Hikes and Outings

Club Hikes

CTC group hikes are every Tuesday and Saturday, throughout the year.  Our hikes explore beautiful gorges, waterfalls, forests, wetlands, and landscapes through our area!  Winter hikes – with crystalline waterfalls, snowy forests, and ice-covered creeks – are wonderful; snowshoes may be needed on some of these winter excursions.

Saturday hikes start at 10am; Tuesday hikes start at 4pm during daylight savings, and 10am the rest of the year.  Most hikes are within a 30 min drive, but excursions to spectacular places further away are occasionally included.  Hikes generally last 1.5 – 3 hours, depending on route length, difficulty and group pace.  Go to “EVENTS” to view upcoming (and past) hikes: be sure to review the details regarding terrain, distance and difficulty to determine whether a particular hike is for you.

Other Outings

Walk, Look, Learn: These leisurely hikes are focused on exploring natural and human history in our region.  They have included opportunities to learn about mushrooms, plants, animal tracks, Euro-American settlements, railroad history, forest ecology, geological history, fossils and so much more.

Kayak & Canoe Outings: From its inception, paddling has been part of the interests of CTC members.  During the summer, look for group paddle events with CTC.  If you don’t (yet) own a kayak, get in touch with the outing leader to inquire about borrowing one.

Weekend Trips: Over the years, CTC has organized multi-day trips to Allegany State Park, the Adirondacks, Catskills, and other outdoor recreation hotspots in our region.  These involve camping, or staying in cabins or local motels.

Participation in Hikes and Outings

Guests are welcome to participate in club hikes and other outings. Repeat guests are encouraged to become members. Family members are always welcome at CTC events when accompanied by a member.

Guidelines

• Car-pool meeting place – CTC event announcements may include both a car-pooling location and an event/trailhead location. Please car-pool to reduce the number of cars driving to and parking at the trailhead. Be sure to arrive at the car-pooling location a few minutes early to allow for organization of car-pools. Out of consideration for all participants, we will leave the car-pool location promptly at the designated time.
• Trailhead meeting place – If you live closer to the trailhead than the car-pooling location, you can join the event there. The time announced at the trailhead is approximate, but the hike will not depart before that time.
• Preparation – Read the hike or outing description carefully and make sure you are comfortable with the activities, hike length, difficulty, pace, weather, and terrain. Also make sure you have the appropriate clothing, equipment, water, and food. If you have any questions, contact the hike leader(s).
• Dogs – Please see our policy regarding bringing dogs on CTC hikes.  Note that dogs are only allowed if explicitly stated on the Event description.
• Last-minute changes – Check this website the evening or early morning before the event for last-minute changes in the hiking conditions or description. In rare cases, it may be necessary to cancel a hike, and you can save a trip to the meeting place.

ALL HIKERS/TRAIL-WORKERS/PADDLERS PARTICIPATE AT THEIR OWN RISK

Those persons enjoying the Finger Lakes Trail and/or activities sponsored by the Cayuga Trails Club, or the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, accept full personal responsibility for their own well being, and for the well being of a minor when acting in the capacity of parent or guardian. Further, participants understand that hiking, snowshoeing, paddling, and trail work are rigorous activities, often conducted in rugged outdoor conditions subject to variations in weather and terrain, and which may involve the risk of injury or death. Each participant is fully responsible for their own safety and for selecting activities that are consistent with their physical capabilities.