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    Cornell University Ornithology Lab

    4.7 (11 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Joyce L.

    Cornell University Ornithology is a fancy word for bird park with a nice walking trail. There's no admission for this place but if you plan to come in a group of more than 10 people be sure to call them ahead of time. We came here on a cloudy/light rain day but we were still able to do the 1 mile walking trail that loops this place. It's an easy trail. The birds here are not caged. It's nice to be in a place where they can roam freely. Inside the museum, they have telescopes that you can use to look for birds. They do have some bird feeders outside and if you're lucky you get to see some colorful birds through the glass.

    Andy B.

    One of the nicest nature preserves I've ever been to, Cornell's Ornithology Lab offers a wonderful setting for viewing the bird species that are native to central New York. The building itself fits into its setting quite well, not distracting from the natural beauty of its surroundings. The glass curtain wall provides an excellent vista from which to observe the birds, either with the naked eye or the high-powered telescopes that really do provide a birds-eye view (pardon the pun) of the preserve. Even if you're not a hard-core birder, the trails here offer a wonderful and easy walk around the grounds. The trails are also dotted with some very nice sculptures that don't distract from the beauty of nature around them. A lot of thought went into the design of these grounds - not surprising, as Cornell is home to one of the premier landscape architecture programs in the country. Free admission, easy parking, and the beauty of nature make for an enjoyable and serene afternoon stroll amongst the birds, a perfect place to visit on a nice spring or fall day.

    The trail map...beautiful variety of plant and Bird life that keeps one coming back and back again.
    Naguib K.

    A hidden gem in the Finger Lakes. We wanted something special to spend half the day in Ithaca New York. We found it! The setting couldn't be better. Close to town, the Sapsucker woods trails were a wonderful, easy, very well maintained system. The modern clean building provided a beautiful viewing window that one can spend the entire afternoon looking at the various birds that come by. The store is jam packed with a myriad of birding specific gear. I've never seen a better variety of spotting scopes and binoculars. Great staff and volunteers,

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    Review Highlights - Cornell University Ornithology Lab

    There is a large building with bird movies, a gift shop, and an amazing floor to ceiling viewing area.

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    Taughannock Falls State Park - North Rim Trail

    Taughannock Falls State Park

    4.6(164 reviews)
    8.8 mi

    [Tuh-Gan-Ick] Falls state park is one the of most beautiful state park in NY. It has spectacular…read morenatural attractions of waterfalls, and a lake front on the other side of the road The Gorge Trail to the waterfall is very easy to access. I visited in the winter to see the falls frozen over, and the park rangers had done an excellent job keeping the trail well maintained. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the waterfall, and there's very little elevation change along the way. North Rim trail entrance was close during winter due to ice and snow. But you can skip the dangerous part of the trail by parking at the Taughannock Falls overlook point and start hiking from there. Then you will reach the upper falls. Parking is only $10. lot is small so warmer weather probably will fill up pretty quickly.

    I visited here in the winter to see the falls frozen over, and it was such a cool experience! I…read morehadn't seen a frozen waterfall before, so it was really special to experience. I thought it was a fairly easy 1 mile hike out to the falls (though my coworker vehemently disagrees that 1 mile and easy belong in the same sentence - sorry Miss Sheila!), and there were some falcons swooping around. There is a fee to park, but were still spots remaining when we arrived. We should have received discounted parking with a Military ID, but the booth was unmanned that day, so we paid anyway. There is a restroom facility at the parking lot, and it wasn't bad. I actually think it was heated, so that was nice. I'd be interested in seeing the falls and hiking the upper trail when the weather is better!

    Photos
    Taughannock Falls State Park - Cayuga lake

    Cayuga lake

    Taughannock Falls State Park
    Taughannock Falls State Park

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    Buttermilk Falls State Park

    Buttermilk Falls State Park

    4.5(128 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    Beautiful park right off the road with easy access. Parking is $10 and worth it whether you want a…read morerelaxed stroll or a longer hike. Buttermilk Falls is right at the entrance and super easy to get to, with trails branching off from there. There's also swimming available in season when lifeguards are on duty. Overall, a very relaxing spot I loved visiting.

    Located just on the southern edge of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls named as early as 1866, as it was…read morelikened to "a mass of thick, frothy foam" is a wildly popular spot for tourists and local residents, especially during the height of summer where some of us visited this park. Formed by Buttermilk Creek as it flows down the steep valley side toward Cayuga Lake ranging in height from 5 to 35 feet and descending more than 500 feet in a series of cascades and rapids, a natural pool at the base of fall provides swimming with the feel of an old swimming hole that was closed today due to lack of life guards. Like many NY state parks, there are two entrances. We walked from the parking lot at the lower park and hiked up the picturesaque dog friendly Gorge Trail until the cross-over bridge. Then we returned back down the other side of the gorge on the less travelled Rim Trail. Bathrooms were clean with 4 showers. If one carries in food or drinks into the park, one must carry out as there are no trash cans. Parking was $10 and our picnic lunch made for an inexpensive, fabulous day, which we can recommend.

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    Buttermilk Falls State Park - First test spot on the walls

    First test spot on the walls

    Buttermilk Falls State Park - The bridge to cross the falls on the top

    The bridge to cross the falls on the top

    Buttermilk Falls State Park

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    Cornell University Ornithology Lab - parks - Updated May 2026

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