South Hill Town Recreation Way

Overview

Popular with walkers, joggers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, and college athletic teams. This trail also serves as a commuter route between the South Hill residential area, Ithaca College and Downtown. Built on an old railroad bed, this hard-packed gravel trail has an accessible entrance off Crescent Place. Many benches and a level rest area. Multi-use trail 2.9 miles.
Four public entrances and many personal entrances from adjoining backyards provide access within walking distance to some 5,000 residents in the South Hill area and students at Ithaca College. Two entrances are on TCAT public bus route 11 (http://www.tcatbus.com/pages/system).
The Recreation Way is open one-half hour before sunrise and closes one-half hour after sunset, and it is closed for approximately four weeks each fall during the deer hunting season.
Opened in 1993, the South Hill Recreation Way follows the southern rim of the Six Mile Creek gorge from within the City of Ithaca southeasterly to rural Burns Road. The bike way follows the former railroad through a combination of residential neighborhoods, old field forests, meadows and mature woodland. The path crosses several deep ravines and offers a number of vistas across the Six Mile Creek valley. Part of the route passes through the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve and provides access to those sites and the Six Mile Creek gorge itself.

Ecotourism & Sustainability Map
updated 03/2012 by Ithaca - Tompkins County NY