Bear Swamp #121

Saturday 03/28/2026 10:00 am

Hike rating:

Length - 8 miles

Pace - Moderate

Terrain - Moderate

Overall - Strenuous

Event/Trailhead location:

Bear Swamp is located in the Town of Sempronius, about an hour’s drive from Ithaca.

The parking lot for the South Entrance, the Iowa Road parking lot (click for map), is about .25 miles north of the intersection of Bear Swamp Road with Iowa Road.  The best approach to the parking lot is to turn off route 41A onto Iowa Road since the northern part of Bear Swamp Road is a seasonal road.

Carpool:

Carpool Meeting Time: March 28, 2026 9:10 am

Carpool Meeting Place:

Carpool meeting location: shoulder parking on Tyler Rd, near the intersection of Cayuga Heights Rd and Rt 13.  From downtown Ithaca, take Rt 13 north and exit at Cayuga Heights Rd.  Take a right onto Cayuga Heights Rd, cross the bridge over Rt 13 and take an immediate left onto Tyler Rd.  Drive 100 feet down the road, make a U-turn and park on the road shoulder.  Click here for map.

Hike Leader:
Myra Shulman

Contact:

Hike leader contact information will be sent in the email acknowledging that you have registered for this hike. 

Hike Details:

Brief Hike Details

This is is an 8 mile loop hike rated strenuous due to length. We will stop briefly for lunch at about the halfway point.  Highlights on the route include a cemetery from the late 1800s and a viewpoint across a beautiful pond.

We begin and end our hike at the Bear Swamp State Forest South Entrance trailhead. Known as the Iowa Road parking lot, it is located on Bear Swamp Road just 0.25 miles north of its intersection with Iowa Road.

Dress in layers appropriate to the weather, wear sturdy, waterproof hiking boots (there will be mud!), bring water, a sandwich or snack for lunch.

 

Registration is open!

Register

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Registration Confirmation: You will receive an email if your registration was successful. (Check your spam folder if you don’t find it.)

EMAIL THE LEADER IF YOU WILL NOT BE ATTENDING!  Please be courteous to your volunteer hike leader and fellow hikers by notifying the leader if you will not be able to join this hike.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Wear weather-appropriate layered clothing, waterproof footwear, and bring rainwear “just in case.” For winter hikes expect temperatures to be colder than in downtown. Always carry water, a snack/lunch, and personal first-aid supplies. Hiking poles are recommended.
  • Wearing permethrin-treated clothes and/or using insect repellents, as well as checking for ticks afterward is advised. Consider using insect-repellent mid-spring through mid-fall.
  • When conditions might be icy or snowy, bring traction footwear devices (Microspikes, Nanospikes, etc.) to the trailhead. If conditions require snowshoes, the hike leader will let participants know beforehand.
  • Always check the website for last minute announcements and possible cancellations. Contact the hike leader if you have any questions.

ALL HIKERS/TRAIL-WORKERS 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, 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.

BY CHECKING THE “ACCEPT RISK” BOX BELOW, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND UNDERSTAND THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN SAFETY AND AM PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITY AT MY OWN RISK

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