We explored Robert H Treman State Park which is a nearby NY State Park that we had not visited on our prior trip to the Finger Lakes Region. It is just outside Ithaca, NY (home of Cornell Univ.) and is about a 30 minute drive from our campground in Watkins Glen.
Our first stop was to see the unique swimming area that is just below one of the park's waterfalls. The water was a bit cool for our tastes - 60 degrees.
The we began a hike that was only a mile or so in length but was very strenuous. We first went along the rim trail that climbs up and along the top of the gorge carved over the eons by the water flow. We came upon a nice overlook to the main waterfall. To the right you can see the trail and some of the stairs going beside the falls.
Then we started down a long steep set of stairs that switched back and forth to reach the bottom of the gorge. (I felt like we were climbing down those long steep stairs that Frodo, Sam and Gollum climbed in "The Lord of the Rings" except with a lot more lush green vegetation)
Looking back up some of the steps we had just descended:
Once we reached the bottom we crossed over a small bridge and climbed back up the other side of the gorge where we reached some beautiful overlooks to the falls. Following are some photos and a short video clip of the waterfalls.
Monique is standing to the right at the top of the falls.
This rock face looks like it is in the process of being carved like Stone Mountain Georgia near Atlanta, but it is just a natural occurrence.
Just after we crossed the first bridge and started up the other side of the gorge, a young man in a blue shirt came scurrying down past us. When we climbed up to one of the overlooks, we spotted him way down below along the edge of the water below the waterfall. He was taking photos. I thought he must have been some type of botanist taking photos of some rare plant growing in the water mist from the falls. He later came back past us on the trail. He said "no, he was just taking pictures of the falls from below with some flowers in the foreground". I thought he sure was taking a lot of risk for those photos. In the photo below you can see his blue shirt against the green foliage.
The walk along the gorge was just gorgeous, and looks much like parts of the walk along Watkins Glen.
We stopped often to rest and admire the view.
There are some pretty blooms on vines that grow in places along the trail. Here is a closeup and then a large grouping next to the 2nd bridge we crossed.
Here is a little grouping of ferns growing on the rocks. It is almost like they were placed there to show three of the different varieties of the ferns growing along the trail.
I especially like this one that grows in a spiral shape.
At the beginning and end of the trail is an old grist mill that is about the same age as Hagood Mill in SC, built in the 1840's.
I love seeing all the gears and mechanical workings of these old mills.
We look forward to visits to more of the State Parks and hikes along the waterfalls in this region.
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