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Roy H. Park Preserve

Difficulty // Easy
Activities // Hiking, Snowshoeing, Cross-country Skiing, Running
Distance // 1.5 miles
Features // Waterfalls & Gorges, Unique wildlife viewing, Dog-friendly (on leash), Accessible
Route Type // Out and Back
Estimated hiking time // 30 mins
Open year-round.
Hunting not allowed.
Surface types // Earth
Trail markers // kiosk, no, red blaze, blue blaze, orange blaze, red trail markers

Current Trail Alerts

The north entrance to the Roy H. Park Preserve and the boardwalk will be closed to the public from Monday, July 7, through September 2025 as work is underway to install an ADA-accessible path. The south entrance will remain open during this time. Thank you for your patience.

Just a short drive from Ithaca, this 241-acre preserve, owned by the Finger Lakes Land Trust, borders Yellow Barn and Hammond Hill State Forests and a Cornell Natural Area, making it an important connector in an array of nearly 8,000 acres of open space. Protection of these lands adds another gem to the “Emerald Necklace,” the Land Trust’s initiative to connect 50,000 acres of public land around Ithaca. The preserve has more than 1.5 miles of hiking trails and a universally accessible boardwalk that offers visitors a path across Six-Mile Creek and a connection to more than 15 miles of multi-use trails on neighboring state land. In addition to the wetlands, the preserve features a mixed hardwood forest, hemlock woods, vernal pools, and an expansive beaver pond. The vernal pools provide superb habitat for spotted salamanders and wood frogs. On an early April day, listen for the ringing birdlike calls of spring peepers and the clackety-quacking of wood frogs heralding the coming of spring, and keep on the lookout for great blue herons. The Park Preserve is renowned among local birders for its splendid array of breeding birds. In the forest, you may hear winter wren, hermit thrush, northern waterthrush, and Louisiana waterthrush; while in the field, listen for prairie warbler, eastern bluebird, tree swallow, eastern towhee, indigo bunting, and yellow-billed cuckoo.

White hiking boot on a brown circular background, symbolizing hiking or walking trails.
Hiking
White standard bicycle on a light blue circular background, denoting cycling or bike trails.
Biking
White electric bicycle with a lightning bolt above it on a green circular background, representing e-bike use.
e-Biking
White outline of a horseshoe centered on a gold circular background, symbolizing horseback riding.
Horse
White icon of a person running with motion lines on a dark blue circular background, symbolizing physical activity or trail use.
running
White icon of a kayak with a double-bladed paddle on a brown circular background, representing paddling or kayaking.
Paddling
White crossed skis and ski poles on a light blue circular background, indicating winter sports or skiing.
Skiing
White outline of two crisscrossed snowshoes on a green circular background, representing snowshoeing activity.
Snowshoe
Distance // 0 Miles
Difficulty // Easy

    Parking Locations

    Roy H Park Preserve South
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    Bus Stops

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    Roy H Park Preserve South
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    Current Trail Alerts

    Roy H. Park Preserve

    • The north entrance to the Roy H. Park Preserve and the boardwalk will be closed to the public from Monday, July 7, through September 2025 as work is underway to install an ADA-accessible path. The south entrance will remain open during this time. Thank you for your patience.

    Fall Creek Gorge Natural Area

    • The section of trail in Fall Creek Gorge west of the suspension bridge to Chi Psi is unstable and closed until further notice.

    Cascadilla Gorge Natural Area

    • A portion of the Cascadilla Gorge Trail between Stewart Avenue and College Avenue will be closed from June 10, 2025 to early September 2025. The trail between Linn Street (Treman Triangle) up to the Stewart Avenue Bridge is now open.

    Beebe Lake Natural Area

    • Hemlock Gorge trail upstream of Sackett Bridge is closed.

    Black Diamond Trail

    • Starting September 2, 2025 park staff will be performing trail maintenance on the Black Diamond Trail between Perry City Road and Garrett Road. Sections of the trail will be intermittently closed between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday. Please use alternate routes during that time. The work is expected to last several weeks.