Out of the hikes I've done around Ithaca, Robert H. Treman State Park has been my favorite. The…read moregorge trail and rim trail loop offers beautiful views of the Enfield Glen gorge and waterfalls, especially with the fall foliage. It's moderate difficulty. There is a swim area by the bottom parking area. Both times I've visited this park it was closed due to being off season in October. $10 per car. You can use the receipt to enter any NY state park on the same day.

Robert H. Treman State Park was the last of the state parks in the Finger Lakes we visited a week…read moreor so when we spent the Fourth of July in the area, and it was a great way to say goodbye to the region. The park encompasses both sides of Enfield Creek and has several options to enjoy. At one end of the park is the Upper Park Entrance. This entrance has the Old Mill and access to all three hiking trails and is closer to the Lucifer Falls. (If you want to see Lucifer Falls without a hike, park at the Upper Entrance and you're not too far from Lucifer Halls - an easy flat walk to it, really.) The other end of the park is the Lower Park Entrance. It has camping areas (well used over the Fourth of July weekend when we visited - we saw tons of families enjoying the holiday weekend here), access to the Gorge Trail and Rim Trail, the Lower Falls (a waterfall with a swimming hole at the base - the swimming pool even has a diving board!), and everything else you need for a day of swimming and exploring (bathrooms with showers, picnic pavilions, etc.). We parked at the Lower Park Entrance (the lot was almost empty around 9am on a Sunday morning - even though it was a holiday weekend) and started off on the Gorge Trail, which is a 2.12 mile hike along Enfield Creek. This was probably the hardest hike we did at any of the state parks we visited over this holiday weekend (Watkins Glen, Buttermilk Falls, and Taughannock Falls). It was steep. I also didn't think it had the best views for the first mile - you're not quite as close to the water or *in* the gorge as you are on some of the other Gorge Trails. But once we got down to the creek, the views were beautiful (a few small falls), and it wasn't as crowded as the other trails either. (FYI: it was buggy and humid and hot, so if the weather is hot, definitely start early.) I had read on AllTrails that the hike up to Lucifer Falls was tough, so I was a little worried. But actually I didn't find it the hardest part of the hike at all. And Lucifer Falls was absolutely the highlight of the hike and the park for us. It's a 115-foot waterfall and it sort of winds and meanders in this incredible way - different from the other falls we saw on our Finger Lakes hikes. If you're visiting the park, do not miss Lucifer Falls. We returned to the Lower Entrance on the Rim Trail, which wasn't as beautiful as the Gorge Trail, but ended up being a treat, too, for a surprising reason. The Rim Trail didn't take us back to where we had parked our car. It does take you near to the Lower Entrance, but on the South side of the Creek. So when you finish the trail, there's a sign telling you how to get back to the Lower Entrance Parking, and that way back happens to take you past the Lower Falls. So we got to see the Lower Falls - tons of people swimming and diving (with plenty of lifeguards, too). We now know to save some time for a swim at the base of the Lower Falls the next time we visit this park! There are a lot of great parks, hikes, and trails in the Finger Lakes, but I really enjoyed our visit to Robert H. Treman State Park. Lucifer Falls is special, and the park was a great way to get some exercise and get some amazing waterfall shots, too.

A shady 1-mile walk along a creek down to Buttermilk Falls. Then ride back ;-)…read more Our last nature outing on this visit (Jul 2026) was a one-mile hike along Buttermilk Creek. We got dropped off on King Road near the upper-park lot. The shady Gorge Trail off the west end of the bridge was mostly-downhill, past Heart Pond and the small Pinnacle Falls. Those were about a quarter of the way. The rest was always within hearing if not within sight of the musical stream and the sometimes-chattering birds. There was some fencing to guard you from a cliff's edge, and a couple of stone stairways to climb. The reward was the gently-sloped but raucus Buttermilk Falls. The signs warn "No Swimming", which was tempting. We planned our pickup right there, off NY-13 Elmira Road by the State Park office and parking lot. A lovely serene 1-mile walk. Another gift from Ithaca.

Great short walk along the buttermilk falls. There are quite a number of stairs involved as well as…read morerelatively steep paths. Overall the hike should be like an hour from lower falls to upper falls (taking photos and enjoying the view along the way), and half hour on the way back if walking straight no side tracking. You'll know you're at the end of you see the massive stone bridge. Restrooms available at lower falls and upper falls entrances. Ten dollar admission for the day, same ticket can be used for other state parks in the area

Nice paved trail around the end of the lake and into the farmers market. Plenty of seats for chats…read moreand views. There are informational spots to learn some history and trivial pursuit facts.

Smaller preserve with a white (easier but longer) and blue trails (lots of stairs and steep angles…read morethat can be ankle breaking), but shorter paths. The entrance is a small almost unmarked entry with a small sign and parking only along the road. The path itself is somewhat traversed and narrow at spots, the blue path is about 35 min down but 45 to 60min back up. If you don't do stairs, skip this because it will hurt. Lots of bugs towards the bottom the the rest of the path is pretty covered and calm. Wet season the waterfall is nice. The midsummer is dry and the waterfall barely is a trickle over the rocks.

