The path leading to the falls is extremely easy to walk, so I highly recommend it to anyone without…read morehiking skills or with small kids. This park is gorgeous and the falls are the crown glory. All around you will see birds flying and nesting in the cliffs, chipmunks on the trails and the roar of water all around you. The perfect place to convene with nature!

Absolutely huge state park. As far as state parks go - this one includes a boat dock, the HQ for…read morestate parks in this region, a large hotel, and tons of camping. It was a bit of a drive from the heart of Ithaca but, worth it to see the beautiful namesake waterfall. As rain was expected, we decided to skip the longer hike to the lower falls and went to the upper overlook which was beautiful with a nice visitor area and clean/clear walking paths. If in this area, I think this state park is a must visit.

Words can never describe my love for this place. Swimming in Enfield Falls is heaven on Earth. The…read morewater is freezing but it's also crystal clear, and you can see little minnows swimming around your legs. One of the best freshwater swimming experiences hands down, and where else can you swim in a waterfall? Not many places on the east coast, that's for sure. My happy place!

Robert H. Treman State Park was the last of the state parks in the Finger Lakes we visited a week…read moreor so when we spent the Fourth of July in the area, and it was a great way to say goodbye to the region. The park encompasses both sides of Enfield Creek and has several options to enjoy. At one end of the park is the Upper Park Entrance. This entrance has the Old Mill and access to all three hiking trails and is closer to the Lucifer Falls. (If you want to see Lucifer Falls without a hike, park at the Upper Entrance and you're not too far from Lucifer Halls - an easy flat walk to it, really.) The other end of the park is the Lower Park Entrance. It has camping areas (well used over the Fourth of July weekend when we visited - we saw tons of families enjoying the holiday weekend here), access to the Gorge Trail and Rim Trail, the Lower Falls (a waterfall with a swimming hole at the base - the swimming pool even has a diving board!), and everything else you need for a day of swimming and exploring (bathrooms with showers, picnic pavilions, etc.). We parked at the Lower Park Entrance (the lot was almost empty around 9am on a Sunday morning - even though it was a holiday weekend) and started off on the Gorge Trail, which is a 2.12 mile hike along Enfield Creek. This was probably the hardest hike we did at any of the state parks we visited over this holiday weekend (Watkins Glen, Buttermilk Falls, and Taughannock Falls). It was steep. I also didn't think it had the best views for the first mile - you're not quite as close to the water or *in* the gorge as you are on some of the other Gorge Trails. But once we got down to the creek, the views were beautiful (a few small falls), and it wasn't as crowded as the other trails either. (FYI: it was buggy and humid and hot, so if the weather is hot, definitely start early.) I had read on AllTrails that the hike up to Lucifer Falls was tough, so I was a little worried. But actually I didn't find it the hardest part of the hike at all. And Lucifer Falls was absolutely the highlight of the hike and the park for us. It's a 115-foot waterfall and it sort of winds and meanders in this incredible way - different from the other falls we saw on our Finger Lakes hikes. If you're visiting the park, do not miss Lucifer Falls. We returned to the Lower Entrance on the Rim Trail, which wasn't as beautiful as the Gorge Trail, but ended up being a treat, too, for a surprising reason. The Rim Trail didn't take us back to where we had parked our car. It does take you near to the Lower Entrance, but on the South side of the Creek. So when you finish the trail, there's a sign telling you how to get back to the Lower Entrance Parking, and that way back happens to take you past the Lower Falls. So we got to see the Lower Falls - tons of people swimming and diving (with plenty of lifeguards, too). We now know to save some time for a swim at the base of the Lower Falls the next time we visit this park! There are a lot of great parks, hikes, and trails in the Finger Lakes, but I really enjoyed our visit to Robert H. Treman State Park. Lucifer Falls is special, and the park was a great way to get some exercise and get some amazing waterfall shots, too.

This has a bit of everything. Gorgeous views. Bike/running trails. Nice playgrounds. Beautiful old…read moreand new trees. A great place to relax and enjoy life, just be prepared for other people coming for the same reason.

Nice large park on the waterfront in Ithaca. Lots of music…read moreevents happen in this space every year including Ithaca festival and the reggae festival. I personally remember running a 5k road race here in the park. Good place to relax have fun in the playground which is big and awesome. Swings for two along the waterfront to watch a sunset. Bbq grill's aplenty for a nice day cook out.

