Finger Lakes Runners Club Favorite Local Runs

Index

• Getting Around Ithaca
• Some Recommended Runs
• Runs From Cornell
• Trumansburg Routes
• Finger Lakes Trail
• Local Trails

Getting Around Ithaca

Orient yourself with a few of the standard maps of the Ithaca area.

Try the Finger Lakes Trail website, though the detailed trail maps themselves are not online, as sale of these maps raises money for the FLTC. You can order maps from the FLT website, however, and they are quickly mailed out. Hopefully some day you'll be able to purchase them, and have them sent immediately in .jpg or .pdf format, but not right now.

See the Trail Runner website about trail running etiquette.

Some Recommended Runs

D.G. Rossiter's Favourite Runs.

Recommend a run of your own or simply e-mail the webmaster with a description or link.

Runs From and Around the Cornell Campus

A lot of runners get their workout in during the day at Cornell, and there's a large variety of standard routes leaving campus in all directions. Below are a few from the set of High Noon "canonical" runs. (For more about the High Noon running group, see Local Runinng Groups.)

Directions may not be entirely accurate, but hopefully any mistakes can be cleared up with a glance at a map. Distances are approximate, mainly estimated by "feel" or High Noon vote.

"Bridges, Hills, Parks, and Gorges" - ~5 mi

Start on Cornell campus or in Collegetown. Run west across the suspension bridge. Turn left and weave down along the west side of the gorge until you hit Cayuga Heights Rd, just above the falls. Turn right and continue along Cayuga Heights road until you come to little-known Sunset Park. Take the last entrance to the park, and then run back along the length of the park and enjoy the view. When you come out the end,facing the way you came down CH.Blvd. head downhill (right-hand turn) and wind down to the school. Turn right, pass under Route 13, take an immediate left, and turn into Stewart Park. Turn left as yo go into the park. Stay left, and run across two foot bridges. Stay left, and follow the dirt road past the golf course. Turn left after the bus garage and cross route 13. Continue straight until you hit Cascadilla creek. Follow the road along the creek to the park. Run up the gorge, all 414 steps or so. (Whew!) Take a left at the top and you're in Collegetown. Run back to Campus.

"Shannon Park" - ~7 mi

Head out north campus to Thurston/Wyckoff intersection. Follow Wyckoff north to Highland Rd and take Highland up to end on Remington, just short of Rt 13. Left on Remington to Cayuga Heights Rd, then right to actually cross over Rt 13. Continue north to Beckett Way, entrance to "Shannon Park" neighborhood. Take a right into the area, climbing a slight grade, and when the road ends in a "T", head left to loop back all the way to the entrance. Take a left onto Cayuga Heights Rd. Stay on Cayuga Heights Rd for several miles, enjoying gradual downhill, all the way past Stewart and bridge over gorge. Take hard left on hiking trail that parallels north side of University Ave. Exit at Johnson Art Museum, stagger across Arts Quad, and head to Teagle.

"Cigarette Loop" - ~7 mi

Head out past MVR, down to Forest Home and follow this to the stone bridge across the entrance to Beebe Lake. Climb the steps to Fuertes Observatory and follow Cradit Farm Rd to Pleasant Grove and Hasbrouck Apts. Cut through the apts to the Cornell golf course, crossing Warren and heading past the club house to the access road for the horse farm. Turn right and follow this road until it ends at a flagpole and a cluster of buildings. Head up a gravel road sometimes called "Blueberry Ln" that leads due north to Hanshaw Rd. Cross Hanshaw to Salem Dr, snake up to Winston Ct. Head west past Winston Ct apts to paved walking trail that runs along south egde of BOCES. Cross Warren Rd, continuing past DeWitt Middle School until it empties onto Winthrop at the elementary school. Head right (west) on Winthrop to Triphammer. Take a left on Triphammer (south) to Hanshaw. Right on Hanshaw (west) to Forest Ln. South there to Highland, down a long, gradual downhill in Cayuga Heights until you're back in north campus. Return to Teagle either via East Ave bridge or pedestrian bridge from Thurston to Johnson Art Museum, then crossing Arts Quad.

