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This is a list of trails in Ithaca, New York .
| This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
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This is a list of trails in Ithaca, New York .
Many of the major trails in Ithaca and the surrounding areas lie in abandoned railroad beds. Ithaca was part of the first big railroad boom, in the 1830s. While only one short-haul rail freight line remains in Ithaca (the Ithaca Central Railroad: a 48.8-mile (78.5 km) branch line between Sayre, Pennsylvania and the Cargill salt mine, near Myers Point on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, that was the former Auburn & Ithaca Branch of the defunct Lehigh Valley Railroad), the area benefits from the use of the well-graded roadbeds that the railroads left behind.
In 2004, the City of Ithaca drew up a master plan for its trail system, to fill gaps in trail coverage and to make them more usable as commuter trails in addition to providing better access by foot and bicycle to major area natural preserves and state parks. If all of the connecting trails are completed, Ithaca will have a fairly complete network connecting most neighborhoods in the area without roads.
The Cayuga Waterfront Trail connects Cass Park, on the western shore of Cayuga Lake, to Stewart Park on its eastern shore. The trail is 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m) wide with an asphalt surface, and links Ithaca's waterfront destinations, including the Tompkins County Visitors' Center, the Ithaca Youth Bureau, Stewart Park, Cascadilla Boat Club, Newman Golf Course, Farmers' Market, Cornell and Ithaca College boathouses, Inlet Island (with a planned extension to the current US Coast Guard at the Inlet Island point), Cass Park and Allan H. Treman State Marine Park.
This 3.30-mile (5.31 km), packed-gravel trail was developed in 1986 as a New York State Environmental Quality Bond Act Project. It runs parallel to (northeast of) Coddington Road in the Town of Ithaca, mostly following the abandoned rail bed of the Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad, which was built in 1849 to ship coal from Pennsylvania mines to Ithaca for water shipment over the Erie Canal. [1] Eventually, it merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and was abandoned in 1956. The descent into Ithaca from South Hill was via two switchbacks. The trail skips the middle switchback. Instead, it follows a short, steep asphalt-paved connector (not part of the railroad) from the upper to lower grades. The tail tracks of the switchbacks are not included in the trail; these were located northwest of Coddington Road at the end of the upper trail, and southease of the bottom of the connector, respectively. Except for the connector, the trail is a gradual downhill from Burns Road to Ithaca. Hiking paths lead off the biking trail into the Six Mile Creek gorge. The trail is a popular spot for cross-country skiing in the winter and, in the summer, connects Ithaca College students to sunning and (illegal) swimming in Six Mile Creek and the City Reservoir.
Small parking areas are located at the end of Juniper Drive and at the corner of Burns Road and Coddington Road in the Town of Ithaca.
East Ithaca Recreation Way is a paved pedestrian/bike trail in East Hill which runs in several sections between Game Farm Road and Honness Lane and joins with the Vincent and Hannah Pew Trail to the south. It is open one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. Many benches exist along the trail, providing rest areas for hikers and joggers.
The northernmost section from Game Farm Road to Maple Avenue runs through Cornell-owned natural areas along Cascadilla Creek, and allows for horseback riding. The total length of this section is 1.2 miles (1.9 km). From Game Farm Road to the bridge over Judd Falls Road it is built on the railroad bed of the former Elmira, Cortland and Northern Railroad (later taken into the Lehigh Valley Railroad) (1871–1976), [1] out of service since Hurricane Agnes in June, 1972 and formally abandoned with the formation of Conrail in April 1976.
To get to the next portion of the trail, one continues for 0.3 miles (0.48 km) west along Maple Avenue, where the trail starts up again.
The middle section runs south from Maple Avenue to Honness Lane (crossing Mitchell Street along the way) and is built on the railroad bed of the former Elmira, Cortland and Northern Railroad (later taken into the Lehigh Valley Railroad) (1875–1936). [1] This section of the trail is a popular way to commute to and from Cornell's main campus. The total length of this section is 0.9 miles (1.4 km).
To get to the next portion of the trail, one continues 0.2 miles (0.32 km) east up Honness Lane and then across Pine Tree Road.
The southernmost section of the trail is also known as the Vincent and Hannah Pew Trail, and connects the trail to the Tudor Park and the Snyder Hill / Eastern Heights neighborhood. This part of the trail travels through the Pine Tree Wildlife Preserve and the East Ithaca Nature Preserve [2] for 0.8 miles (1.3 km). There is a parking area for trail users, a bus pull-off and transit plaza with connections to the trail on Pine Tree Road, benches and plantings. The trail received a federal highway grant to aid in completion in 2004.
