Virgil Mountain, Cortland County
For a two hour hike, meet at the junction of O’Dell and Baldwin Rds in Cortland County
For those with low-slung vehicles with little ground clearance, the approach to the parking area on O’Dell may be challenging at certain times of the year.
IMPORTANT!
If you are using Google maps to arrive at the junction of O’Dell and Baldwin Roads, do NOT follow Google driving instructions that send you over the seasonal part of O’Dell from the direction of Hauck Hill and Cartwright Roads! This is a seasonal portion of O’Dell that will be impassible for parts of the year. Come to the trailhead via O’Dell Road from the direction of Van Donsel Rd
See Google map here:
Virgil Mountain Trailhead – Google Maps
For our two hour group hike format this hike is best done as an out and back.
The FLT passes by the parking area and then plunges into the woods a short distance up O’Dell Rd. From there the trail winds through evergreen trees, flowers, and along and through multiple steams that are very attractive at certain times of the year. The footpath of the trail has an enjoyable bed of pine needles through much of the lower portion before reaching Van Donsel RD that makes walking on the FLT footpath in that area to be quite enjoyable.
Crossing over the seasonal Van Donsel Rd, the FLT continues up Virgil mountain, past the ski lifts of Greek Peak and onwards to a nice overlook across the valley. This is where the group would normally want to turn around to begin the return to the cars.
If hiking this area alone, a hiker may continue on the white blazed FLT and then the orange blazed Virgil Mountain loop to return to near the O’Dell Rd parking area. This route will take more than our normal two hour hike limit, however, and I don’t find following the utility lines along this part of the trail to be very appealing by comparison to the FLT on other portions of the mountain
See more of a trail description for this hike at All Trails:
Virgil Mountain Trail – New York | AllTrails
For those who might want to pick an alternate parking area that’s safer to approach, or who wish to add more miles to this hike, meeting at the corner of Bleck and Hauck Hill RD might be an option. This will give the hiker additional trail time through woods before beginning to climb Virgil Mountain itself.
See our Dabes Diversion Loop hike # 48 for directions to that parking area:
More information about this section of the FLT, including still photos, may be found at:
Virgil Mountain Loop | Trails Less Traveled | Central NY (trailslesstraveledny.org)
Last edit 02-2023 JFR