Sullivan, Clinton and Broadhead Trail 1779

Day 13: September 15th, 2000 Ithaca — Syracuse

Lucky me the bad weather turned out to be not this bad. There was only rain during the night. My car is still fine! I am checking out and drive to the Manos Ichabod. Amazingly the restaurant is almost full! I am able to get one of the last free tables in the non smoking area. The breakfast menu is exactly what I am searching for. But I am very surprised when the breakfast arrives: It is way more than usual! But I am hungry and eat everything. Also there is a long hike waiting for me. I leave the restaurant around ten.

Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

After my usual stop at the gas station I drive to my first destination, the Buttermilk Falls State Park. It is still very cloudy when I arrive there. I get out of the car and video tape the waterfall at the entrance. But I try to hurry up, because it is very chilly this morning. I return to my car and think about to maybe skip the hike. But it looks like clouds are moving away and at some spots I already see a little bit of sunshine. So I put on a warm sweater and pack in my rain gear. Now I am ready for the hike!

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

I am glad that I started the hike. The landscape is really great. The hiking path goes upriver along the river and countless little waterfalls. The first waterfalls are the Buttermilk Falls, which gave the name to the park. They got the name from the way how the water flows down the rocks here. The water is spread very widely and this causes the whole water to be like foam running down the rocks. From a distant it really looks like buttermilk is flowing down the rocks.

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

As soon as I reach the upper end of the main falls I enter a gorge with countless little waterfalls and small ponds. I am now hiking the Gorge Trail which takes me a bit more than an hour to the end.

Then I cross a road and the Bear Trail starts. This trail also follows the creek upriver through thick forest. The creek is almost not flowing here, but I am still able to capture some nice pictures. But I am lucky. I had no encounter with a bear, even when the trail name suggests this.

Park Road at Bear Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, NY

I reach another road at the end of this trail. This road runs directly through this creek without any bridge. I guess in spring time it will be hard to cross even with a offroad vehicle. But at least for the pedestrian is a little bridge available — whereas it is not a real bridge. There are some wooden boards layed on a pile of rocks, which builds the pedestrian bridge. I don’t know how far this hiking path will go. Therefore I decide to turn around to stay somehow within my schedule. I already have to skip the visit of the Robert H. Truman Park.

But the hiking path was well worth the additional time. Back on the Gorge Trail there is a pedestrian bridge over the creek to have the chance to hike down on the other side of the falls. I cross the bridge and hike down the Rim Trail to the foot of the waterfalls and back to my car.

I drive now along the east shore of Cayuga Lake to the north. I am following Colonel Walter Butler’s path and his 500 men in the other direction. First I follow Highway 34, then along Highway 34B and Highway 90 up to Highway 326 to the east.

Lake Road, NY

Now I am following the footsteps of Colonel Peter Ganesvoort who had the order to march into the Mohawk Valley up to Albany to destroy all Indian settlements in this area. I follow this path first on Highway 326. Then I take the smaller roads around the north end of Owasco Lake and Skaneateles Lake until I reach Interstate 81 to the north. Now I am on my way to my todays destination — the Motel 6 in Syracuse.

Just before I reach the Motel a heavy thunderstorm rolls in. I almost miss the Motel in the heavy rain. It is still heavily raining when I am checking in. But when I am back at my car to unload my stuff there is only slight rain left. Looks like I have luck this time for unloading everything.

Around half past six I start my search for a nice restaurant. After driving a couple of miles I encounter an interesting family restaurant. There are also plenty of cars in the parking lot which is usually a good sign. I turn around and give it a try. The restaurant is almost full and it looks like I get again the last available table. They also have a rich menu and are reasonably priced. Also the food is good. I pay around eight and drive back to my motel.