Quiet Rural Road Walks with Good Scenery.
Tompkins County
Hike # 57-1
Fisher Settlement Road into Tioga County, South Danby
Meet-up: Fisher Settlement Road a minute south of the intersection with South Danby Road, where the FLT crosses
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Hike # 57-2
Hill Road + Curtis Road, South Danby
Meet-up: Corner of Hill Road and Curtis Road, south of Route 96B
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Hike # 57-3
Michigan Hollow Road south into Tioga County
Meet-up: Parking lot 2.4 miles south of Route 96B in downtown Danby — parking for Diane’s Crossing, where the FLT crosses
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Hike # 57-4
Station Road west from Bald Hill Road to Route 34-96, Danby
Meet-up: Corner of Bald Hill Road and Station Road in Danby SF
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Hike # 57-5
Braley Hill Road, Chestnut Road and Bailor Road, Brooktondale
Meet-up: Shindagin State Forest parking lot a little south of the intersection with Bald Hill School Road
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Hike # 57-6
Woodard Road, Stone House Road and Van Ostrand Road, Enfield
Meet-up: Woodard Road a little southwest of the junction with Upper Park Road, Upper Treman SP, where the FLT crosses
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Hike # 57-7
Red Mill Road, Hile School Road and West Malloryville Road, West Malloryville
Meet-up: Parking lot for the Von Engeln Preserve, West Malloryville Road
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Hike # 57-8
Mekeel Road, Reynolds Road and Van Liew, Jacksonville
Meet-up: Corner of Mekeel Road and Jacksonville Road
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Hike # 57-9
Actually not a hike itself, but the meet-up spot for several road walks — Lloyd Starks Road at Connecticut Hill Road, CHWMA
Meet-up: Junction of Lloyd Starks Road, Connecticut Hill Road and Boylan Road, Newfield
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Hike # 57-10
Hurd Hill Road into Shindagin Hollow SF
Meet at junction of South Rd and Hurd Hill Rd, Town of Caroline
Google pin:
S Rd & Hurd Hill Rd – Google Maps
Hurd Hill Rd does not have a road sign. Look for the first right turn past the juvenile detention facility on South Rd. The only sign at the intersection is an old decrepit brown state forest sign.
Seasonally maintained Hurd Hill Rd gradually descends through state land to the Shindagin Hollow basin, giving hikers a three season hike option during which we see a portion of the Shindagin Hollow area that the group doesn’t visit during our other Shindagin hikes ( as the road is not maintained, winter hikes of this location are dependent on snow depth ).
Hurd Hill Rd meets Pleasant Valley Rd inside Tioga County, giving the group a choice of directions to hike from that junction.
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Hike # 57-11
Carter Creek Road Walk Hike
Meet: Junction of Carter Creek Rd at intersection with Rowell Hill Rd
Hike Route Description:
This is primarily a winter hike, although the flat terrain and forest surroundings can make it a pleasant but more exposed summer hike route
Carter Creek Rd beyond Rowell Hill RD is used as a snowmobile route throughout the winter months, making it a compacted snow surface easy for hikers to walk on.
Hikers can opt to turn onto either Lloyd Starks Rd or Hulford RDs to add elevation gain to their hike route as part of an out-and-back hike.
In combination with various skiing trails in the area it is possible to create a loop trail back to the cars. This is at the hike leader’s discretion but should be pre-planned, as it is easy to get lost on the ski trails
Hike # 57-12
Bald Hill Road to Michigan Hollow Road
Meet at the junction of Bald Hill and Station Roads, Town of Danby
Station Rd & Bald Hill Rd – Google Maps
This is the same intersection we meet at for our most popular route to reach the Pinnacles. The only difference is that instead of turning from Bald Hill Rd onto the Abbott Loop to reach the Pinnacles, continue walking on the seasonal part of Bald Hill Rd until reaching Michigan Hollow Rd.
This isn’t a level walk by any means, but it’s much easier than ascending to The Pinnacles. The road runs through the woods the whole time and the scenery is very pleasant. The road surface is fairly smooth, and you can walk side by side and talk instead of having to walk single file and keep your eyes glued on the trail the whole time.
This road can also be hiked in the reverse direction, starting from Michigan Hollow Rd near the ” Point o’ Rocks” pull-off:
Michigan Hollow Rd & Bald Hill Rd – Google Maps
Hike # 57-13
Bull Hill and Stark Rds, Newfield
Bull Hill Rd & Stark Rd – Google Maps
Turn left onto Stark Rd from Bull Hill Rd, park on shoulder near the seasonal road sign. Do not let Google maps bring you to this trailhead from anywhere but Bull Hill Rd unless your car has good ground clearance.
We used to do a road walk from Chaffee Creek Rd at Van Kirk Rd, but there were parking issues at that trailhead.
