CAYUGA WATERFRONT TRAIL:
ITHACA, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: November 24, 2024
Length: Cayuga Waterfront Trail; 5.3 miles.
Inlet Island Trail; 0.4 miles
Lower Black Diamond Trail; 0.5 miles
Treman State Marine Park Loop; 1.6 mile Loop.
Difficulty: Cayuga Waterfront Trail; Easy. Flat paved trail.
Inlet Island Trail; Easy. Stone-dust trail.
Lower Black Diamond Trail; Easy. Paved trail.
Treman State Marine Park Loop; Easy. Paved trail.
Directions:
To Start from the Visitor Center [Northeast End]; From Route 13 coming in from the east. Take the Route 34 N/Stewart Park exit. Head right on James Gibbs Dr, then turn left on Route 34. First left into the Visitor Center.
To Start from the Park Road parking lot [Southwest End]; From Route 13 coming in from the east. Enter downtown and turn right on W Buffalo St. Cross over Inlet Island and turn right on Park Rd. Parking lot is on your right.
To start from the Cass Park Access Road parking lot [Northwest End]; From Route 13 coming in from the east. Enter downtown and turn right on W Buffalo St. Cross over to Inlet Island and turn right on Route 89. Travel 1.1 miles and turn right at the Allen Treman State Marine Park entrance. Turn right on Cass Park Access Rd and park. The trail passes in front of the parking lot.
The Cayuga Waterfront Trail is a multi-use trail in Ithaca that travels from STEWART PARK at the Southern End of Cayuga Lake, South, along Cayuga Inlet & Six Mile Creek. Here you can access the Inlet Island Trail, which travels North, along Inlet Island and the Lower Black Diamond Trail, which travels South along Cayuga Inlet. The trail then continues North, along Cayuga Inlet to CASS PARK . From Cass Park you can access both the Black Diamond Trail , which travels North, to Trumansburg, along the old Lehigh Valley Railroad route, whose Black Diamond Express once ran from Buffalo to New York City, as well as, the Treman State Marine Park Loop. In Ithaca, you can also check out the East Ithaca Recreation Way & South Hill Recreation Way . For more information visit; CAYUGA WATERFRONT TRAIL and ITHACA TRAILS .
Cayuga Waterfront Trail:
Starting from the Visitor Center [Northeast End]; Restrooms available. From the parking lot travel South across a small bridge to the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. A short metal 0 Mile Marker is located here. These hard to spot Mile Markers are located every 0.25 miles along the trail.
Note; Left brings you to E Shore Dr and a Map Board. Future construction will extend a trail South, alongside E Shore Dr to Cayuga St.
Head right along the wide paved trail. Blue signs mark the route. You'll pass by the Ithaca Youth Bureau which contains ITHACA BIKE RENTALS . Come to the entrance to Stewart Park and head right across the RR tracks and Stewart Park Rd. The trail now travels right, North, through the park, past a parking lot and West, alongside the Southern End of Cayuga Lake at 0.2 miles. Large beautiful Willow tress line the shore. Pass by picnic tables, pavilions, playgrounds, carousal and restrooms. The trail then follows South alongside Fall Creek, crossing over a pedestrian suspension bridge and boardwalk. You leave the park after crossing a bridge over the creek. The trail then continues alongside the creek. A cross-walk at a mile takes the trail alongside Pier Rd and around the Newman Golf Course. The trail crosses Pier Rd a couple of times before turning left at Willow Rd at 1.5 miles. The trail now travels through an industrial area and out to N Meadow St and some RR tracks. Turn right and cross a bridge over Cascadilla Creek where the trail travels between the creek and the water treatment plant. Travel past the farmers market and a dock as the trail now travels alongside Cayuga Inlet. Picnic tables, along with a Map Board located here. Come to an intersection at 2.1 miles.
Note; Heading left, East, a paved Spur Trail will bring you to 3rd St and the RR tracks.
Continuing South along Cayuga Inlet you'll travel past the Collyer Boathouse and travel alongside Six Mile Creek to W Buffalo St, where you head right, West, across an iron pedestrian bridge. Cross-light over Taughannock Blvd and you pass by the old brick Lehigh Valley RR Depot on your right along with an old locomotive and rail cars before coming to an intersection on your right at 2.9 miles. Here you'll find a Map Board.
Note; Right is the trailhead for the Inlet Island Trail. This stone-dust trail travels North, along the Cayuga Inlet, traveling underneath Taughannock Blvd and past a dock to Lookout Point, where Six Mile Creek & Cayuga Inlet split after 0.4 miles.
