Finger Lakes Trail, New York, 562 miles long

“"The main Finger Lakes Trail is 562 miles long and connects the Catskill Mountains with the Allegheny Mountains by passing through remote areas of the Southern Tier of New York State."

I'm looking for information. This could be a nice hike for the summer.”

“hello Nowslimmer,logging onto the Fingerlakes trail conference will get you some info. living here in central N.Y. I have been on a couple sections of the trail in Conneticut Hill(west of Ithaca) and a spur that runs into the Fingerlakes Nat. forest which I was on just a couplke of days ago. I am interested in doing more sections let me know if you care to make the trip north.”

“the finger lakes trail will also be a part of the up and coming (still in progress) Great Eastern Trail.”

“fingerlakeshiker - Thanks. I've already been to the Fingerlakes trail conference. I signed-up for their e-group to receive their e-mail. But I don't know if it was completed or not. Along the way I had to screw around with Yahoo. It required me to change a setting on my browser, which I did not like to do. For most other stuff I would have to pay a membership fee.

Questions I have include: Is the trail completed? Is the trail relatively safe? Is there safe parking at or near the trailhead? How does one get back to their car___shuttles?___buses? What are the restrictions on camping along the trail, if any? What are the most difficult areas for finding water?

These things could be answered by someone who has hiked the trail.”

“EarthNsky - Thanks. Also, it is part of the trail across the U.S.
last edited: 10/29/06 1:34:57 PM”

“N.S.,the trail is completed,but some sections over privare lands have had to be relocated from time to time.As for parking a car would have to be spotted at each end of a section to be hiked.camping is resrticted in some areas. This is a safe area to hike.I am sorry that I cant help you too much on all the details because I have only been on a few sections of the trail, but I would like to check out more of it.”

“This is sounding better and better. So, Stay off my Finger Lakes Trail! "If it's emptiness you're after, try Swift Hill or Palmer's Pond in Allegany County. Guaranteed, your only companions up there will be deer, turkeys, raccoons, and an occasional lonesome bear. ... The Finger Lakes Trail is 'real outdoors for real outdoor people.' ... Now, stay off my trail!"”

“how did you find this link?”

“Having lived in the southern tier of NY I can attest the FLT is an unknown jewel. Parts of it are well traveled in the Catskill end of it. The middle section is virtually unknown except by the trail maintainers and the die hards. It has some absolutely gorgeous scenery even if it lacks the climbs and peaks other trails have in abundance.”

“Thanks again, fingerlakeshiker. My idea is to hike the entire trail in one sweep. At a slow rate I would allow about 120 days for it.

For parking I would hope to locate an interested farmer who might have space to keep my car save. Otherwise, perhaps some commercial site. I'm sure the maps will help considerably, but I'm not completely committed to the trip, yet. I would plan to purchase food supplies in towns along the way.

Once I get serious, I'll join the Fingerlakes trail conference and purchase their maps. I'm sure that they will have members that can help me on this trip. After all, it's only a miniature AT. And, if I go, I would be honored to have you and other TT'ers join with me for sections of the trail.

Thanks, Ramblinrev.

fingerlakeshiker - I found that link by searching on Google for the trail. I've know about the existance of the Finger Lakes Area since around 1959. I've been close to it twice. And your name keeps reminding me of some pleasant memories.
last edited: 10/29/06 3:26:59 PM”

“The problem seems to be deciding where to begin.I have some maps of sections near my area and am planning to check them out this coming winter.”

“is the trail done yet? I thought there were many sections still under construction.

I'd certainly hike with you for a section and maybe bring you some resupply. I'd like to see the section near Watkins Glen/Ithica.
last edited: 10/29/06 3:35:21 PM”

“As far as I know it is finished,but looking under the trail conditions heading in the FLT conference web page it seems that a number of sections get rerouted due to conditions and landowner withdrawal of permission. Now slimmer it is kind of my plan to someday complete the trail but have to be content to doing sections because of time constraints.I would be honored to hike some sections of it with you.”

