Brief Hike Details

This is an 8 mile point to point hike rated moderate due to length. We will hike the entire Black Diamond Trail in Ithaca. 

This hike involves a car shuttle. We will meet before 4:00pm at the Children’s Garden parking lot in Cass Park, Ithaca. Promptly at 4:00pm, we will carpool in a few cars to begin the hike at the Black Diamond Trail trailhead at the upper Taughannock Falls parking lot. On returning to the Children’s Garden parking lot, a few cars will take the drivers back to their cars left at the trailhead.

Dress for the weather, wear sturdy boots, bring water and a sandwich or snack.

If you will have trouble navigating to the start point, email the hike leader at the address above.

Watch this space the day of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.

Our hike for this evening is on the the Black Diamond Trail, which runs from Taughannock Falls State Park to Cass Park in Ithaca.

 

The Black Diamond was originally a railroad bed, built primarily to bring the all-important commodity-anthracite coal-from Pennsylvania to the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. It has been repurposed into a gentle trail with almost no grade and is a moderate hike on an easy grade. Be aware that bikers use this trail frequently, so we may be sharing the trail with several of them.

 

If you are not a regular hiker on the Black Diamond, be aware that bikers frequent this trail, and several bikers may pass us unexpectently at a brisk pace. This can be a bit surprising to walkers. It is an artifact of multiuse rail trails of this kind.

Dress for the weather, wear sturdy boots, bring water and a sandwich or snack.

If you will have trouble navigating to the start point, email the hike leader at the address above.

Watch this space the day of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.