A nice hike to some lovely falls (Jul 2026). Please read the warning signs! Some of the pools were…read morecontaminated by Civil War lead-shot factories and so are not safe for swimming. We had to alert some international travelers who were swimming here with their children, and direct them to a safe spot. While I"m giving tips, the floor of the gorge is a light gray limestone. The crumbling walls of the gorge are shale, too flakey for climbing. At the very top of the cliff walls are sturdier layers of sandstone and siltstone.

Lovely water falls in Ithaca ny. I'm posting again just because it's such a great place ... and I…read morenoticed I had a really great photo that I didn't pass on the first go around. This duck with the baby on here back is a merganser.

Glad I got the chance to check out this check trail. It's been closed since I moved to Ithaca for…read moresome maintenance and just the winter but it's well worth it. You know it starts in the heart of College town right next to the theater in the law school and immediately spectacular fall with the stone arch Bridge. It's gorgeous the Falls continue Cascade down several bends and turns the trail comes right up to the Falls just pouring right next to you as your Spencer Street. There's another arch bridge and the final cascading Falls at the bottom. It was pretty nice. It was. It's kind of picture box by a nice little cherry blossom or I think maybe an apple rose blossom or something but well worth it on this nice spring day to check out now that it's open if you go to Cornell, definitely check it out. It's well worth it and it drops you off right at commons. So if you're taking the street to the commons from college town, considered this and said it's great.

This awesome trail is right in downtown Ithaca. Parking is a little tricky, but there are free…read morespots and park to pay spots. Definitely read the signage! I read some reviews about this trail before going and everything was accurate and amazing. It's a simple enough trail that is just over 1 mile out and back. Dogs are allowed and there are several steps. It's very peaceful and beautiful. There is a waterfall around every corner!

Super easy to get to- free parking on weekends with a short walk. You get to drive around Cornell's…read morecampus too which is a plus! Pretty empty in the summer

This waterfall is more of a walk-by spot, as there's no access to the bottom. However, there's a…read morebeach area and spots to launch a canoe or kayak. The trails appear to circle the lake, offering great fishing opportunities, which were quite popular during our visit. Parking can be a challenge, as most spaces are reserved for the nearby college.

Amazing! Well kept, organized and a beautiful way to spend the day. We went to the gardens around…read morethe welcome center, which was good enough for us. However, the campus has SO many gardens that they maintain, so there are plenty more to visit.

Formerly known as the Cornell Plantations and consisting of 25 acres, Cornell Botanic Gardens is…read moreone of the most popular attractions around Ithaca and has something for everyone, which is why my partner, his family, and I came for a visit on this beautiful Saturday. Located in the center of the Cornell University campus, but also including the adjoining F.R. Newman Arboretum and over 3,500 acres of natural areas, there were hiking trails, nature walks, gardens, ponds, woodlands, meadows, glens, waterfalls, fens, bogs, and, of course, "gorges." The well-kept gardens were easy to access, easy to walk around, and were extremely quiet. It's very kid- and pet-friendly. The historic core revolves around the herb and perennial garden. Admission is FREE, but one does need to pay a parking fee to enter the park on weekdays. It runs you $1.50 per hour, so it's exceptionally reasonable, but it's free on weekends. We enjoyed our drive through the campus to get to the botanic garden, which we can recommend.

First time taking this trail on this hike back in the day, I've I've come from like the street and…read morehike down I guess right before the damn and also the upper part where I mean, I dove off of like that house on top of the damn when I was 18 or something But this one follows the 6 mile creek up to the base of the dam it's kind of cool it reminds me hawaii. I used to mike in the manoa valley and kuau crater and stuff. They just have old industrial things pipes following the creek and it has just a similar feel it's kind of cool. dog friendly. I did find a tick on my dog off that i did grab so watch out it was on her fur so we managed to pick it, but it was a pretty hike with the fall foliage in the lease in the cliffs.

What a fantastic place for a day hike. Would you like to spend your day in meadows filled with…read morebutterflies hiking under the forest canopy during a thunderstorm. Suddenly near rivulet streams turn into stunning waterfalls and swimming holes. Can't say enough about what I great day I had hiking here early on this week. I'd give this place a 5 star if the students didn't leave all of their trash around under the second dam. How you can just walk away leaving a bunch of empty water bottles and things in this beautiful space blows my mind. Please leave it the way that you found it or better. Untouched in the future.

Caleb is an excellent teacher and outdoor guide. We spent 4 hours together with him teaching me the…read morebasics of navigation and orienteering. He took extra effort before we met to confirm my precise expectations for his class/adventure and provided the exact info and guidance I was looking for. Caleb is a clear, precise and detailed teacher. He went step by step from theory to practice with an awareness of how I would be thinking and attention to small points. He has a great personality and is easy to work with. I also believe he uses his guide skills as a chance to connect to others of different walks of life. I would highly recommend him for your next adventure. Quality without compromise.

From the owner: At Adventure Strength, we believe in a healthy, adventure filled life. For some of us, the journey…read moreto wellness and adventure may take us to the summit of rocky peaks. For others, the adventure may be as simple as taking that first step into the wild for a day hike in the foothills. Wherever you are in your journey, we want to help you get outside, have an adventure, and find the Champion within your heart.