Ithaca Outdoors: Highlights for Hiking, Biking, Birding, and More!

Will you be in the Ithaca area for a few days and want to get outdoors? Here are some highlights that include different options for experiencing everything this small city is known for: waterfalls, gorges, lake views, and much more. Make your own itinerary with these and other Ithaca-area locations from our Go Finger Lakes map.

Black Diamond Trail

Though evocative of a hazardous downhill ski run, the Black Diamond Trail is actually a broad, mostly level, multiuse trail — limited to cyclists, walkers, runners, cross country skiers, and snowshoers.  Its stone dust surface makes the trail a pleasure to ride on or to stroll along in what is essentially a picturesque, eight-mile-long, tree-lined alleyway. First-time visitors should remember to double their mileage when planning out-and-back routes, while one-way trekkers may want to note that the grade slopes downward most of the way from Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg to Cass Park in Ithaca.

Buttermilk Falls State Park

Located just on the southern edge of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls is a popular spot for tourists and local residents, especially during the height of summer.  At the entrance is the park’s namesake: a foaming and frothy waterfall with a deep pool and dammed swimming area below. Hikers who ascend the handsome stonework stairs and past the waterfall are treated to an endless supply of stunning waterscapes. And the trail system extends beyond the gorge and rim trails to the upper section of the park, which includes a loop trail around Lake Treman, where ambitious visitors can pick up the orange-blazed Finger Lakes Trail.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, more commonly known as Sapsucker Woods, is a birding haven and a great resource for long-time birders and those with an aspiring interest.  Four miles of trails wander through the 230-acre sanctuary, with multiple interconnected loops that can be intermixed for longer trips.  The mostly level trails weave through deep woods, atop boardwalks in swamps, and beside ponds bursting with wildlife of all kinds.

Cornell Botanic Gardens

There is something for everyone at the Cornell Botanic Gardens, formerly known as the Cornell Plantations.  There are hiking trails, nature walks, gardens, ponds, woodlands, meadows, glens, waterfalls, fens, bogs, and, of course, gorges.  With so much to choose from, it may be a bit overwhelming for an outdoor enthusiast or budding naturalist to decide where to begin.

Cayuga Waterfront Trail

Whether you walk a mile or run the full, 16-mile round trip, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail (CWT) is a great way to experience all that Ithaca’s Cayuga Lake waterfront has to offer. Benches, scenic overlooks, interpretive signs, and trailheads with decorative paving and kiosks help make the CWT a special place to relax or exercise, all while enjoying Ithaca’s beautiful waterways. The paved trail is a safe and accessible eight-mile, multi-use trail connecting Stewart Park to the Allan H. Treman State Marine Park, linking many popular waterfront destinations along the way.

Cascadilla Gorge Trail

Connective corridors are typically parks or natural areas that connect two distinct areas within a community — for example, separate neighborhoods or villages.  Within the heart of Ithaca, there is no better example than Cascadilla Gorge.  It is a stunningly beautiful connective corridor that runs from downtown to the Cornell campus. The gorge is a short three-quarters of a mile in length, but it is long on amazing waterscapes. There are eight sizeable waterfalls that range from eight to 80 feet in height along this handsome stretch of Cascadilla Creek.

Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve

The Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve consists of 554 acres of lakes, forests, meadows, brushland, streams, and wetlands. The diverse habitats found in the preserve are home to an equally diverse variety of flora and fauna. A wetland overlook offering plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities can be found on Sylvan Lane next to the West Danby Firehouse. Opposite the main preserve entrance, the wetlands are home to river otters, Great Blue Herons, Kingfishers, and many other creatures.

Robert H. Treman State Park

Like other gorge state parks, Robert Treman has a swimming area, campgrounds, and stunning waterfalls. The 115-foot Lucifer Falls is clearly central, and the handsome stonework winding up along the sheer cliff is equally remarkable.  The dramatic waterscapes continue in the “upper gorge” area, and it is clear why visitors often linger in this stunning section. A beautiful stretch of the Finger Lakes Trail runs through Treman and the more adventurous hikers can follow the trail beyond Treman to Lick Brook Gorge and then all the way to Buttermilk Falls State Park.

Shindagin Hollow State Forest

Shindagin Hollow State Forest is over 5,266 acres and features more than 20 miles of trails — roughly fifteen miles of mountain biking trails and just under six miles of hiking trails. The mountain bike trail system is located almost entirely in the section of the forest to the west of Shindagin Hollow Road.  The hiking trail traverses laterally across the forest and is almost exclusively along a 5.7-mile-long section of the Finger Lakes Trail.

Taughannock Falls State Park

Ithaca is most certainly a city of gorges, but the gorge at Taughannock Falls, in nearby Trumansburg, is the biggest of them all. The waterfall at the end of the lower portion of the gorge is one of the tallest waterfalls in New York State. The mile-long trail within the gorge is nearly level and easily accessed, making it an excellent trip for all members of the family. In the summer, the lake is often as big a draw as the gorge. With a large playground, ample picnic tables and grills, and a swimming beach, the lakeside of the park is also wildly popular.

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