Cascadilla Gorge

The lower section of Cascadilla Gorge is truly a "gorges" display of rock, water and trees. Cascadilla Creek drops 400 feet from campus to downtown Ithaca, carving through bedrock - shales, siltstone and sandstone - exposing sedimentary rocks that were deposited 400 million years ago. Look for ripple marks on the rock surface, which once was the muddy floor of an ancient ocean. Here also is a tremendous variety of forest and creek habitats packed into a small area.

Note: The Cascadilla Gorge Trail is closed annually in the winter due to hazardous conditions from snow, ice, and falling rock that create unsafe conditions.  The trail is re-opened each spring when conditions allow.