Cascadilla Gorge

Location:  Cornell University Campus; Ithaca; Tompkins County; Finger Lakes Region; New York.

Maps: Google Map; Topographic; Trail Map; Interactive.

GPS: West Entrance: (N 42.44302 /  W 76.49411)
East end at College Ave: (N 42.44324 / W 76.48519)

Directions: Located just south of Cornell University in the city of Ithaca, on the south end of Cayuga Lake. Park alongside E. Court Street, which is off of N Cayuga St. Then head east toward Linn St. and start heading north (left). The entrance will be on your right (look for a small community park).

Google Maps to the corner of E Court and Linn St.

Parking: You have several options. First choice is the small roadside lot off of Linn Street. Second choice is roadside parking near the entrance off of Linn.  There’s also roadside parking alongside Oak Ave (near where it intersects with College Ave) half-way up the gorge on the south end. There’s a trailhead near this lot. There’s a larger lot off of Hoy Rd deeper into campus and at the west end of the gorge trail.

Check the interactive map for locations.

Number of falls: 8 waterfalls (6 of which are significant in size).

Size/Types: Frothy cascades down shale and limestone. From small drops to wide cascades, some reaching 54 ft high, with sizable plunge pools below.

Best time to visit: Spring through fall.

Flow: Moderate; though it does tend to dry in summer. It does become quite a torrent during rain.

Waterway: Cascadilla Creek, a tributary to the Cayuga Inlet, which empties into Cayuga Lake.

Time: 30 minutes to an hour. More if you are photographing.

Seasons/Hours: Open daylight hours. April through November or first freeze. The trail is highly dangerous when icy. The trail is often closed for repairs as well. Please observe and respect the “Posted Trail Closed” signage and do not proceed if closed.

Admission: Free. Parking may be metered. It depends on what street you settle on.

Handicap accessibility: To the grassy park off of Linn St , and to a decent view of the first falls, but not up into the gorge.

Pets: Seemingly allowed (with leash, obviously). For their safety and the safety of others, we recommend you do not take your pet on any gorge trail. Dogs aren’t good climbers, shale is sharp, and they could unwittingly bump someone to their death. Just be responsible.

Swimming: Not allowed. Swimming in the gorge is prohibited and the area is often patrolled by campus police. The currents in Ithaca gorges are extremely dangerous.

Accommodations: Trail; informational signage.

The Yaple family was among some of the first settlers of the town in 1788. John Yaple built a grist mill on the creek on East Hill. Peter Hinepaw built a mill on the west end near Linn St.

Once used as a stone quarry, the gorge has changed drastically from its natural state. Some of the surrounding buildings rest upon foundations from Cascadilla-harvested rock.

Where the campus is today, Cascadilla Place was constructed in 1859 as a “water cure” facility. Water was diverted from the creek and ran through the large building for “therapeutic” purposes, as was the fad at the time. The building was very influential in the choosing of the location for the university, which took over the structure and renamed it Cascadilla Hall. At least one more mill operated upstream from here.

The book “Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York: Including a History of Cornell University” edited by John H. Selkreg, describes an account of a Professor’s commute from the city to the west to the fledgling university in the 1860s:

To reach the university it was necessary to climb a hill without sidewalks; to skirt Cascadilla, passing an old weather-stained mill which stood behind it, and avoid skillfully the debris around the buildings; to descend into a gorge by ladders, and to risk one’s life in crossing planks; to wind through the woods upon the north bank, and then pass through fields and over two successive ravines, and climb over fences, before the solitary building which constitutes the university is reached.

In 1909, Cornell alumnus and trustee Robert H. Treman gave Cascadilla gorge to Cornell University to maintain for public education and enjoyment.

The origin of name Cascadilla is unknown, but it may be from the Spanish word for “little cascades.”

Difficulty: Gets progressively more difficult. There are a lot of steps to climb.

Markings: Just the stone walkway.

Distance: 7,800 ft one way.

Trail Guide:

1. From Treman Triangle Park off of Linn St, follow the path upstream. You first pass a 20 ft cascade on the right, then a gradual cascade that curves around a bend. Note the island in the center of this one.
2. An 11 ft cascade is up ahead and then a narrow 22-footer called Stewart Falls. A stone CCC bridge will take you across the creek.
3. Continue up the path past the next 20 ft cascade, the wide 35 ft Lower Falls and finally you’ll end up at the 50 ft Upper Falls (also known as Cascadilla Falls or Giant’s Staircase) just below College Ave.
4. Continue to the steps that lead to the Cornell campus. You can turn around to go back or cut through the campus and streets to get back.
5. The creek and trail extend beyond College Ave, but there’s little in the way of waterfalls. Climb the steps to the Cornell Campus, cross College Ave and head back down into the gorge to continue.

Map: Trail Map; Interactive.

Prepare

• The sheer number of waterfalls in this gorge coupled with the millions of composition possibilities means you could spend a full day photographing. Plan on getting there early and bring a variety of lenses. Get to know the park before shooting. You are going to want to spend most of your time at certain locations. You will find it very easy to get distracted along the way.
• Get to the gorge early to avoid the crowds.

A good tripod

• Make sure you have a versatile tripod as you may have to lean it up against rock platforms and bend it in unusual ways to get your shots.

Lighting

• Sunlight bursting through the canopy can ruin a pretty shot of the shadowy falls below, so it’s best to tackle this gorge on overcast days.
• Some areas of the gorge are dark enough so you won’t need a neutral density filter to get the silk effect.

Silky Water Effect

• To get that smooth cotton-candy look to the falls, you need to use a Neutral Density (ND) filter on your lens. The ND filter will block some of the light from entering the lens without altering the color, and thus allow your shutter to stay open longer. This blurs the water and creates a soft white gloss to the foamy areas of the falls.  Check out the article for the all the details.

More tips

• See the Articles for more photography tips.