Take A Hike
On the Gorge Trail just above Lucifer Falls. The Rim Trail overlook is just right of center in the background.
Last week I found myself in Ithaca, New York, home of my alma mater Ithaca College and another lesser-known university. Also home to some great hiking.
“Ithaca Is Gorges” is one of slogans of the town and is not hyperbole.
I was with Lorraine so I could show her around my old stomping grounds, but mostly as the start to the week of my nephew’s wedding a little further upstate.
On Wednesday morning we heading to Robert H. Treman State Park to do some hiking. I vaguely remembered going here once in my time at IC and had memories of a hiking trail cut into the rock of a cliff with rushing water below. At the park we had the choice of Gorge Trail or Rim Trail, so took the latter as it sounded like it would match what I recalled.
It didn’t take me long to wonder if we were even in the correct park. We could hear rushing water, but were hiking through woods that obscured any view. It was quite an intense hike, too, with lots of elevation changes, stairs and muddy footing. There were trail markers along the way with maps of progress and we were heading toward “Lucifer Falls” and so decided to keep going.
My left knee is still nursing the meniscus tear and downhills are tough. Lorraine, meanwhile, tweaked her right knee and had a tough time going up. We had one hiking pole between us and would trade off depending on the terrain.
The final bit before the falls is called the “Steep Steps” and is a series of stone stairways that zig-zag up around 100 feet. We had to stop several times to catch our breath as we ascended. But once at the top the view of the falls was breathtaking. And I could see the other trail that I had remembered!
View from the top of Rim Trail. You can see Gorge Trail cut into the cliff next to the falls.
We went back down the stairs (much easier going down, even on my knee) and crossed over to the Gorge Trail. This was spectacular as it ran you right next to the falls and the creek and looked like something out of Rivendell.
There were also some more steep descents on stairs on this trail, but overall it was a much easier route than the Rim Trail.
Best of all, we got a great workout in and saw some amazing natural beauty as we did so. I burned more calories on that hike than I have since the last ultimate tournament I played in. And it was only 4 miles!
I sometimes forget that getting out into rugged nature is a solid workout, and with the mental benefit of seeing beauty along the way.
The next day we went to Taughannock Falls park and hiked in to see the tallest falls this side of the Mississippi. That hike was child’s play - one mile and completely flat. Still absolutely beautiful and worth the visit.
If you are ever in the Ithaca area, I highly recommend getting some gorge hiking in!
