Cayuga Waterfront Trail

The Cayuga Waterfront trail is an Ithaca classic. As the name suggests, the trail follows the waterfront of Cayuga Lake and the Cayuga Inlet. This is also the only route you will find on this website that is completely flat! No traffic plus no hills equals the perfect route for families or inexperienced cyclists.

Overview

There are multiple ways to access the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, but two most common ways are to park at Stewart Park or at the Ithaca Children’s Garden. The trail provides many great sites of the water and passes through many local attractions, such as the Ithaca Farmers Market and the Ithaca Children's Garden. Additionally, the trail takes through the edges of a forest as well as Ithaca’s more urban landscape.

If you don’t want to go back exactly the way you came, you can also make a loop through downtown. Some streets are designated as “bike boulevards.” These are roads where there are extra speed bumps and the speed limit is 25 mph instead of 30 mph in order to make it safer for cyclists!

If you don't have a bike, you can take advantage of Ithaca's bike sharing system. You can find the green LimeBikes all over town, including along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. To find and unlock a bike, download the Lime app.

Traffic

There is no need to worry about cars on the trails! However, you'll still have to be aware of pedestrians and give them enough space when passing. Treat pedestrians like you want cars to treat cyclists ;).

Scenery

As the name suggests, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail offers scenic views of the lake and the creeks that run into it.

Hills

No hills! This is the only route you'll find on this website that is completely flat!