This hike has been rescheduled for July 29th due to a weather postponement.

Brief Hike Details

This is a five mile out-and-back hike on the Cayuga Trail rated moderate.

We will hike the Newman Arboretum in the Cornell Botanic Gardens, then continue on the Cayuga Trail, crossing the newly renovated Stevens Suspension Bridge and beyond. At 90 minutes we will turn around and retrace our steps.

Wear sturdy hiking boots or shoes, bring water, sunscreen and insect repellant if you use it.

This is tic season. Standard recommendations include: wear long pants and long sleeved shirt. Check for tics after your hike. Consider treating your clothes with pyrethrin.

Check this space the morning of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.

Contact the hike leader at the address above if you have any questions.

Detailed Hike Description

Tonight’s destination is a portion of the eastern section of the Cayuga Trail, which was cut by Cayuga Trails Club in 1964, and has been lengthened, rerouted, improved and maintained since then by a collaboration consisting of: the club, Cornell Botanic Gardens staff and a number of campus groups.  

We will hike through Newman Arboretum on a series of short trails, then across Forest Home Drive and over the Stevens Suspension Bridge, renovated in May 2023 with: new decking, new railings, repaired footers and new paint. The renovation of the bridge was the brainchild of Charlie Trautman, who shepherded the project through extensive fundraising (over $60,000) while satisfying the legal and safety concerns of several parts of Cornell’s bureacracy, which took two and one-half years and is probably the most impressive achievement of the entire project. Then Charlie supervised recruitment of Cornell staff and volunteers, purchase and delivery of materials, and overall management of the project. 

Once across the bridge we will go perhaps another two or three miles on the Cayuga Trail, potentially reaching the dramatic cliffs overlooking Fall Creek if time permits. This is an out-and-back hike; after about 90 minutes, we will retrace our steps and return to the cars. Our starting and ending point is the Cornell Botanic Gardens Visitor Parking Area, at the intersection of Caldwell Road and Forest Home Drive.