A Brand New State Park In New York's Finger Lakes Region Boasts Three Waterfalls

There are already a whole host of great reasons to visit New York's Finger Lakes region. It is one of the best places in America to see colorful fall foliage and is full of charming towns and villages. The eleven gorgeous lakes, part of the Lake Ontario drainage system, are a stunning draw, and visitors can enjoy plenty of aquatic fun, swimming, paddling, or sailing around these delightful bodies of water. Finger Lakes is known for its award-winning wineries and its farm-to-table cuisine, and it also offers fabulous hiking and biking trails. It even has some superb ski slopes during the winter.

But this year, Finger Lakes offers another superb attraction that is guaranteed to have visitors flocking to the region. A brand-new state park, Three Falls State Park, has just been announced by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation on Cayuga Lake. The addition offers even more opportunities for outdoor adventure to this lovely part of New York state. As its name suggests, the park boasts three wonderful waterfalls for visitors to discover, as well as boat launches, hiking trails, and a nature center.

Three Falls State Park is located on the southwest shore of Cayuga Lake, roughly 12 miles northwest of Ithaca. It is about a 1.5-hour drive from both Rochester and Syracuse, and it is well served by airports: Ithaca International Airport is just half an hour away by car, and Syracuse International Airport is reachable in around an hour and a half.

Three Falls State Park comprises the area just north of Taughannock Falls State Park in Tompkins County that used to be Camp Barton, a former Boy Scout camp. The park represents a partnership between New York State Parks and Three Falls Local Development Corp., a local nonprofit organization made up of representatives from nearby towns and villages. Kathy Moser, Acting Commissioner of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said, "Through important partnerships like this, we're advancing Gov. Hochul's vision to encourage New Yorkers and visitors to 'Get Offline and Get Outside' — making it easier for them to stay active and connect with nature."

It's a delightful project designed to renew and restore life to a much-loved part of the beautiful Finger Lakes region and provide access to nature for more people. Visitors to the park will have the chance to stay in restored camp cabins and enjoy music and events in the spaces once used by the Boy Scout troops. New docks and launches will provide access to the lake, making it a great place to stay for anyone wanting to kayak, canoe, or sail on Cayuga Lake, and a new nature center will offer the chance to dive into the rich biodiversity of the region. In particular, the nature center will allow visitors to learn about the local population of peregrine falcons, whose preservation is a vital part of this new park project. Visitors will also be able to explore the remarkable diversity of New York's wildlife, including honeybees, sea stars, coyotes, and various species of snakes.

Perhaps most excitingly of all, the new Three Falls State Park will create a network of new hiking trails, specifically designed to give hikers, walkers, and outdoor adventurers the chance to get closer to the three cascades that give the park its name. Three scenic falls inside or adjacent to the park will be accessible with newly created waymarked routes and waterfall viewing areas. This includes the immensely impressive Frontenac Falls, located less than half a mile from the shore of Cayuga Lake, which cascades in a visually arresting fan shape 128 feet from the top of the black Geneseo shale cliffs down to the pool below.

Just east along the shoreline of Cayuga Lake from the new state park, there are also some scenic Finger Lakes hiking trails available in Taughannock Falls State Park. The pick of the bunch is probably the route that goes to Taughannock Falls themselves, via the Gorge Trail, although the Black Diamond Trail from Taughannock to Ithaca is also an excellent option for hikers who want a little extra mileage.