjoyed on Saturday’s hike. There was an occasional breeze that cooled us down during this hike but for the most part this was perfect weather to be in the woods.

About a quarter of our group indicated that they had never hiked this particular location. This was not surprising, as the group only comes to this preserve about once a year.

The group left the parking lot and began a clockwise hike of the preserve trails in the more southerly part of the preserve as depicted on the preserve trail map: https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Malloryville-Swamp-Preserve.pdf.

About half-way through the loop of the trail system, we left the preserve and crossed over to the former railbed that runs along the eastern edge of the preserve. We took the former rail bed to the northern edge of the preserve and re-entered the preserve near its northern border. The group walked in a southerly direction across the various eskers, across the old beaver dam, and some open fields along one edge of the preserve property to get back to the former rail bed. We then took the rail bed back to West Malloryville Rd and re-entered the preserve property to complete the trail loop within the southern end of the preserve.

The hikers arrived back at the cars about five minutes early.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, May 21

Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area, Newfield

Hike report by Dave Bock

On a rainy Wednesday morning a group with 8 heads and 18 legs (mathteacherspeak…) set out for a 4-mile loop hike on Connecticut Hill. Shortly after entering the woods we turned downhill for a gravity-aided mile-and-a-half descent — and savvy hikers know what that portends. The bottom of the hill presented us with our first stream crossing flanked by pilings for a long-abandoned bridge. Despite the recent rains, the water level was surprisingly low enough that stepping stones meant no wet feet. The trail continued along the bank of a tributary creek, meandering gently uphill to an overgrown sandbank that was once the departure point for trucks that would have crossed that bridge. A short-but-steep climb brought us to the top of the bank for a view of another hill shrouded in the day’s mist. Here the loop arced back in the general direction of the cars, this section of trail marked by patches of mud through a forest of pines giving way to mixed hardwoods. ’Twas here that the Hike Leader (guilty!) walked past a turn, realized the mistake a couple hundred yards later, and found the missed trail via a short bushwhack (bonus feature!). Some gentle ups and downs then brought us to another stream crossing and soon thereafter to the more daunting climb that would end the hike. With a couple of stops to catch our breath and to look over what may have been the site of some Prohibition-era moonshining, we arrived back at the trailhead in just over 2 hours. Intermittent gentle rain combined with a breeze freeing water from upper leaves to produce a wet but enjoyable hike.

Saturday, May 24

Monkey Run Natural Area, Corner of Hanshaw Road and Lower Creek Road

Hike report by Jim

Today was supposed to be a trail maintenance day for our adopted section of the Cayuga Trail, with a stop at Hopshire Farms and Brewery afterwards. Because of the daily rain forecasts I delayed the trail work but opted to keep the hike active as an option for anyone who decided to hike today despite the weather. This was the second postponement of trail maintenance due to weather.

As I stood in the parking lot at the corner of Hanshaw and Lower Creek Rds, a dog walker arrived, parked next to my car and said to me that nobody would hike today because of the weather.

Well, thirteen people and a dog arrived for the hike, and the dog walker got to see the group as we left the parking lot headed to the red blazed Monkey Run trails.

This is hike # 5-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-5. The FLTC does make a “Cayuga Trail” map available in either paper or electronic formats, available for purchase at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/store/maps-and-gps/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the map sheets does help to defray the costs associated with trail maintenance. That being said, I believe that some of the other online map options out there are a better hike option for this particular trail system due to a lack of detail of the FLTC product.

The weather predictions for today were accurate, and we had at least a light sprinkle of rain throughout most of the hike today.

The group left the parking lot and hiked down the red blazed trail towards Fall Creek. There was a lot of standing water along the way; in fact, in much of the hike parts of the trail with any amount of elevation change consisted of a running stream of water. There was also quite a bit of slippery mud on the elevation changes. Areas of the route that included a rope on the hillsides were quite welcome.

