New York: Trumansburg and Taughannock Falls State Park

Last February we volunteered at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival where we met folks from North Carolina and New York.  The New York group was primarily from Trumansburg, the headquarters of the GrassRoots Festivals.

Downtown Trumansburg
just a few blocks long

Fortunately, this summer we had the opportunity to spend two weeks in the area.  We began to learn why folks are so enthralled with the town and area.  There is a certain magic in the lower Finger Lakes region of New York.

The Taughannock River runs through town

One day I walked to the near by grocery and on the return noticed a small trail leading into the woods with an almost hidden sign "Smith Woods".  Yes, I had to venture on this trail which turned out to be a nature preserve through an old forest. The woods is a 32 acre plot of "old growth trees" some of which are over 200 years old and thus predate European settlement. 

Typical of the area
A nature preserve founded in 1909

From the Fair Grounds, where we volunteered for the GrassRoots Festival, it was a short distance to Taughannock Falls State Park.  So, one beautiful day we opted to take the afternoon and explore the state park.

Taughannock Falls
33 feet taller than Niagara Falls

There are several trails with the most dramatic and longest loop being the rim of the Taughannock Gorge.  From the gorge you can see the falls plunge 215 feet past rocky cliffs into the chasm below.  As an aside, this falls is 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls but not as wide.  Regardless, it is still impressive.

View from the top of the canyon wall

You can also walk up the river basin on a 1/2 mile trail to admire the falls from the base.  Along the way you can get up-close and personal with the river as it continues to carve its way to Cayuga Lake. And, yes we did both.

Looking across the gorge

The canyon walls rise nearly 400 feet above the gorge and the rim trail offers spectacular views of  the walls, multiple waterfalls, the river far below, birds, hikers, and swimmers.  Viewing the world from the edge of the rim is quite an experience.

Steep steps await you as you climb
to the rim of the gorge

To reach the rim from the mouth of the gorge, lake side, you must climb.  And as you ascend the steps provided by the park you pass through hemlock forests which almost block the bright sun.  Among the hemlocks you will find other hardwood trees such as sugar maple, striped maple, and the distinctive white oak.

The south side of the river and gorge is covered
with hardwoods, the north side 

The loop crosses the forest and borders the road on the west end, the river source, and descends to Cayuga Lake on the east side.  The lake is huge and impressive but not as exciting to this flat-lander as the woods which have different trees on the north and south rims.  

Cemetery Chapel
adjacent to Smith Woods

Bottom line:  Add this area on your bucket list.