Hiking Trails, Scenic Foliage, & Waterfalls Await At This New York Finger Lakes Town

If you are searching for a gorgeous spot filled with hiking trails and waterfalls, it will be hard to beat Ithaca, New York. Once you add breathtaking foliage and scenic lake views, this lovely college town becomes nearly impossible to pass up.

The land around Ithaca was originally part of the Cayuga Nation, whose tribes thrived by farming, fishing, and hunting. American troops were impressed when they arrived in 1779, and soon claimed this part of the Finger Lakes for former soldiers from the American Revolutionary War. The community on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, the longest of the 11 Finger Lakes, had several names at its inception, but by the time Ithaca was formally established in 1821, the name taken from Homer's "The Odyssey" had stuck. Ithaca is now a college town that is home to Ithaca College and Cornell University, as well as approximately 32,000 people. It has two state parks with many waterfalls and stunning gorges. It also sits along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, the best wine tasting vacation destination on the East Coast. Ithaca is also one of the most picturesque towns to visit on the East Coast.

Ithaca does have a small airport: Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH) receives nonstop flights from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). For more options, you can fly into Syracuse, the snowiest city in America. Flights from many East Coast cities (and a handful further afield) land at its Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), which is about 60 miles northeast of Ithaca. A road trip is also possible, as Ithaca is just a 4 to 5-hour drive from New York City.

The best time to visit Ithaca might just be during fall foliage. That is when the leaves turn vibrant jewel tones in Buttermilk Falls State Park and Robert H. Treman State Park. The two state parks both have hiking trails around their gorges. In Buttermilk Falls State Park, you will find a little lake (confusingly called Lake Treman) and a 165-foot waterfall called Buttermilk Falls. The 1.6-mile Buttermilk Falls Gorge and Rim Trail Loop, as its name suggests, passes both the Buttermilk Falls and gorge. A longer hike, the 4.2-mile Rim Trail and Gorge Trail Loop in Robert H. Treman State Park, connects the 115-foot Lucifer Falls and Devil's Kitchen falls along the gorge called Enfield Glen. Altogether, there are 12 waterfalls in this state park. Both state parks charge a seasonal vehicle entry fee of $10, and be sure to check the New York State Parks website for any closures before you visit.

Though it is not in a state park, Cascadilla Gorge is also worth a stop this time of the year. Unlike the two state parks, which sit on the outskirts of Ithaca, Cascadilla Gorge runs right through the center of town, through the campus of Cornell University. It is short, less than a mile long, but deep, as it rises 400 feet through the rocks above Cascadilla Creek. There are eight waterfalls along the creek, and the Cascadilla Gorge Trail passes six of those waterfalls. The 1.3-mile stone path also winds through the woods and over two footbridges. This trail is closed during the winter months due to safety concerns.

As you are probably beginning to realize, "Ithaca is Gorges." A Cornell University alumni came up with Ithaca's motto more than 50 years ago. It stuck because it's true. There are more than 150 waterfalls, which were created by glaciers, around Ithaca. Ithaca Falls, Rocky Falls, and Potter's Falls are right in the center of town. Ithaca Falls is a strong waterfall where mills used to run. Rocky Falls is near a hydroelectric plant that produces renewable energy. Potter's Falls is a popular summer sunbathing spot. While around Cornell, you'll find two smaller waterfalls: Foaming Falls and Forest Falls. 

Ithaca's waterfalls are certainly impressive, but to see the area's most majestic one, you have to take a short drive. Taughannock Falls State Park is just 10 miles north of Ithaca, where it sits on the western shore of Cayuga Lake in Trumansburg. This Northeastern state park boasts a magnificent waterfall taller than Niagara Falls. Its Taughannock Falls drops 215 feet into a 400-foot gorge. It's an impressive sight. Multiple trails, each offering a different view of the waterfall, wind through the state park. Some of them become cross-country skiing trails in the winter. A beach, a marina, and campsites overlook the lake as well. This state park charges a vehicle entry fee of $10.

After visiting Taughannock Falls State Park, you can either continue north along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail or return to Ithaca. Whichever direction you choose is guaranteed to be stunning.