The hiking is not really even hiking...It's a paved walking trail with steps, so even children can do this trail very easily. At every turn there is another waterfall, bigger that the previous one. The trail follows Cascadilla Creek through the gorge past waterfalls, ancient bedrock of shale and sandstone, and many plants adapted to gorge life. There is a well maintained and developed trail through the gorge, making it easy to walk, with only a few short stairways along the way.
We loved this trail! Trumans…, NY. Hasn’t been cleaned up due to it being closed. We arrived on a gloomy overcast Sunday at 9am. In the link above, I have GPS coordinates to where I parked, which is right at the trailhead. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. This is like a surprisingly naturish trail in the middle of town. It was a fun thing for us to do and we would not hesitate to do it again if in the area. We went with our puppy dog and didn't make it the whole way, but WOW - what a treat this walk was.The BEST place for hiking and climbing through waterfalls! You'll see several waterfalls and have a lot of opportunity for photos. Keep smiling. Absolutely beautiful trail with waterfalls. Keep hope. This trail is an absolute gem.
This was smack dab in the middle of Cornell University! Parking is difficult
Lots of stairs FYI def will do again . Some are beautiful cascades, while others are upwards of 80 ft. in height. That said it was beautiful and scenic. With huge looming walls of high rock around us, and a big rain the night before causing lots of dramatic rushing water, it was quite dramatic and impressive to all the ages of our group, and the walk was easy enough for the 6 year old (be sure to keep an eye on children though, since the path is right up to the waterfalls, especially with more rain! Folks with some mobility issues can still enjoy by staying near the lower falls. Like a portal to a magical land from a book. There are some areas you can dip your toes.Unfortunately the day I went, the trail was closed, but I was able to get a picture of one of the falls. I was in a hurry to get back to the Cornell campus from the Commons area and I started from the west end of the trail.
15 reviews of Cascadilla Gorge Trail "We were looking for relatively easy trails that we could tackle in an hour or so. I would recommend grabbing lunch in the commons and then taking the two block walk over to the gorge entrance at Court Street. When you get to the top, you are right in the vicinity of Cornell's campus, which we explored before heading back down. Students use the trail to go to and from class and you can see locals sitting alongside the creek, dipping their feet in the shallows. Within the gorge, Fall Creek plunges over six waterfalls, the last of which is Ithaca Falls. I hiked it in July, and I imagine it's even more beautiful in the fall. I did want to see the gorge…
May you always find peace in the scent of fresh air, in the way breeze feels against your skin, in the glistening reflection of a splashing creek, and in the sound of wind in the trees. Dogs are also able to use this trail … Who knew there was such a quick and easy hiking trail right next to Cornell?! Cascadilla Gorge Trail is an absolute MUST do. The water levels were on the lower side when we visited, but it's still amazing. I highly recommend this walk! Most of it is a wide, manmade pathway consisting of flat limestone or slate and concrete. The trail is closed during winter. The waterfalls were all beautiful, nice winding path, a stone bridge and views all made this a perfect spot with 2 children. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Check it out!My dad and I took a walk on the Cascadilla Gorge Trail after lunch at Collegetown Bagels. Great falls, moderate hike and incline, well maintained. I clocked .7 miles one way and an elevation change of 294'. Lots of stairs, beautiful views all the way up right next to the waterfalls. The dogs and I walked to the trailhead from the house, and instead of hiking back on the trail I opted to walk across the Cornell campus and then down the hill to University Avenue. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round.