The total length of the trail (including all three sections and connecting streets) is 3.3 miles (5.3 km).
The Jim Schug Trail, named after the Dryden Town supervisor who secured most of the land but died shortly after the beginning of construction, is 4.2 miles (6.8 km) in length. Like other trails in the area, it runs on an abandoned railroad bed (the Southern Central railway: for most of its existence, part of the Lehigh Valley). [1] It begins on Main Street in Dryden, and continues to the Cortland County border, where it connects to the Finger Lakes Trail. A proposed 3.3-mile (5.3 km) extension of the trail would connect it northwest to the nearby village of Freeville (also in the Town of Dryden), and eventually via the Varna / Fall Creek trail to Ithaca. It is gravel-packed and suitable for bicycling, and is also level for the entire route. [3]
The Black Diamond trail is the keystone of a major trail system in the Ithaca area, and has been planned since the 1970s. The section of trail from Cass Park to Taughannock Falls State Park opened in the fall of 2016. This section is now (since 1999) owned by the New York State Parks Department.
The main trail segment is the former Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger line from Ithaca to Auburn, New York, popularly known as the "Route of the Black Diamond" from the name of the Lehigh Valley's premier passenger train, which last ran on February 4, 1959. [1] This line stretches along the western shore of Cayuga Lake from Cass Park to Taughannock Falls State Park and Trumansburg, New York, steadily rising from lake level to 840 feet (260 m) above sea level at the bridge across Taughannock Creek.
South of Cass Park, the about 2 miles (3.2 km) of the planned route follows the Cayuga Flood Control Channel along Route 13a, and then crosses the flood control channel (via a yet to be built bridge) directly opposite Cecil Malone Drive at Cherry Street, providing access to the Cherry Street Industrial Park, the city's Southwest district, and eventually to the new housing development planned there. From there, it follows the DL&W right of way built in 1849 as part of the Cayuga & Susquehanna railroad, [1] crossing over the fish ladder and eventually goes underneath the Route 13 bridge near the Town/City of Ithaca line, and then proceeds parallel to its south side, terminating in Robert H. Treman State Park. This urban section of the trail is estimated to cost $5 million, mostly for the construction of three new bridges: the bridge connecting to Cecil Malone Drive, one near the fish ladder and a third bridge crossing over the Cayuga Inlet near the trail branch connecting to Buttermilk Falls.
This last connecting trail is planned to branch near the City / Town of Ithaca line to connect to the (planned) Gateway Trail, through Buttermilk Falls State Park and towards South Hill Recreation way. A pedestrian/bicycle bridge already stretches over Route 13 near Buttermilk Falls to provide access to the planned Gateway trail. This "bridge to nowhere" was built before any rights to the abandoned DL&W were secured, and at the time was widely criticized as a spectacularly-visible example of a "pork barrel" waste of tax money, as the trail it connects to will not be usable for several years, if ever.
Much more information, including the master plans, are available online at the NY State Parks website. [4]
The 2.4 miles (3.9 km) Phase 1 walking trail on farmland owned by the Town of Lansing opened on January 22, 2011. It is a loop trail mostly in open fields with magnificent views of the Cayuga Lake Valley and hills to the south east. Although intended for hiking, X-C Skiing (rated easy), and snowshoeing, it may be expanded for multipurpose use in the future.
The East-South connector trail extends from the terminus of South Hill Recreation Way near the intersection of Coddington Road and Burns Road, crosses Route 79/Slaterville Springs Road, runs along it for a short distance, and then connects through Snyder Hill to the planned Pew trail. Almost all of this connector trail will likely be either in the form of bike lanes along the road, or simply the addition of signage to indicate that bikes and cars will share the road. Although Burns Road has fairly light traffic, Route 79 is a major corridor, so safety might be an issue if the route is not separated from traffic.
Because it crosses a shallow valley to join South Hill and East Hill, Burns Road has fairly steep sections, but this likely remains the best route to connect the two existing trails.
