Finger Lakes Trail System
Onondaga Trail
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Finger Lakes Trail System Onondaga Trail
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The Onondaga Trail is one of six branch trails of the Finger Lakes Trail System. This trail system has over 900 miles of hiking trails in New York state. The Onondaga Trail currently, as of September 2010, is 41.8 miles long. The North Country National Scenic Trail runs concurrent with the entire Onondaga Trail. The trail carries the North Country Trail from the Finger Lakes Trail in Cuyler Hill State Forest at "Three Trails Junction" to the Link Trail in Tioughnioga WMA. From there the Link Trail brings the NCT through Cazenovia to Canastota and the Old Erie Canal Trail.
The Onondaga Trail is maintained by the Onondaga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. This hiking club has added many miles to this trail over the last few years.
Onondaga Trail at Stanton Rd in Deruyter State Forest
The Onondaga Trail goes through state, county and private lands. The state and county lands include Cuyler Hill State Forest, Maxon Creek State Forest, Morgan Hill State Forest, Highland Forest County Park, Deruyter State Forest and Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. The trail also crosses private property thanks to the generosity of the landowners. Please respect private property and stay on the trail. Camp only in state lands.
The Onondaga Trail offers a long backpacking loop hike utilizing the Link Trail and Finger Lakes Trail. This backpacking loop hike travels into four counties in central New York. Called the Onondaga Finger Link Loop (OFLL), this loop hike is nearly 100 miles. Use the links above and below for a closer look at the Onondaga Trail.
Key points along the Onondaga Trail
| Mileage | Elevation | Trail Description |
| 0.0 | 1918 feet |
Stoney Brook Rd. Parking. Follow white blazed Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Trail north. |
| 0.1 | 1945 feet |
Three Trails Junction. Start of the blue blazed Onondaga Trail on the left. The North Country Trail now follows the Onondaga Trail. Turn left and follow blue blazes. |
| 0.3 | 1904 feet |
Reach Stoney Brook Road and turn right following road. Views. |
| 0.4 | 1835 feet |
Trail turns right off road and follows left side of fence. (this is currently over grown and can follow dirt road to Cuyler Hill Road) You are now on Private Property. Follow blue blazes. Views. |
| 0.6 | 1762 feet |
Trail turns left. |
| 0.75 | 1771 feet |
Reach Cuyler Hill Road. Turn right and follow road. |
| 1.0 | 1740 feet |
Junction of Midlum Rd. Veer straight and follow Midlum Road. |
| 1.1 | 1785 feet |
Soon after where road turns left, trail leaves road on right following farm road, then another right along fence. Soon pass a very old cemetery. You are hiking on PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 1.8 | 1886 feet |
Views from a pipeline right of way on your right. |
| 1.9 | 1881 feet |
Entering section of trail where landowner requests that hikers are QUIET during big game hunting season (OCT 1 - DEC 31). Quiet until border of Maxon Hill State Forest. |
| 2.1 | 1968 feet |
Reach Midlum Hill Spur Rd. Views. Trail turns right and follows old road downhill. |
| 2.5 | 1684 feet |
Entering Maxon Creek State Forest. |
| 3.1 | 1510 feet |
Orange Blazed Irish Hollow Trail on your left (dead end trail). Begin to ascend. |
| 3.8 | 1776 feet |
Begin the sometimes steep descent toward NY 13. Soon leave state forest & enter PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 5.1 | 1199 feet |
Reach NY 13. Parking. Turn right and follow E Keeney Rd EXT. |
| 5.2 | 1214 feet |
Turn left on Linklaen Road, cross NY 13. Road is now Tripoli Road. |
| 5.9 | 1201 feet |
Turn left on West Keeney Road. |
| 7.3 | 1185 feet |
Turn right on NY 13 south. Very busy highway. |
| 8.8 | 1164 feet |
Turn right on Morgan Hill Rd. There is a state forest sign here. |
| 10.8 | 1655 feet |
Large snowplow turnaround. Parking. Entering Morgan Hill State Forest. |
| 11.7 | 1733 feet |
Turn right on Chickadee Hollow Rd. No signs. Parking. |
| 12.3 | 1869 feet |
Trail turns left off road. Follow blue blazes. Parking. |
| 14.1 | 1989 feet |
Highest point along Onondaga Trail. |
| 14.3 | 1911 feet |
Cross Morgan Hill Road. Parking. |
| 15.1 | 1552 feet |
Hemlock Lean-To is 150 feet off trail to your right. |
| 15.7 | 1323 feet |
Cross Shackham Brook on footbridge. |
| 15.8 | 1340 feet |
Cross Shackham Road. Parking. Soon trail register. |
| 16.5 | 1783 feet |
Entering Labrador Hollow Unique Area. No fires allowed. |
| 17.3 | 1432 feet |
Top of Tinker Falls. |
| 18.1 | 1879 feet |
Hang Glider view. Soon enter PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 19.2 | 1878 feet |
Re-entering Morgan Hill State Forest. |
| 19.6 | 1710 feet |
Spruce Pond on your left. North Country Trail Kiosk. Parking 150 feet to left. |
| 21.3 | 1514 feet |
Cross Shackham Rd. Parking. Soon pass Shackham Pond. |
| 21.9 | 1524 feet |
Cross seasonal dirt Onondaga One Road. Parking. |
| 23.8 | 1661 feet |
Leave Morgan Hill State Forest. Now on PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 24.2 | 1473 feet |
View of Fabius, NY. Soon more views. |
| 25.2 | 1239 feet |
Right on West Keeney Rd. |
| 25.3 | 1221 feet |
Left on Bardeen Road. |
| 26.0 | 1253 feet |
Cross Vincent Corners Rd. Stay straight. Road now Cowles Settlement Rd. |
| 26.8 | 1507 feet |
After sharp right turn, trail leaves road on left. Enter Highland Forest County Park. Parking. |
| 29.4 | 1670 feet |
Skyline Lodge. Views, bathrooms, water, vending. |
| 30.8 | 1745 feet |
Leaving Highland Forest County Park. Entering PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 31.6 | 1296 feet |
Reach West Lake Road. Turn right then left on Dam Road. |
| 32.3 | 1337 feet |
Turn right on East Lake Road and follow trail into woods. PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 32.5 | 1359 feet |
Turn left into small parking area. Trail leaves the end of parking area through grass, then turns right onto well worn path. |
| 33.3 | 1767 feet |
Enter Deruyter State Forest. |
| 35.0 | 1679 feet |
Leave Deruyter State Forest. Reach Fairbanks Road. Turn left & follow road. |
| 35.2 | 1669 feet |
Trail turns right off road. Armstrong Pond on left. Enter PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 36.7 | 1298 feet |
Reach Webber Road. Parking. Turn right and follow road. |
| 36.9 | 1302 feet |
Turn right on Parker Rd aka School Street. |
| 37.0 | 1299 feet |
Turn left after barn at trailhead sign. Follow farm lane. PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 37.6 | 1325 feet |
Cross NY 13. NOTICE: The trail from here to Smith Road is CLOSED for HUNTING from May 1-31 and October 1 - December 25. No parking available. |
| 38.5 | 1776 feet |
Reach Smith Rd. Turn left and follow road. Parking. |
| 39.2 | 1546 feet |
Turn right on Damon Road. |
| 40.1 | 1520 feet |
Turn left off road and follow edge of field. PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
| 40.3 | 1452 feet |
Ford Limestone Creek. Soon enter Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. |
| 41.8 | 1684 feet |
Reach junction of the yellow blazed Link Trail. End of Onondaga Trail. |
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