Quick Details
Ithaca is Gorges & Waterfalls Hiking Tour
The tour begins in the morning with a narrated driving tour where you get acquainted with Ithaca and the natural beauty of our area. We visit four waterfall stops where we get out and explore the gorges carved out by Fall Creek and Cascadilla Creeks. These creeks border the beautiful Cornell University Campus and provide beautiful sites along its shores.
We then traverse the famous Cornell Suspension bridge – a pedestrian bridge that is suspended 138 feet above the water, then see the falls surrounding College Town, as well as Cascadilla Falls. The morning culminates with an up-close-and-personal visit to Ithaca Falls, downtown Ithaca’s own 135-foot waterfall.
After your waterfall and sightseeing tour, you either head to Robert Treman State Park or Taughannock Falls State Park, where you enjoy a picnic lunch provided by Ithaca Bakery.
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If you choose the hike at Enfield Gorge at Robert Treman State Park:
After lunch, we take you to the upper park entrance, where your guide provides you with a natural history hike through the enfield gorge trail. This is a 1-mile round trip through a spectacular gorge filled with flagstone stairs, bridges, and of course, beautiful waterfalls, including the 115 ft Lucifer Falls. The path we follow is paved with flagstones and all the changes in altitude are flagstone staircases. During the walk, we provide background about the natural history of the gorge and the geologic history of upstate New York. This gorge, which many feel is as beautiful as any on the continent, affords us the opportunity to point out many examples of evidence of geologic history. This hike is appropriate for children 6 years or older, and requires appropriate walking shoes, and is mildly strenuous.
If you choose the hike at the Taughannock Falls State Park Gorge Trail:
After lunch, your guide takes you on a 1.5-mile round trip hike along Taughannock Creek to the base of the falls. Taughannock Falls is the most photographed waterfall in Ithaca NY. At 215 feet tall, it surpasses Niagara Falls in height. Along the way, we see natural history landmarks and explore how the waterfall and creek have changed the landscape in the last 10,000 years. This hike is completely flat and suitable for aged 6 and up. *Open year round, pets welcome on a leash*
At the conclusion of the hike, we enjoy homemade ice cream sandwiches from our local ice cream shop, Purity Ice Cream. Afterwards you can relax or take a short swim at the base of Treman’s beautiful Lower Falls waterfall or at Taughannock Falls State Park on the shores of Cayuga Lake.
This 4-hour tour is perfect for families or anyone interested in seeing why “Ithaca is Gorges.” Bringing your camera is a must for the most stunning scenery this side of Niagara Falls.
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- All tours are public tours and require a minimum of 4 total guests in order to run the tour at the listed price. The tour is not recommended for children under 4.
- Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or special considerations, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
- *Weather Alert: This tour runs if the weather is overcast or lightly raining. Ponchos and umbrellas will be provided. We will cancel the tour if weather conditions become unsafe, such as torrential rains, thunderstorms, or in the event of flood or ice warnings.
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- La Tourelle Hotel and Spa, 1150 Danby Road, Ithaca NY
- The Hotel Ithaca, 222 S. Cayuga Street, Ithaca NY