"South Hill" - ~9 mi

Head out through the Kite Hill parking lot toward Hoy/Dryden Rd intersection. Cut through Humphrey Service Building parking lot, heading to back side of Parking/Mail services buildings. Somewhere a paved path begins that heads south, crossing Mitchell and heading towards Honness Ln. Path ends at Honness Ln, head right and then immediate left onto Terraceview Dr. Follow this past condos and down to Rt 79. Follow Rt 79 out of town (eastish) to Burns Rd. Left on Burns, down, then back up, to the start of the South Hill Rec Trail. Take the trail back toward town, following lower spur which should end on Hudson St. Follow Hudson right to the Giles and the edge of another Ithaca gorge (6 Mile Creek). Choose your own way back, either crossing gorge on footbridge and climbing into Collegetown, or follow Giles right, cross Rt 79, and head in on Cornell St.

"Elm Street" - ~11 miles

Cross Arts Quad, down Libe Slope to Stewart and University. Take University down to Court St, head toward the inlet and the 13A/79 intersection. Cross the inlet and take medium left up Elm Street, a 2.25 mi climb to the top of the west side of the lake. Turn left at stop sign at top, rolling down Culver Rd to some street, which may be 13A. Follow this left again, running along the inlet to the Rt. 79 bridge, and head back into downtown. For variety, take Court St back to the lower end of Cascadilla Gorge, and instead of heading up University, scale the gorge up to College Ave and the Performing Arts Center. Continue on the along the south side of the gorge to behind Rhodes Hall, cross the gorge on a small wooden bridge, and climb to the Cornell parking garage. Jog through the garage and exit at Schoellkopf side.

"Skunk Cabbage HM Route" - 13.1 mi

Start at Barton, heading north on Garden Ave to Tower. Follow Tower east, then around Vet School curve to Rt 366. Left on 366 to Game Farm. Right on Game Farm (south) to Stevenson. Left (east) on Stevenson, past pheasants, to Dodge Rd. Right on Dodge to Ellis Hollow, climbing a small incline. Follow Ellis Hollow east to small church and intersection with Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. Left there, follow curve and long stretch to Turkey Hill Rd. Right (north now) on Turkey Hill up short, steep hill to Stevenson, where a left turn (west) will return you to Game Farm. A right on Game Farm returns to Rt 366 and the Cornell Plantations. The official race course re-enters campus at Tower Rd and re-traces path to the front of Barton.

Also see the course map part of the Skunk Cabbage race entry form.

"Genung" - ~10 mi

Similar to Skunk route, but once on Ellis Hollow, turn left on Genung instead of continuing to Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. Genung then intersects with Ellis Hollow Creek Rd; make a left and head to Turkey Hill, then follow directions as above.

Runs in the Trumansburg Area

Many FLRC runners live in the Trumansburg area. They've mapped out several courses for long weekend runs.

The "Beast" - 15.5 mi

Start at T-burg High School. Run towards Not My Dad's ice cream shop (where you can get water) on Rt. 96; turn left on Cemetary Rd. (just before Fairgrounds), then right on Fall Rd., run all the way to end of Fall Rd,, turn left and run by the T creek straight up Jacksonville Rd to Rt. 96. Cross 96, and run to Hayts Rd. past golf course (Jville rd becomes Applegate midway). Turn rt. on Hayts and run that road until Podunk Rd. Turn right on Podunk and follow it all the way to South Street Ext. You're back in town. Take rt. turn at ext. Choose Penn Ave. at "Y"; run Penn Ave. to Elm, then Elm to Whig, and Whig back down to HS.

It's about 15.5 miles; and it's called the Beast for a reason. (Contributed by Diane Sherrer.)

Popular Stretches of the Finger Lakes Trail

David Rossiter recommends tackling the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) with what he calls the "FLT Out-and-Back" training run, an excellent way to prepare for the Triennial Trail Relay held every three year. This can be done on *any* section of the FLT (get maps from FLTC or Guide to Trails from Cayuga Trails Club). Just park at any FLT road crossing, run "out" for 1/4 of the time you plan to spend (say, 40 min), then back to the car; drink; run "out" in the other direction for another 1/4 time, then back to the car. You get a water/trail mix break at the halfway point. The trail looks completely different in the two directions.

Some recommended road+trail crossings:

1. Old 76 Road, between Caroline Center and Speedsville
2. South Road, south of Caroline Center
3. Braley Hill Rd., south of Brooktondale
4. Coddington & Ridgeway
5. NY96B
6. Bald Hill Rd. Danby, south of Danby center
7. Shady Corners (96/34/13) just south of Turbacks
8. Porter Hill Rd, by Riemann Woods, Enfield
9. Connecticut Hill radio tower
10. Cayuga Outlet, CR9, south of Cayuta
11. Texas Hollow Rd.
12. Logan Road, n. of Burdett

Many of these are the sites of FLRC trail races. Some descriptions of some of the actual trail routes follow.

