Wednesday, March 12
Sims-Jennings Preserve at Cayuga Cliffs, Lansing
Hike report by Jim
Twenty-two hikers and one dog met at the Sims Jennings Preserve at Cayuga Cliffs in the Town of Lansing, for a hike of the trail system within the preserve. This is hike # 54 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-54.
The weather was good; cool and sunny but otherwise a great hiking day which, I suspect, was partially responsible for the sizeable turn-out for a Wednesday hike. The group has only done one or two hikes here in the past, so it’s a relatively new location for many of our hikers.
The small parking lot filled up quickly; one reason I scheduled this location for a Wednesday hike. Late arriving hikers had to double park behind the cars of other hikers in the group. I’d like to remind everyone that we DO try to start our hikes on time; late arrivals only delay a prompt start to the hike for the remainder of the group.
Lines of sight across the open fields and through the bare trees gave the group a good view of the lake below as well as portions of the shoreline on the opposite side of the lake.
The group set off from the parking area after a quick group photo, taking the white blazed entrance trail to the intersection with the blue blazed Dannys Trail loop. That loop trail gives a good view of two different ravines that feed into the lake, as well as a long straight section of trail that allows hikers to admire the lake from afar. There is no lakeshore access from Sims Jennings, but with the springtime lack of foliage there are still some good views.
Trail conditions were generally good; it was cold enough at the start of the hike that the ground underfoot was semi-frozen, but by hikes end there were only a few short muddy areas along the trails.
Completing Dannys Loop our hikers paused for a short while at the small viewing area at the end of the white blazed trail before continuing on.
The yellow blazed trail runs southeasterly towards Fiddlers Ridge Rd from the white blazed entrance trail. Our group did an out-and-back hike on that section, during which we crossed over a couple of streams that had a good quantity of water flowing today. A red-blazed trail runs off the yellow blazed trail and loops around the perimeter of some open fields that take around thirty minutes to complete a loop of.
After the field loop the group took the yellow blazed trail back to the entrance trail and from there back to the parking lot.
Over the course of today’s hike we had the entire preserve to ourselves with the exception of one dog walker early in the hike.
Welcome to Kevin Y on his first hike with the group!
Saturday, March 16
The “Chunks” Hike, Stone House Rd., Enfield
Hike report by Jim
Thirty-five hikers and six dogs met on Stone House Rd in the Town of Enfield for a loop hike that stitched together the Margarets Woods trail, with parts of the Finger Lakes Trail, as well as the CCC and Rim Trails in upper Robert Treman State Park. This is hike # 56 on our list of regular hike locations https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-56.
Today’s hike took place entirely on FLT map sheet M16. FLT map sheets may be purchased in paper or electronic formats at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/store/maps-and-gps/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the map sheets help to defray the on-going costs associated with FLT trail maintenance.
The morning was cool and breezy as the group arrived on Stone House Rd for the hike.
Hikers posed for a quick group photo, and we were soon on the Margarets Woods loop trail. Conditions on that loop were generally good, although there are a few muddy spots near the junction of the loop that could use some additional drainage work. The loop trail has clearly had more use since the first time the group hiked there when the footpath was brand new and not so obvious as it circles through the woods.
After completing the Margarets Woods loop, hikers crossed Stone House Rd and took the connector trail that links up with the FLT and the CCC trail. Part of this connector trail that cross the open fields will need additional trail work. Once on the FLT our group crossed the wooden bridge over Fishkill Creek. We climbed a short section of seasonal Butternut Creek Rd before returning to the woods where the FLT followed the ridgeline through the trees towards Thomas Rd. Trail conditions were good, and we encountered only a few trail runners and dog walkers on this section of the hike.
Entering the grounds of Robert Treman State Park the hikers took the FLT to the junction with the Rim Trail; from there our group hiked down into the upper park. Arriving at the upper park we did a short loop within the picnic area of the park, which offered the best view of the currently closed Gorge Trail. This area had the only remaining ice we encountered at any portion of today’s hike.
Walking to the Old Mill, we took the CCC Trail back to the junction of the FLT and the access trail to Stone House Rd that we had hiked earlier. This in turn took the group back to our cars.
For those hikers who are tracking their FLT miles to apply towards the 2025 FLT50 or FLT100 patches, today’s hike included .7 FLT miles
Welcome to Andrew H, Margaret, Frank R, Jennifer and Jordan on their first hike with the group!
Sunday, March 17
Finger Lakes Trail from Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park, Alpine
Hike report by Jim
Ten hikers and a single dog met at the Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park for an out-and -back hike of the FLT. This is hike # 66 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-66.
This hike took place on the FLT entirely within map sheets M15 and M16. FLT map sheets are available in both paper and electronic formats at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/store/maps-and-gps/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the maps helps with on-going costs related to maintenance of the Finger Lakes Trail.
The day was overcast, and with the longer drive to today’s trailhead as well as the forecast of rain, we had a smaller group than on Saturday.
After the group photo the hikers set off into the woods, the first section of trail weaving through the forest, crossing one dry creek bed as it makes its way towards county route 6 and Gulf Rd. One of the small ponds we passed in this area had some remaining ice, but with the exception of one very small patch of trail ice in the Gulf, the footpath was entirely clear today.
Reaching County Route 6 it’s a short road walk across the bridge and down Gulf Rd before the trail veers away from the road into Hendershot Gulf. Here the trail follows the bank of Cayuta Creek. The portions of trail closest to the creek are in a quiet section of the creek. As the trail climbs the hillside to follow the creek from a higher vantage point, the creek becomes more active, flowing faster until we reach our turn-around point at the junction of several creeks very near the westerly end of the Van Lone Loop trail.
Reaching the turn-around point Leigh Ann took the lead on the return portion of the hike; everyone made it back to the cars without incident. During the return part of the hike I saw the first rain drops beginning to fall as we neared Gulf Rd, the drops appearing on the calm surface of Cayuta Creek.. By the time I had crossed the bridge on County Route 6 and re-entered the woods, there was a light rain that fell periodically for the remainder of the hike.
For anyone tracking their FLT miles for a 2025 FLT50 or FLT100 patch, today’s hike consisted of 5.4 FLT miles.
