Interloken Trail North #73

Tuesday 05/26/2026 4:00 pm

Hike rating:

Distance – 7 miles; Terrain – Easy; Pace – Moderate; Overall rating – Moderate

Event/Trailhead location:

Park along the shoulder of Searsburg Road (click here for the map).  The first car to arrive determines which side of the road to park.

Hike Leader:
Gary Mallow

Contact:

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

Hike Details:

Hike Description

Start and finish at crossing on Searsburg Road.  We will hike to Teeter Pond, reverse course, cross Searsburg Road.  Then we travel south to Foster Pond and back.  Hikers who want a shorter hike can bail at the road crossing (3.5-4 miles).  The rest will continue to Foster Pond and back.

The Interloken in Finger Lakes National Forest features dense forest, open meadows and rolling farmland, and passes by Teeter and Foster Ponds. The trail is an official spur of the Finger Lakes Trail and also encompasses a short segment of the multi-state North Country Scenic Trail. There is ample parking at the Searsburg Rd./ Interloken Trail juncture.

This area was forested hunting territory for the Native American people 250 years ago. Just 100 years ago, it was nearly treeless, the result of logging, farming, and grazing practices by Euro-American settlers. Today it is a mix of second growth woodland, pasture and lots which are in a transition from pasture to woodland. The cellar holes, stone walls, artifacts, and other surviving evidence of the former residents of this area are an unwritten reminder and historical record of their lives. They are protected by Federal Law. There are a number of archaeological sites on lands managed by the Finger Lakes National Forest, most from the post-Revolutionary War period.

Prior to the European rediscovery of eastern North America, Native Americans lived in this part of New York for more than 10,000 years. The Iroquois are the last in a series of Native American cultures to have lived here, and two of the six Iroquois Nations’ homelands border the Forest. The lakes around which much Native American life took place now bear their names: Cayuga and Seneca.

Wear sturdy waterproof hiking boots, bring water and a snack or sandwich.

Please dress in layers for the time of year with particular care to protect from ticks. Be sure to check for ticks when you get home. Light colored long pants and long sleeve shirt are recommended to mitigate the potential for ticks. Bring insecticide if you use it.

If you will have trouble navigating to the trailhead, or have questions about the hike, contact the hike leader.  Check this space the day of the hike for any changes or a cancellation.

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

Required Fields *

Cayuga Trails Club

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