Danby (Abbott Loop)

The Abbott Loop includes a scenic stretch of the Finger Lakes Trail; the longest possible circular route is about 10 miles. See the Danby Down 'n Dirty race map for details.

FROM ITHACA, take Route 96B south, passing Ithaca College. Continue south to the town of Danby, about 6 miles. Just past Danby, turn right on Michigan Hollow Road. Proceed south for 2.5 miles to a gravel area on the right-hand-side where the FLT crosses the road (for the first time).

Virgil (Virgil Mountain Loop)

A wonderful stretch of trail that ascends Virgil Mountain itself. A natural figure-eight loop (not all of it along the FLT) has been well marked, making it easy to do a light 15K without trouble. See the Forest Frolic race map for details.

There are actually two different named loops; the upper 4.8 mile loop is designated on FLT maps as the Virgil Mt. Loop, the lower 4.1 mile loop is called the Dabes Diversion Loop. Also both these loops are part of the FLT system; white blazed is the main trail, and orange blazed are side trails.

FROM DOWNTOWN DRYDEN go east 4 mi. on Rte 392. At bottom of hill turn right on W. Meeting House Rd. After 0.3 mi. turn left on Daisy Hollow Rd. soon to become Babcock Hollow Rd. After 1.4 mi. turn left on Hauck (Hill) Rd. Follow this road up a steep hill to cross Bleck Rd. after 1.1 mi. Park from here on, on right (south) side only. Hauck Hill campsite is 0.4 mi. ahead on a logging road to right.

Hector (Finger Lakes National Forest)

Several races from the FLRC Trailrunners Circuit are out here, beginning at the Potomac Campsite. See the Finger Lakes Fifties race map for details.

FROM ITHACA, take Route 79 west towards Watkins Glen. At the foot of the hill where Rte 79 meets Rte 227, take a right turn to Reynoldsville. Follow signs for the Finger Lakes National Forest---You'll be on Potomac Rd. From the north, take Rte. 414 south past Hector; you'll see signs for the Forest. FOLLOW THOSE SIGNS. You'll be on Picnic Area Rd. Take that road to the "T" with Potomac Rd. and make a left turn to the campsite.

Caroline

A nest of trails courses through Shindagin Hollow State Forest. Simply drive south on Coddington and watch for the FLT near Ridgeway Road.

Hammond Hill State Forest

The 13 K loop from the Tom B race is invigorating, with a mixture of mud, hills, dark tunnels through the pines, steep descents through crowded woods, and open horse trails. See the Tom Bugliosi race map for details.

FROM ITHACA, take Route 13 north toward Dryden. Before entering Dryden take a right onto Irish Settlement Rd. After going through a "S" curve you will go up a big hill; continue a couple of miles. Take a left onto Hammond Hill Rd. Soon you will come to a "Y" intersection, take the right road. You will again go uphill at the top of which is a parking lot on the right. Park here. The Cayuga Nature Center's camp and start/finish area will be only 0.2 mile down the road.

Buttermilk/Treman

A stretch of trail connects these two parks, and can be easily accessed from either upper Buttermilk, the southeastern edge of Treman, or right next to the intersection of Townline and Sand Bank Roads off King Road. A steep descent to the valley floor (along Lick Brook) is a fun challenge in either direction, and the roads also provide excellent routes for exploration or interval training.

Other Local Trails

Cayuga Trail

This trail starts near the Cornell Arboretum at the eastern edge of campus, north along Fall Creek, up past the intersection of NY 13 and Lower Creek Road.

CORNELL CAMPUS: Park in the Arboretum (Plantations) and walk along Forest Home Drive past the Cornell water supply intake---the trail picks up just east of there and immediately crosses a suspension bridge over the creek. A maze of trails riddles the area, but all eventually lead north. A tip: the trail crosses Freese Road and continues into the woods on the east side of the road right at the gravel access road to the Cornell garden plots.

South Hill Recreation Way

ITHACA: This trail starts on King Road just east of its intersection with Troy Road. A little less than three miles long, with half-miles marked, soft cinder/gravel running surface.

State Parks

Buttermilk, Taughannock, and Treman State Parks all have trails that are suitable for running. Buttermilk and Treman connect to the Finger Lakes Trail, as described above.

Or add your favorite run to the list!