The hike route included a good stretch of trail that follows the shoreline for Fall Creek before it scales the bluffs and continues towards the Cornell Outdoor program pavilion on the orange blazed portion of the trail system.

We did have a few stream crossings along the way, both on the outbound and return portions of the hike. By the time we crossed the streams my feet were already so wet that I didn’t even bother to look for rocks to step across the stream on.

We did see quite a few areas where recent sawyer work was done to open up the footpath after recent blowdowns; thank you to the CTC volunteer sawyers for their efforts!

The group reached the turn-around point of the hike without incident and began the return leg of the hike. I altered our original route by leaving the footpath and returning to the cars via the entrance road for the Cornell pavilion, which saved up a few minutes’ worth of hiking on a very wet day.

Other than the original dog walker I spoke to, we saw a couple of trail runners and another group of dog walkers during the second half of our hike. Otherwise, we had a very wet and muddy trail to ourselves today.

The Hopshire stop was also postponed for a better day.

Thanks to everyone who came out to hike today!

Sunday, May 25

Lime Hollow Nature Center, Cortland

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Nineteen hikers met at the large Lime Hollow parking lot on north Gracie Road and did a different route than usual. This route went west on Lehigh Valley to Fen Way, then headed south on Fen Way to the eastern Mill Pond Connector. From there, we took Mill Pond counterclockwise to where a Mill Pond spur heads east to Gracie Road. After crossing Gracie Road and ending up at the southern Gracie Road parking lot, we did Wanderer Way, then returned to the Mill Pond Spur. Because the wooden bridges were slimy after a week of nonstop rain and the one to the Mill Pond Spur was especially slimy, we headed back to the Mill Pond loop by taking the trail around the south side of Cattail Pond. Then we rejoined the Mill Pond loop, stopping to admire Salamander Springs before returning to the eastern Mill Pond connector. From there, we took Fen Way west to its western junction with Lehigh Valley, then took Lehigh Valley back to the cars. We arrived back at the cars in two hours. This is a nice, rather different hike in Lime Hollow than we’ve usually done.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, May 14

Finger Lakes Trail from Carson Rd to Woodchuck Hollow Lean-To, Cortland County

Hike report by Jim

Seven hikers met on Carson Rd in Cortland County for a lollipop hike of the FLT through Tuller Hill State Forest to the Woodchuck Hollow Lean-To. This is hike # 60-6 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-60.

 Today’s hike took place entirely on FLT map sheet M19, available for purchase in paper or electronic formats at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the map sheets helps to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance

As could be expected from recent weather, the group ran into a fair amount of mud on this hike. Weather forecasts probably kept some hikers away from this hike, as rain was forecast. While temps were a little cool, we only experienced some light drizzle towards the very end of the hike, with accompanying higher wind gusts. The remainder of the hike was actually enjoyable in terms of weather conditions. We did have some water to deal with on some of the creek crossings, but if I had to guess those levels have dropped from what they were a week ago.

One issue we had to deal with repeatedly was the number of blow downs. I classify fallen trees into one of three categories: step -overs, crawl-overs and bushwhack-around. The group encountered all three types today, and I feel that it did slow down the group a bit as we had to deal with the crawl-overs and bushwhack-arounds both coming and going during the hike. I did submit a trail conditions report to the FLTC and reached out to FLTC sawyer Erin Potter about conditions.

The walk to the lean-to was otherwise quite enjoyable, as the FLT passes through some nice stands of trees and across and along some enjoyable streams and creeks. While things are well along in terms of leafing out, the line-of-sight through the forest is still very good

The hikers eventually reached the Woodchuck Hollow lean-to, where we paused to make a journal entry and take a group photo.

Beyond the lean to we found that the FLT has had a recent re-route due to a significant number of blow-downs. When I reached out to Erin Potter she advised that she had been part of that project, which clearly involved a lot of sawyer work to keep the FLT passable. What the sawyers did was to re-route the FLT along the former blue-blazed side trail, apparently leaving many of the blow downs on the former FLT footpath where they lay. near the forest service road the FLT continues northerly while the blue blazed trail continues along its usual easterly direction back to the FLT. This blue blazed trail did have one fairly large blow-down tree that will need to be addressed by sawyers.