Great short walk along the buttermilk falls. There are quite a number of stairs involved as well as…read morerelatively steep paths. Overall the hike should be like an hour from lower falls to upper falls (taking photos and enjoying the view along the way), and half hour on the way back if walking straight no side tracking. You'll know you're at the end of you see the massive stone bridge. Restrooms available at lower falls and upper falls entrances. Ten dollar admission for the day, same ticket can be used for other state parks in the area

We stopped briefly to see the falls and there were lots of people swimming, picnicking and…read moresunbathing during our visit. It's $10 to park but we used our ticket from our earlier visit to nearby Taughannock falls to get in. We didn't explore the whole park but I'd consider coming back to do so, to walk one of the trails.

It's quite an impressive waterfall hidden in plain sight in this college town. A small parking lot…read moreand gravel trail lead to the base of the waterfall; there isn't any huge amount of hiking immediately onsite but there are plenty of other trails in the area. Signage everywhere warns that the pool underneath the waterfall has dangerous currents and is a significant drowning hazard. Given the wet rocks nearby, caution is advised. I noted that apparently fishing is permitted here, which irritates me as it makes it hard to get a good view, not that I'm a fan of fishing anyway. The waterfall is several stories high and cascades impressively. Once you get past the dangerous swirling pool at the base, the downstream area is a rocky creek that admits of some exploration, and a heron was perusing it as I walked by. The site is free and open to the non-ivy league public, so there's no reason not to stop in.

I didn't really know what to expect but this was a pleasant surprise. Easy little pull-off with a…read moresmall gravel upper and lower lot area with a short walk along some rocks to Ithaca Falls. Not a lot of effort for a pretty big payoff as this is a pretty large waterfall and you can be as close, or as far away, as you desire. Got some beautiful pictures and spent around 30 minutes here.

On the way to Rochester, I suggested that we headed to the Montezuma wildlife refuge. It was…read moreinteresting that they said that they wanted to go but didn't get a chance to yet. Lucky me! I got to do a touristy thing while driving to Rochester by stopping by half way in and visit the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. A question came to mind was that why wasn't this a national park maintained by the National Park Service. I'm sure there's criteria that makes it to the list or not. With that said, my friend and her family arrived here around 11am and we did a drive thru that took us about 2 hours. It was nice that there was no admission fee or anything. No staff or anything at the entry point. No gate but just a sign that said "Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge". That was pretty cool though and we just started to drive slowly at 5 mph so we could see all the natural wildlife that the sanctuary held for the day. We mostly saw ducks but saw other water fowl in the area. We drove to the large sculpture of the bald eagle before leaving the area. There was a few cars along the road, which was parked along the side. I learned about the history of the wildlife refuge thru Wikipedia while we drove slowly and my friend's kids called out randomly when they saw stuff on the lake. I learned that they don't really groom the landscape here because they let it grow out and untouched because of the national wildlife refuge status. Majority of the drive was on a paved path that's only drivable in one direction. I was told later that there's more to the sanctuary, but the part that the public got to see was good enough. The overall experience here at the Montezuma national wildlife refuge here in Seneca Falls, NY was very cool and definitely a hidden gem in the area. My friend and her family appreciated the fact that it was admission free and we just drove through without having to step out of the car. It was also nice to be in the area outside of the city that we could just enjoy nature and how much it is being there and not have to worry about city life too much. A lot of the wildlife refuge seems untouched and it just works better here without much minimal human interaction. Like many other places in the world that doesn't need humans, the Montezuma national wildlife refuge here in Seneca Park does just that. Just a stretch of protected land that's for preservation for future generations. It's a natural spot for wildlife to thrive without human intervention. The part that the public can view is on a 1.3 mile stretch that's for vehicular access only. Too bad you can't run loops around the lake. The statute of the bald eagle was pretty impressive but not as large as I thought it would be. I took photos of it while we past but no selfies unfortunately. After 2 hours of slow driving and admiring the area, we left the wildlife refuge and headed west to Rochester, New York. If you're in the area and want to see this wildlife refuge, it's pretty dope. It's like the zoo, but no fencing unless it's to separate from the highway next to it. For the most part though, it was an educational experience to come thru here. The wide open spaces outside a city made things nice that we have these special designated areas for nature to do its thing with minimal humanity involved. It's nice. The Montezuma national wildlife refuge is located in Seneca Falls, New York. It's physical address is 3395 US Route 20 East, Seneca Falls, NY. There is no admission fees, so you can just drive right on in. There is a visitor center in a small building, but we decided not to do that in the interest of time. You can bet that they have some exhibits of the history of the national refuge and what they're doing as far as preservation efforts for the wildlife refuge and what they've done to accomplish that. As far as parking goes, they have a few parking spots at the visitors center, but it's not a shopping center. Not a big lot. As far as public transportation goes, I doubt there is any, so your best bet would be to rent a car really to get here. There's always uber and Lyft that can drop you off here and you could walk the loop, but it would look funny. Best to just rent a car or have friends in the area for a fun experience with them if you can. Best bet would be to bring snacks and drinks so that you're not all dehydrated and hungry during your trip here to the Montezuma national wildlife refuge in Seneca Falls, New York. A good experience would be 3-3 1/2 hours including a stop inside the visitors center. And so, if you're in the area and want to see something outside the box, consider stopping by to see the Montezuma national wildlife refuge. I'm sure the local ducks would love to see you. 5.0 stars for overall experience. Support local! A+