This is a seasonal road walk under the forest canopy in summer months. This section of Stark Rd is a seasonally maintained road in generally good condition that gradually descends towards Chaffee Creek Rd, passing through both privately owned parcels and portions of a 478 acre county forest Microsoft Word – Inventory report that lies between the Newfield State Forest Newfield State Forest – NYSDEC and Arnot Teaching Forest Arnot Teaching and Research Forest | Operated by the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.
Once at Chaffee Creek Rd hikers can turn left towards Van Kirk Rd, or right towards the seasonal end of Bull Hill Rd. As Newfield State Forest has no official trail system, Chaffee Creek Rd is the best access point for that state forest.
At the turn-around time simply turn around and re-trace the previous route.
Obviously Stark Rd is a steady uphill climb on the return portion of the hike.
Rural Road Walks south and east of Tompkins County
Hike # 57-14
Ekroos Rd/ Wheeling Rd/ State Land Rd – Tompkins and Tioga county line
This country road goes by several names on Google maps and printed maps
Even the road signs at opposite ends of the road do not agree with each other.
Several times when we’ve hiked this location, hikers have reported that the Google map apps on their phones stopped working while en route due to the lack of reliable cell service. As a result, some hikers who rely on their phones for directions have had difficulty finding the meeting location.
Here are written directions to the parking area for this hike in case that is an issue for future hikes in the area:
From State Route 79 ( Slaterville Rd ) in the hamlet of Slaterville Springs, take a right turn onto Buffalo ( Hill ) Rd at this intersection:
Slaterville Rd & Buffalo Rd – Google Maps
Take Buffalo ( Hill ) Rd to the hamlet of Caroline Center, where Buffalo ( Hill ) Rd ends at a four way intersection with ( Old ) 76 Rd and South Rd. Here is a pin map that shows that intersection:
S Rd & Buffalo Rd – Google Maps
Cross straight over ( Old ) 76 Rd from Buffalo ( Hill ) Rd onto South Rd.
Take South Rd to the county line, where it turns into Honeypot Rd once inside Tioga County. One of the last identifiable landmarks you’ll see in Tompkins County at 300 South Rd is the secure juvenile detention facility known as the MacCormick Secure Center on the right side of the road ( looks like a jail or small prison ). Keep driving once you’ve passed that facility.
The only indication of the county line that you might notice is the snowplow turn-around on the right side of the road.
About a tenth of a mile past the county line you should see Ekroos / Wheeling/ State Land Rd ( a dirt road ) ; it is the first left hand turn once you are in Tioga County.
The Google pin to the intersection of Ekroos and Honeypot Rd is below ( if Google maps is still working for you). As of late 2023 the road sign for Ekroos Rd is missing, so look for the intersection carefully. We are NOT meeting at the intersection; this is simply the closest place to the parking area that I can get a pin to drop).
Ekroos Rd & Honeypot Rd – Google Maps
Turn left onto Ekroos / Wheeling/ State Land Rd.
The parking area for the hike will be about a tenth of a mile down Ekroos/ Wheeling/ State Land Rd from the intersection with Honeypot Rd.
This is a rural country road that is maintained / plowed in the winter because it has two residences about a mile down the road.
The end of the road that runs off ( Old ) 76 Road is not reliably plowed in the winter, but you should be able to come in from that direction in summer months if we are hiking this location in the fall or summer.
The Google maps pin for the intersection of Ekroos/ Wheeling and (Old ) 76 Road, for those coming to the hike from the South:
76 Rd & Ekroos Rd – Google Maps
Hike # 57-15
Sessions Hill and Forbes Rd intersection, Town of Homer
Thanks to long -time Ithaca Hiker Steve S for introducing the group to this hike location.
Google map link to meeting location:
42°40’37.8″N 76°08’26.7″W – Google Maps
This location provides several three season hike options, both out and back and loop routes
Excellent views of surrounding fields and long distance vistas throughout the hike
Rural Road Walks west of Tompkins County
Hike # 57-16
Hosenfeld Road and Lisk Roads, Town of Odessa
Meet-up: Corner of Lisk and Hosenfeld Road, south of Mecklenburg. There is a wide shoulder along the dirt road. The views up and down the valley are wonderful, and Rogers Lean-To is close-by and nice to visit.
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Hike # 57-17
N Shuler Road and Morris Road
Meet-up: Corner of N Shuler Road and Culver Road
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Hike # 57-18
Fitzgerald Road and Bergen Road
Meet-up: Corner of Fitzgerald Road and Route 79
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Hike # 57-19
Newtown Road and Fitzgerald Road, Burdett
Meet-up: Intersection of Newtown Road and Route 79
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Hike # 57-20
Bower Road, Perry City
Meet-up: Corner of Bower Road and Burr/Sirrine Road
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Hike # 57-21
Chicken Coop Road, Perry City
Meet-up: Corner of Chicken Coop Road and Stillwell Road
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Hike # 57-22
Buck Hill Road and Aiken Road, Mecklenburg
Meet-up: Buck Hill Road at the intersection with Route 79, NE corner
Last edit 07-21-2025 JFR