The group took the FLT back to Carson Rd without incident.

For those who are tracking their FLT miles towards an FLT50 or FLT100 patch, today’s hike included 3.6 FLT miles.

Saturday, May 17

Woodard Road east into upper Robert Treman SP, Enfield

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Nineteen hikers and no dogs met where the FLT crosses Woodard Road. It was a great Saturday morning for a varied hike. We headed east across Butternut Creek and turned right on Butternut Creek Road for a lovely walk along the creek. Then we turned left on Van Ostrand Road for a pleasant country road walk over to Thomas Road. After turning left onto Thomas road, we had open meadows and panoramic views until we entered the woods again at the other end of Butternut Creek Road. We walked down to where the FLT comes in and turned right on that to follow Butternut Creek Gorge over to the end of Thomas Road through thick pines. Then we took Thomas Road into the park and joined the rim trail going east. After stopping to admire Lucifer Falls at the overlook, we turned around and headed toward the upper parking lot, then took the first quarter mile of the Gorge Trail to end up exactly across from the overlook where we had just been. It was a satisfying pincer move on the creek without knee-crushing stairs. After returning to the upper parking lot, we returned to the cars via the CCC trail and FLT.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, May 18

Sweedler Preserve/Lick Brook

Hike report by Jim

Fourteen hikers and a single dog met in the Land Trust Tapan Mitra Preserve parking lot at Shady Corners at the junction of state routes 13 and 34/96, for an out and back hike on the FLT through the Sweedler and Thayer Preserves led in parts by Peter H and myself. This is hike #7-2 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-7.

This hike took place on FLT map sheet M17. FLT map sheets may be purchased in paper or electronic formats from: https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of map sheets helps to defray the on-going costs of trail maintenance.

The day was overcast with a threat of rain as hikers arrived. The parking lot was already mostly full due to a runner’s event that seemed to have met at the same location.

Hikers assembled for a group photo and then started towards the railroad trestle. Reaching the other side of Cayuga Inlet the group passed through the Cornell Botanic Gardens parcel before entering the Sweedler Preserve. We paused at the bottom of the Lick Brook falls before walking to the blue blazed Jim’s Trail switchbacks that ascended the hillside towards Townline Rd. Water was flowing well in the stream that the trail followed so closely much of the way up the hill. Hikers paused often along the way to check out the views or identify some bird or flower that they came across on the climb.

Reaching the top of the hill and Townline Rd the group crossed into the Tom’s Trail Thayer Preserve. The group turned around at the hour mark and returned to Townline Rd and began the descent back to the forest floor on the white blazed FLT.

Once on the flatlands the group retraced our route back to the cars without incident. By the time hikers arrived back at the cars, it was noticeably brighter than it had been earlier in the morning

We passed a few day hikers along our route but for the most part we had the trails to ourselves.

For those hikers who are tracking their 2025 FLT miles to earn an FT50 or FLT100 patch, todays hike included 3 FLT miles.

Wednesday, May 7

Yellow Barn State Forest, Dryden

Hike report by Jim

Eight hikers met at the junction of Tehan and Signal Tower Rds in the Town of Dryden, for a hike in and around Yellow Barn State Forest. This is hike #33 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-33.

The day started out a little unusual, as our normal parking area was occupied by heavy equipment delivering construction materials for new houses being built along the seasonal portion of Signal Tower Rd. The group size was small enough that we managed to park at the junction of Signal Tower and Tehan without any issues.

We were fortunate that the weather cooperated for us during the hike; we had none of the significant rain that the area experienced the previous day. The day started out overcast with sporadic light drizzle, but by the end of the hike the skies had cleared, and the sun was out.

