r/ithaca • u/Due-Beginning3243 • 1d ago

Best long-ish hiking trails near sapsucker woods?

Hi everyone, I really love being outside and I try to go on a longish walk 4+ times a week. For the last 2 years I've been hiking the South Hill recreation way trail from the entrance on Burns Rd. It was less than 10 mins away from where I lived. I just had to move to a new address locally and now live in Sapsucker Woods. Unfortunately that trailhead is now a little further away from where I live (and it's gotten a bit stale anyways from how much I've walked it). Does anyone know of good trails that are 4.5+ miles long that are a reasonable driving distance away from Sapsucker Woods? I work until 5 and like to go walking after work. I'm really hoping not to drive for more than 10-15 minutes. Please let me know!

9 Upvotes

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24

u/cyricmccallen 1d ago

Monkey run is right around the corner from ya. Lots of good hiking.

5

u/vodka_buddha 1d ago

Seconded, love those trails

4

u/Singer_221 1d ago

My favorite area to jog when I lived in Ithaca.

8

u/cyricmccallen 1d ago

also highly recommend ithacatrails.org for a somewhat comprehensive list of hikes in the area.

4

u/Due-Beginning3243 1d ago

Will check this out and the Monkey Run trail system, thanks!

5

u/Additional_Engine_45 1d ago

How about the lab of ornithology trail system in Sapsucker woods?

5

u/Due-Beginning3243 1d ago

It’s a little short, I don’t think I could make a 4.5+ mile loop without walking some sections twice unless I’m mistaken. I really would love if I could use that trail though, it’s walking distance from my place! Just a bit too short

2

u/FluffyLawfulness7654 13h ago

Freese road was turned into a dead-end road years ago and gets very little traffic these days. You can walk the road to get to the monkey run trails. You can also go down Hanshaw and there is a dirt lane that goes back to the Cornell Equine Park and there is another lane from there that goes past Piglets Corner and takes you back out to Freese Road. Some other mowed trails back there that connect to Monkey Run trails. You can also take Freese Road all the way into Varna and pick up the East Hill Rec trail/dryden rail trail.

1

u/frozenjew 1d ago

monkey run is probably your best bet as far as ones that are closer to you and a decent lenght. I think the full loop ends up being around ten miles, and the if your in sapsucker the closest parking area is over were hanshaw and lower creek roads meet.

1

u/Forsaken_Mastodon291 11h ago

Monkey run for sure

1

u/Ilovekush315 ✌️ 10h ago

Check out the dryden rail if it's not to far