Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve

Need a break from the hassles of everyday life? A walk through the fern-carpeted forests of the Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve, owned by the Finger Lakes Land Trust, could be just the thing. In winter, take your cross-country skis to enjoy one of the peaceful, snow-covered loop trails. Just a short drive from downtown Ithaca, this 150-acre preserve on the northern hillside of the Ellis Hollow valley has 2 miles of hiking trails. The parking area and initial stretch of trail gives no hint of what’s to come. After 500 feet you will find an informational kiosk which marks the junction where the trail splits into a series of nested loops. Starting to the left will take you along a stream and through a forest where shady eastern hemlock often dominates. The path on the right winds up and around a somewhat terraced hillside through a mixed hardwood forest. In the spring and summer, the preserve’s quiet, steepsided glens provide visitors with spectacular birding opportunities. The streams running through the preserve drain into Cascadilla Creek, and are important for maintaining the water quality in the creek and nearby wetlands.