Cascadilla Gorge Natural Area

The iconic Cornell Botanic Gardens Cascadilla Gorge Trail connects downtown Ithaca with the Cornell Campus among one of the most picturesque gorges in the Finger Lakes Region and was voted Ithaca’s favorite gorge. Ascending over 400 feet, this historic set of stone trails and staircases was originally constructed in the late 1920’s, and takes visitors through the gorge formed from ancient bedrock and past six waterfalls. At a leisurely pace, this 1/3-mile section of the trail takes less than an hour from the Treman Triangle Park in downtown to the upper entrance by the College Avenue Stone Arch Bridge. In Collegetown, the trail crosses College Avenue and the Goldwin Smith Walk continues to follow Cascadilla Creek for another half mile through a flat, wooded area that leads to two footbridges over scenic waterfalls. The lower gorge from Linn St to College Ave is closed during the winter months, but the gorge above College Ave is open year round.