“is the trail done yet? I thought there were many sections still under construction.

That assumes that any trail can ever be "done"

Many sections are on private land and those can always be problematic without purchased right of ways in place. There were still a few sections that were road walks last I knew but that is often the case. I haven't followed the work on the trail for several years. But the was a complete route over 8 years ago. I assume it has been refined since then.”

“The Watkins glenn/Ithica area is the part closest to me and I am planning on doing this area first.”

“fingerlakeshiker - Will your hike include the 16 or so stops along the Cayuga Wine Trail? If so, post the trip and you'll probably draw a crowd. LOL.


http://www.cayugawinetrail.com/
”

“The whole trip could be composed of just the stops, but it could be a little rough near the end.”

“I've done much of the central part of the FLT, I suppose it turned me into a hiker and a die-hard one at that.

The part I like most about the FLT is the variety, it's not a "green tunnel" in the sense that you hike for days through unchanging scenery. There is much cultural history along the way since people tried to farm much of it before they discovered the Midwest.

Spring wildflowers and fall leaves are common delights, and nearly every section will have interesting and curious remnants of previous human occupation (please leave them there). Stone walls in various states of disrepair frequently lie beside FLT. Cemeteries, cellar holes, farm dumps, and more than a few now-unidentifiable items lie nearby, covered by at least 70 years of vegetative growth. The largest lilac bush I've ever seen, and largest stretch of pachysandra, lie along FLT.

Shuttles can be arranged through various "angels", contact the FLTC and mention that you are a prospective "end-to-ender" and that will be the key to getting their further contact info. You can take a weekday-only commuter bus between Ithaca and Watkins Glen, or maybe make a lot of connections on the 'hound if you happen to be starting and ending near the ever-fewer communities served by intercity buses.

Backcountry water sources (small streams) are abundant on nearly all the FLT, nearly all year. In the springtime they will probably be over-abundant. Obviously, treat anything, assume mostly correctly that cow pastures and ancient septic systems are upstream of any stream or spring.

This portion of the glaciated Allegheny Plateau has many hills separated by many streams. You usually climb 500-700 ft from the bottoms to the tops of the hills every couple of miles. There are only a couple of climbs in the 1,000 ft class outside the Catskills.

There are many road crossings with parking of a sort. Rarely is there a designated FLT access point outside a state park or state forest area. If you leave a car in town, look closely at the parking restrictions posted at the town limits. Many FLT communities either outright ban overnight street parking, or have odd/even date parking restrictions.

Vandalism is not unknown, the FLT does traverse the Federally designated Appalachian region and there are a few yahoos who don't realize they're living in a blue state. The FLTC actually suggests contacting the local sheriff's department if you're leaving a car.

Bugs are numerous, not so much the infamous black flies of the real north woods as regular flies, gnats, skeeters, etc. I use mil-spec Ultrathon on the FLT if I get out of sight of the car.

Although bears are making a comeback along parts of the FLT, securing food against raccoons is probably a greater need. Loose dogs are a common annoyance, both from trail neighbors (generally the people who just moved out from the suburbs, not the multi-generational ruralites) and from other hikers (the more militant pro-dog hikers seem to be over-represented in FLTC). Cow pastures not only have cow pattie calling cards, but usually a bull too (it's cheaper than artificial insemination), though the number of active pastures along FLT is continually declining as the NY state tax burden kills off the agricultural economy.

The Finger Lakes Trail Conference has new color GIS water-resistive maps as of this spring, light-years ahead of old monochromatic blue maps.

The maps note "reliable water sources," shelter sites, and "bivouac areas" which are designated campsites. Shelters on the FLT are fairly numerous but very basic 3 sided lean-tos, I'm not aware of an FLT shelter that even has a privy.

Camping other than at a designated campsite or shelter is not allowed, with only very limited exceptions on State Forest (not State Park, or State Wildlife Management Area) lands, and the tiny stretch of FLT proper on National Forest. Fortunately, with a look at the maps you will see that the shelters and bivouac areas are numerous enough to allow some choice of itinerary.