The visitor center is open daily 10a-3p. There's a book inside where people are encouraged to…read morewrite what they've seen (and where!) Yesterday at the center I saw a pair of tundra swans, and a trio of sandhill cranes - all were briefly resting from migration. I love this place!

Wow. I didn't know a place like this existed until a girls weekend brought us here. One of the gals…read morehad previously been with family and suggested we come here as a group to enjoy the serene natural beauty of the great outdoors between various wine tastings in the region. It was the best midday activity for our group of 8. We parked at the upper parking lot and so the hike was just down down down many steps! Note to those with ACL, foot, or other ailments, I would have chosen to do this hike in reverse had I known that was an option. I have a much easier time going up with my pain in the foot issues. That said, the hike was still manageable and I was in minimal pain the next day. We opted to send half the group in a rideshare to pickup the cars from the upper trail parling lot while the rest of us walked to get ice cream down the road. This was a fantastic idea! All in all it was a great adventure and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The views are so stunning!

Fantastic experience. It definitely gets busy. We arrived around 9:15 and parking was fine--when we…read moreleft around 12:30 it was full. The trail itself is well maintained and awe inspiring. Love that you can walk down and take a shuttle back up to your car.

Stair Park is one of Vestal's hidden gems. If you're looking for a peaceful place to get outside,…read morethis is definitely worth a visit. A beautiful wooded area with rock formations, a shallow creek, and plenty of spots to stop and take in the scenery. The water is crystal clear, and it's fun to hop across the rocks or just sit and listen to the stream. The stairs definitely provide a workout, but they're well worth it for the views and the experience. It feels surprisingly secluded even though you're close to civilization. We also appreciated how clean and natural the area felt. A portable poty is on site. Plenty of parking. A pavilion and playground are also available. Wear sturdy shoes since some sections can be rocky or slippery near the water. Whether you're hiking for exercise, taking photos, or just looking for a quiet place to relax, Stair Park is a great local escape.

I'd give zero stars if I could. I don't understand why Vestal parks are so intolerant and hostile…read moretowards dogs. Dog owners pay taxes too and we should be allowed to enjoy the parks with our dogs too.

This park is kind of hidden, and at first I thought the term "gorge" might be overselling it…read more Walking from the bottom up, I entered off of a quiet residential street and found an oasis that does indeed feel separate from the surrounding community. And as I ascended, the views just kept getting better and better. There are a lot of stone steps, and these are likely to be wet most of the time, so some caution and consideration of fitness and mobility issues is wise. Unlike the larger Ithaca Falls, I don't think it presents a big drowning hazard. The site offers numerous terraced waterfalls and splendid foliage and rock formations throughout. It is free to enter and adjoins the university but is open to the public. It is an impressive example of urban development done right.

I loved this trail! I'm so glad we squeezed it in!…read more It sneaks up on you when leaving Cornell and entering the bustling Commons/residential area. It's like a hidden haven right off to the side. The rustic stone steps and handrails were charming and a few stone bridges added to the ambiance. Not a lot of work for a huge payoff at 0.5 miles or so long one way with several waterfalls.

Locals told me about this trail I should check out and I came upon this beautiful well kept park!…read moreChildren's playground, and community pool has a large and small pool for the kiddos. Large community picnic benches can host large gatherings with awnings for plenty of shade. Craft Shack and kitchen for the active summer months. Beautiful well kept trail and fun Story Walk. Easy one mile walk with the kids or take the upper trail to explore a longer walk and incline. Gorgeous forest walk on a lovely NY spring day!