The Varna and Fall Creek trails are one continuous segment on the Lehigh Valley (Elmira, Cortland & Northern) railbed from Varna to the East Ithaca Recreation Way at its northeast terminus, passing through the Monkey Run nature preserve in the Cornell Plantations. As is the case for many of the other planned trails, several bridges need to be repaired or built along its route before it can be completed. Part of the route is already used by the Cayuga Trail.
The Gateway trail goes up South Hill, connecting the Black Diamond trail in the city's Southwest area with the northern branch of the South Hill Recreation Way, using the former DL&W right-of-way.
This portion is in good shape and the land belongs to the State of New York and Pennsylvania Lines LLC. [5] [ failed verification ] It would take some work to connect it to the "bridge to nowhere", but it currently has a connection to the Buttermilk Falls parking lot and to near the southern end of Spencer Road. This section continues parallel to Spencer Rpad and goes past Stone Quarry Road, which might require some signage.
This portion belongs to Emerson, still has old railroad ties and would need substantial work. It has a substandard bridge over the extension of S. Cayuga Street. It then connects to the end of Turner Place near Hillview Place. Because Hillview is too narrow for a completely-separate path, the current plan involves the use of bike lanes or shared roadway signage for the last connection. The most favorable routing would go through Emerson Power Transmission property, and rights have not yet been negotiated. Despite the steepness of the only possible route and barriers to completion, completing this connector trail is frequently cited as a priority by State and County officials when discussing the Black Diamond Trail, because of the connection to the heavily used South Hill Recreation Way. It would provide a completely new connection to the Southwest area, avoiding the indirect route that automobile traffic currently must take.
This trail would extend along the hillside above the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, connecting the City and Town of Ithaca with Lansing. It would use the abandoned Central New York Southern Railroad grade (popularly known as the Ithaca-Auburn Short Line). [1] Bridges were removed from the line when it was dismantled in the 1920s; two were replaced by footbridges built by the sewer district which uses this right of way and used for monitoring sewer lines, but they are posted "No Trespassing" and have locked fences at both ends.
The main Finger Lakes Trail passes south of Ithaca proper and follows the south boundary inside Robert H. Treman State Park. An orange-blazed connecting trail from upper Lick Brook links it with the trail system at Buttermilk Falls State Park, near the S end of Lake Treman. The portion of the Finger Lakes Trail between Watkins Glen and Caroline is maintained by volunteers of the Cayuga Trails Club. [6]
The 8.5-mile (13.7 km) long Cayuga Trail originates at the Stewart Avenue bridge over Fall Creek, and passes eastward through the Cornell University campus and plantations, generally paralleling Fall Creek. It crosses the Creek on a suspension bridge in the vicinity of Forest Home, and again via the Route 13 bridge. After the second crossing, it turns westward again, using the LV railbed part of the way, and ending in the vicinity of Varna. The Cayuga Trail was built and is maintained by volunteers from the Cayuga Trails Club.
A trail leads from the College Avenue Bridge down along the gorge to Court and Linn Street in Ithaca, providing a convenient route between downtown Ithaca and the Cornell University campus. A path also extends through the Cornell Campus from the College Avenue Bridge upstream to the Hoy Road Bridge. The trail is closed during the winter.
Access to this gorge trail can be found within the Town and City of Ithaca. Two major access points within the city are via the South Hill Recreation Way, or via a small parking lot at the intersection of Giles and Water streets. On a given summer day, you might find both human fishermen and a great blue heron. The trail also provides access to the old City Reservoir, a popular (but illegal and unsafe) swimming destination in the summer.
Allan H. Treman and Taughannock Falls State Parks are both near Lake Cayuga and are oriented towards shorter, lighter walks and hikes, while Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Parks are marked by their waterfalls, and focus on hiking trails which follow their respective creeks, and are thus more difficult although still rewarding trails.
Cayuga Lake (,,) is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 39 miles (63 km) long. Its average width is 1.7 miles (2.8 km), and it is 3.5 mi wide (5.6 km) at its widest point, near Aurora. It is approximately 435 ft deep (133 m) at its deepest point, and has over 95 miles (153 km) of shoreline.
Ithaca is a city and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named after the Greek island of Ithaca.
Danby is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 3,457 at the 2020 census. The town is in the southern part of the county and is south of the city of Ithaca.
Trumansburg is a village in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 1,797 at the 2010 census. The name incorporates a misspelling of the surname of the founder, Abner Treman. The Tremans spelled their surname several different ways; "Truman," however, was not one of them. The village's application for a post office established the present spelling. The Village of Trumansburg is located within the Town of Ulysses and is northwest of Ithaca, New York.
