CNY Hiking HOME PAGE Cuyler Hill State Forest Hiking in Cortland County
Hiking in Cortland County
Cuyler Hill State Forest

Finger Lakes Trail System


Chippewa Falls
Trail

 

The trail to Chippewa Falls was once part of the main Finger Lakes Trail until the loss of permission from a land owner closed the trail at the falls.  This has created the "Cuyler Gap" in the main FLT as the trail now has to follow the Onondaga Trail/North Country Trail briefly as well as a long road walk to reach the next off road section in Mariposa State Forest.

The main Finger Lakes Trail travels 550 miles from the NY/PA state line in Allegany State Park to the Catskills.  It is the longest continuous trail in New York state at this time (the future North Country Trail when completed will be longer at 600+ miles).  The Finger Lakes Trail also has branch trails and other trails as part of the larger 900+ mile Finger Lakes Trail System.  The old Finger Lakes Trail to Chippewa Falls is now part of the Finger Lakes Trail System as the orange blazed Chippewa Falls Trail. 

The start of the Chippewa Falls Trail is located at what is known as "Three Trails Junction" in Cuyler Hill State Forest near Stoney Brook Road.  This is where the white blazed Finger Lakes Trail meets the blue blazed Onondaga Trail and the orange blazed Chippewa Falls Trail at a trail register a few hundred feet north of the FLT/NCT crossing of Stoney Brook Road.

The orange blazed Chippewa Falls Trail leaves Three Trails Junction and travels 1.4 miles to the waterfalls.  The falls can be dry in the summer months and the best time to visit the waterfalls is after a lot of rain or during the early spring when the snow is melting.  Be sure to watch your step around the edge!  The main waterfall is approximately 40+ feet high.  Most of the views and access is from near the top of the falls since below is PRIVATE PROPERTY as well as really steep!

Check out NYFalls.com for some pictures of Chippewa Falls when there is water! Look below for a few pictures and a map of the Chippewa Falls Trail.

http://cnyhiking.com/HPIM5189.JPG

Orange blazed Chippewa Falls Trail

http://cnyhiking.com/ChippewaFalls5196.JPG

A dry Chippewa Falls in July 2010

CNY Hiking HOME PAGE Onondaga Trail FLT/NCT in Cuyler Hill State Forest FLT Central Section NCT in Central New York

contact CNY HIKING by email at contact@cnyhiking.com
(c) 2006-today CNY Hiking - All rights reserved.  Any use of information from this site without permission is strictly forbidden.