Continuing straight along the wide sidewalk, you cross the Cayuga Inlet and come to Park Rd where a trail leads down to the Cayuga Inlet and an intersection at 3.1 miles.
Note; Right, South, leads to the paved Lower Black Diamond Trail, which travels underneath W Buffalo St and W State St and along the Western Side of the Flood Control Channel, then out to Floral Ave, ending after 0.5 miles. Just before the end of the trail, a bridge over the Channel leads to the Cherry Street Industrial Park & Cherry St. I haven't checked out this bridge & Park yet. Future plans will extend the trail South, along the Eastern Side of the Flood Control Channel, to Buttermilk Falls, then Southwest, to Treman State Park.
Continuing left, North, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail travels alongside Cayuga Inlet, passing by the Park Road parking lot before coming to an intersection. Here the trail splits to form a Loop around Cass Park.
Note; The trail to your left is part of the Cass Park Loop; Western Side. This is where you'll Loop back to.
I continued straight along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, traveling underneath the Taughannock Blvd Bridge along the Cass Park Loop; Western Side. Soon you'll be traveling between Taughannock Blvd and the Cayuga Inlet. As you enter Cass Park you'll come to an intersection. Continue straight passing by a butterfly garden before crossing a bridge over Linderman Creek. This brings you to another intersection. Head right as the trail continues along the inlet passing by more gardens, a dock, playground and sports fields. Access to restrooms. The trail then turns inland, West, bringing you to a crosswalk on your right, at the junction of *Allan Treman Park & Cass Park Access Roads at 4.3 miles. Left is the Cass Park Access Road parking lot.
Note; You have 2 Options from here:
Option 1: Extend your ride by continuing North along the Treman State Marine Park Loop.
Option 2: Completing the Cass Park Loop; Eastern Side. I did both options starting with the first.
Option 1: [Re-zeroing Mileage] Head right, North, across Allan Treman Park Rd, where you share an access road (limited traffic).
Note; On your left is the HANGAR THEATRE and on your right is the Ithaca Dog Park.
You quickly pick up the wide, paved Treman State Marine Park Loop past the gate. The trail travels through a large meadow.
Note; Since I last rode this trail, it has been paved (was grass) so not sure if my directions or mileage has changed.
Come to Intersection 1 and bear left (narrow paved trail or stone-dust?) along the Treman State Marine Park Loop; Western Side. Come to Intersection 2 and continue left around a meadow and Osprey nests to the Southern End of Cayuga Lake. Here the trail starts to Loop South along the Cayuga Inlet. Views of the Cayuga Inlet Lighthouse out in Cayuga Lake. Come to Intersection 3.
Note; Right the trail leads to picnic pavilions and back to Intersection 2.
Continue straight along the Treman State Marine Park Loop; Eastern Side shoreline (a causeway divides the Cayuga Inlet from Fall Creek on the other side), past more picnic table to Intersection 4. Continue straight to a circle and dead end, where boats enter the inlet from the marina. Return to the Intersection 4 and continue left, West, traveling around the marina, past Intersection 5 (which leads back to the picnic pavilions). Turn South, along the marina, back to Intersection 1. Follow the trail back to the *Allan Treman Park & Cass Park Access Roads after a 1.6 mile Loop.
Option 2: [Continuing Mileage] Cross *Cass Park Access Road and continue left, South, along the Cass Park Loop; Eastern Side past the Cass Park Access Road parking lot, sports fields, Cass Park Rink & Pool before coming to Taughannock Blvd. Here you'll find a Map Board. A cross-walk takes you over and around more sports fields. Pass by the Ithaca Children's Garden before coming to an intersection at 5 miles. Left a spur leads to the Children's Garden parking lot.
Note; Right, West, a spur leads to the Black Diamond Trail which follows a stone-dust rail trail North along the old Lehigh Valley Railroad route whose Black Diamond Express once ran from Buffalo to New York City. This trail travels 8.4 miles, currently ending at TAUGHANNOCK FALLS SP near Trumansburg. Taughannock Falls plunges 215 feet past rocky cliffs that tower nearly 400 feet above a gorge. I haven't checked out this trail yet.
Continue South to the next intersection and you'll return to the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, completing the Cass Park Loop and the Cayuga Waterfront Trail after 5.3 miles.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR CAYUGA WATERFRONT TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR BLACK DIAMOND TRAIL MAP
FUTURE BLACK DIAMOND TRAIL EXTENSIONS:
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BIKE IT OR HIKE IT