The seasonal part of Signal Tower Rd had the usual waterholes full of (at least for today ) fairly fresh-appearing water and not the stagnant mess we’ve seen in the past. Eventually our route took us into the open fields, where the lower forests edge had a lot of standing water. The entire field was full of rain-soaked grass, so it really didn’t matter which route we took across the field; we were going to get wet and that’s all there was to it

Eventually we reached the ski/ equestrian loop which we completed without incident. We returned to the open fields, taking the upper edge this time which had no standing water, but which was still as wet as the rest of the field.

We returned to the seasonal portion of Signal Tower Rds and retraced our original route

Flying gnats were in abundance today, so hikers might want to bring their head nets to hikes. Also, as a reminder- spring turkey hunting season is underway. Please wear something preferably in blaze orange or blaze pink, or at least highly visible and not earth toned.

Saturday, May 10

Finger Lakes Trail east from Lake Road, Dryden

Hike report by Leigh Ann

After a week of almost nonstop rain and below normal temperatures, it was time for a gorgeous, warm, and sunny day for hiking, which we got today. Twenty-three hikers and three dogs on leashes met at the junction of Lake Road and the Jim Schug Trail. Two hikers opted to hike along the very pretty and flat Jim Schug Trail for two hours. The rest went east on the FLT from Lake Road, went up and over Havington Hill, and turned around at the top of the second field.

This turn-around spot was before our planned turn-around spot at the stream. It turns out that we had accidentally crossed into a turkey-hunting FLT closure once we headed east on the FLT from Lake Road. Jim had a friendly talk with the landowner, who said we could return on the trail because no one was hunting that morning. One Jim got a hold of me by phone to let me know this update the group was about five minutes from the second field. So, we went down to the field and enjoyed the view for a few minutes and returned to the cars.

This got us back about half an hour early, so many people chose to extend the hike for the last half hour on the Jim Schug trail. This was a gorgeous hike: three miles on the FLT (out and back), plus another 1-1.5 on the Jim Schug Trail.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, May 11

Stevens Suspension Bridge – Cornell natural areas

Hike report by Jim

Fourteen hikers and four dogs met at the suspension bridge on Forest Home Drive in the Town of Ithaca for a loop hike of the Cayuga Trail footpaths and surrounding areas. This is hike #4-3 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-04.

While the FLTC does provide a Cayuga Trail map available for purchase in paper or electronic formats: https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/, their Cayuga Trail map doesn’t display the route for this hike very well. A better option might be the Ithaca Trails on-line map at : https://ithacatrails.org/map?trailList=Cayuga%20Trail.

The day was sunny and somewhat chilly and breezy at points, particularly when we crossed the area of the Robert Trent Jones golf course https://cornellbigred.com/facilities/robert-trent-jones-golf-course/17. There were a few sections of trail that were wet or muddy. Those wet sections on hillsides proved to be a little slippery for some hikers. We encountered one blow-down tree on the high bluffs trail immediately off the horse fields, about half-way through the hike.

Crossing the Stevens suspension bridge, the group turned westerly, following the northerly bank of Fall Creek. The trail here winds through the woods for a while before it turns towards the golf course. The trail loops around the edge of the golf course greens before turning northerly towards the equestrian barns on Bluegrass Lane. The part of our route that passes through the horse barns has been closed to us for a couple of years due to construction; I was pleased to find the fences removed and the route open to us again. We passed through the equestrian area before arriving at Piglets Corner, where we turned back to the south and re-entered the orange blazed Cayuga Trail system on the high bluffs above Fall Creek.

The group took these high trails to a junction that returned us to the lower trail system at creek level. Once there we returned to the suspension bridge and crossed back over to the Forest Home Drive side of the creek. We turned onto the red and blue blazed trails, doing a loop that often came right down to creek level.

We returned to the cars a few minutes early but overall, everyone seemed pleased with the hike.

We encountered many groups of people on the trail today; clearly this hike was a popular Mother’s Day hike destination.

Welcome to Wendy and Aiden on their first hike with the group!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.