Ulysses is a town located in northwest Tompkins County, New York, U.S. The population was 4,940 at the 2020 census. The town was named after the hero of the Odyssey.
Buttermilk Falls State Park is a 811-acre (3.28 km2) state park located southwest of Ithaca, New York, United States. Like Robert H. Treman State Park, a portion of the land that was to become the state park came from Robert and Laura Treman in 1924.
Stony Brook State Park is a 568-acre (2.30 km2) state park located in Steuben County, New York. It is located south of Dansville, Livingston County, New York Dansville, Steuben County, New York on New York State Route 36.
Allan H. Treman State Marine Park is a 91-acre (0.37 km2) state park and marina located in the City of Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The park is located at the south end of Cayuga Lake, one of the 11 Finger Lakes of New York. The park's namesake, Allan Hosie Treman (1899-1975) was a Cornell University law professor, Ithaca city counsel, and member of the Finger Lakes Park Commission. He is the son of Robert H. Treman, who also has a state park named in his honor.
Taughannock Falls State Park is a 750-acre (3.0 km2) state park located in the town of Ulysses in Tompkins County, New York in the United States. The park is northwest of Ithaca near Trumansburg.
Robert H. Treman State Park is a 1,110-acre (4.5 km2) state park located in Tompkins County, in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The park is situated in the towns of Ithaca, Enfield and Newfield.
New York State Route 13 (NY 13) is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for 152.30 miles (245.10 km) between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects with Interstate 81 (I-81) in Cortland and Pulaski and meets the New York State Thruway (I-90) in Canastota. NY 13 is co-signed with several routes along its routing, most notably NY 34 and NY 96 between Newfield and Ithaca; NY 80 between DeRuyter and Cazenovia; and NY 5 between Chittenango and Canastota.
New York State Route 34 (NY 34) is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route 199 and meets I-86/NY 17. Its northern terminus is at NY 104, outside the village of Hannibal.
New York State Route 96 (NY 96) is a 126.01-mile-long (202.79 km) northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with East Main Street in the city of Rochester, Monroe County. Between the two endpoints, NY 96 passes through the city of Ithaca and the villages of Waterloo, Victor, and Pittsford. NY 96 is signed north–south for its entire length, although most of the route in Ontario County travels in an east–west direction.
New York State Route 89 (NY 89) is a north–south state highway in central New York in the United States. It extends for 62.35 miles (100.34 km) from an intersection with NY 13, NY 34, and NY 96 in the Tompkins County city of Ithaca to an interchange with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Wolcott. The route spans a total of three counties, connecting the heart of the Finger Lakes Region to a point 6 miles (10 km) south of Lake Ontario. Along the way, NY 89 intersects two regionally important highways: the conjoined routes of U.S. Route 20 (US 20) and NY 5 in Seneca Falls and NY 31 in Savannah. NY 89 runs along the western edge of Cayuga Lake from Ithaca to Seneca Falls.
Ithaca is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The town's population was 22,283 at the 2020 census. The town is in the central part of the county, in the Finger Lakes–Southern Tier region of New York, and is part of the Ithaca Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Town of Ithaca is a horseshoe-shaped portion of the metropolitan area of Ithaca, New York, surrounding the City of Ithaca and being the city's only border. Ithaca College is located in the South Hill section of the town.
The Cayuga Nature Center (CNC) is an educational institution addressing nature and environmental issues. It is located on the west side of Cayuga Lake in Tompkins County, New York.
The Auburn Trail is a multi-use rail trail located principally in the towns of Victor and Farmington, Ontario County, New York (USA). It is approximately 11 miles (18 km) long and maintained by the Towns of Victor and Farmington and Victor Hiking Trails. The trail mostly follows the alignment of the Auburn and Rochester Railroad. Additional disconnected portions of the Auburn trail are found in the Towns of Pittsford and Brighton, Monroe County, NY. A detailed description and map of the Auburn Trail are available from Victor Hiking Trails.
Cayuga Inlet is a river located in Tompkins County, New York. It flows into the south end of Cayuga Lake by Ithaca, New York.
Danby is the primary hamlet and a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Danby, Tompkins County, New York, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Robert Henry Treman was an American banker and financier who served as a director and deputy governor of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A native of upstate New York, he attended Cornell University and was a member of its board of trustees for 46 years.
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