The new maps also show hunting season closures on private land, and detour routes. The closure dates are nowhere aligned, but expect many problems in October, November, December, and May. State Forests in NY are bought-up old farmland, not left-over timber tracts. It's a rare day to stay on a state forest without some private land or road walking.

Only about half of the total FLT is publicly owned. There is some road walking even beside those tracts, most notoriously New York City watershed lands in Delaware County where there are solid days' worth of road walking. There are some long road walks in far western NY as well, and a long one just west of I-81 to get over the unbridged Tioughnioga River.

If you don't like road walking, there isn't much FLT you will like between the Susquehanna River (I-88) and the Catskills.

FLT in the Catskills is not marked as such, you need the maps to tell you which plastic disc color to follow at each junction.

Much of the FLT is part of North Country Trail (west of a junction point northeast of Cortland, NY, in a county I lived in for 28 years).

Alas, none of the FLT proper will be part of the Great Eastern Trail although the Finger Lakes Trail Conference will be working on the connection from the main FLT near Corning, NY to the PA border and Mid State Trail.

The name "Finger Lakes Trail" actually is a bit misleading as there is only one shore of an actual Finger Lake on the FLT (and that's a village park in Watkins Glen).

You will pass, in the central and western sections of the FLT, many gorges, glens, waterfalls, swimming holes, etc.

The FLT does not pass directly through the most scenic portions of Watkins Glen and Robert H. Treman (Ithaca) state parks because the state trails are closed, typically until mid-May, due to ice danger. If you hike through these areas in summer or fall, don't stick to the white blazed service roads and miss some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere.

I don't think there's an active winery directly on FLT. However, you will be within a mile or two of some wineries in the Hammondsport and Watkins Glen areas.

Hope these random experiences help. Have fun on the FLT!”

“Thank you for the detailed information on the trail.”

“ki0eh - Wow! Thanks for all your information. It's a big help.

Now, the only question remaining is: "What's the longest one-day hike that I would have to manage?"

BTW, have you worked on the FLT?”

“I might add that the bit of trail you mentioned that goes to the Fingerlakes Nat. Forest takes you to one of my favorite places with 30 miles of trails, rustic campgrounds,isolated camping spots, great views that make this place a worthwhile destination all on its own.”

“Hmm, come to think of it I don't think I've ever actually done any physical work on the FLT. I've gone on a couple of scouting expeditions for the new GET, and I've probably worked on just about every volunteer-maintained long footpath in PA...”

“FLH - do you know where the abandoned vineyard is in/near FLNF, that the Finger Lakes ADK either does, or used to, have an annual hike to? I don't know where it is, no one yet has seemed able to give specific directions to me...”

“Thanks ki0eh, I posted a question on the trail earlier this year and my conclusion was it wasn't a great thru-hike because of the extensive road walks, but it would be a great trail to section hike.

That was very useful info, I may make use of some day.”

“From Bath (I-86) to Bainbridge (I-88) would be about 250 miles without huge roadwalks (except for 7 mi. around the Tioughnioga near I-81), and with gorges, waterfalls, views, history, and frequent shelters/bivouac areas.

Looks like the far west end, 40 mi. from the PA border, is mostly off road too.

Just in case no one's seen it, click on "Plan a Hike" on the left side of http://www.fingerlakestrail.org/”

“Sounds like a great section! I've got a friend who works in winery in Penn Yann. Would love to combine a trip!”

“To Kioeh I know of an abandoned vine yard west side os Satterly Hill road,part of this land is FLNF the fingerlakes trail goes through this vineyard crosses the road and heads east across Logan road and up a steep hill to the main body of the FLNF.”

“Exact directons woud be Rt. 414 N. from Watkins Glenn,so. of Hector take Mathews Rd. East uphill a few miles to Satterly Hill Rd. right turn- south a mile or two-look for FLT markers where it crosses the road there- on the rt. side-(west) the trail goes through an abandoned vineyard, I dont know for sure if it is the one you are refering to but it is an aband. vineyard with the FLT going through it.”