Quick Hike Details

This is a loop hike of about 6.2 miles rated strenuous. There are some steep pitches. If you struggle on the uphill stretches, you might want to join us another time.

We will hike from the preserve parking area along a series of interconnected trails in the Steege Hill Nature Preserve, in the Town of Corning.

The hike begins and ends at the parking area on Steege Hill Road in the Town of Corning.

Dress appropriately for the weather, wear sturdy boots, bring water and insecticide or a natural repellent if you use it. Hiking poles highly recommended.

This is tick season. Recommended gear includes: long pants, long sleeve shirt, gaiters if you have them or tuck your pant legs into your socks. Check for ticks after your hike.

Today our adventure takes us to Steege Hill Nature Preserve, one of 45 preserves owned and managed by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. The land trust oversees the protection and conservation of over 100 conservation easements, 40 preserves, and now has over 28,000 acres under protection. Note we have a 45 minute drive one-way to the trail-head to near Big Flats from Ithaca.

From GoFingerLakes.org: hundreds of millions of years ago, this land was part of the Great Catskill Delta Plain.  More recently, glaciers gouged their way over the flat landscape. Rushing water over the past 10,000 years has further changed the landscape, carving numerous glens and ravines on its way to the Chemung River. Five such ravines on the preserve provide a cooler, moister habitat than is typical of the rest of the preserve.  While much of Steege’s forest is dominated by southerly species such as oak and hickory, you’ll find trees more typical of a northern forest — hemlock, maple, birch, and beech — in the glens.

At the Steege Hill Preserve you can witness first hand the results of what happens when conservationists and the community band together to conserve our natural lands.

In the 1970s, much of Steege Hill was damaged by such extensive logging that the town of Big Flats shut down the operation and passed New York State’s first local ordinance to regulate logging. Slowly, but surely, the forest is healing. While old logging roads and clearings have been invaded by various non-native plant species such as autumn olive, honeysuckle, and multiflora rose, the native vegetation is coming back in all its variety as well.

In perhaps another 100 years, it will have returned to its former glory. In the meantime, just one walk through it will convince you of this land’s beauty and recovery.  Since some areas were not logged, you can compare these with the logged portions, and track the changes as time goes on.

Eastern Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), endangered in New York and very rare in our region, are present in the preserve. These ecologically important and mercilessly persecuted animals are by nature unaggressive and want to stay out of our way. They typically wait near logs, or could be seen just off trail. They wait on common runways for their prey, rodents. Step carefully over any logs on the trail and keep your eyes open.

Dress appropriately for the weather, bring waterproof hiking boots or shoes, and water. Hiking poles highly recommended.

This is tick season. Recommended gear includes: long pants, long sleeve shirt, gaiters if you have them or tuck your pant legs into your socks. Check for ticks after your hike.

If you need help navigating to the preserve’s parking area – our starting point – email the hike leader at the address above.

Check the website the day of the hike for any changes or cancellations.