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As many of you know, since arriving in Syracuse in August my husband and I spend every weekend exploring. This weekend we ventured to Ithaca for the first time. It was an easy trip from Syracuse and one well worth taking. We plan to go back to see more around the colleges, but this trip was for waterfalls
Anyone interested in a great day hike should definitely consider a trip to Taughannock Falls State Park on the western edge of Cayuga Lake, one of the beautiful Finger Lakes.
We parked in the lot along hwy 89 and hiked the rim trail around the Taughannock Gorge. The trail starts with a series of stone staircases and some immediate increase in elevation, but once you are on the rim the hike is mostly level all the way around. We started at the north rim, which at first was frustrating to me because you don't see much of the gorge or any water down below. BUT, you are seriously rewarded for your patience once you approach the upper falls. These were spectacular, and only able to be viewed from a pedestrian bridge right above them. Anyone not taking the north rim trail would not see these falls and really miss out.
As you hike down the south side you get views of Taughannock Falls - which are supposedly taller than Niagra Falls. Further down the trail you come to a very nice Falls Overlook for a better view of Taughannock Falls - it's a great photo op. The whole rim trail is about 2.5 miles long, not too much of a work-out at all
Once back at the bottom be sure to hike the Gorge Trail too. It's a nice path thru the middle of the gorge, less than a mile long. It gave me a bit of the same feeling I had when I hiked along the floor of the Grand Canyon.
You are right, there are so many I'm not sure we could get to them all, lol. We were told at the Visitor Center (which btw is very nice and well stocked with every piece of info a visitor could want) that Buttermilk Falls has already closed for the season. It seems a shame that given the recent warmer weather some of these trails have already closed.
Try Fillmore Glen State park in Moravia, a little closer than Ithaca but also very nice. And wait until you check out Watkins Glen! My personal favorite.
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