Long Valley

This route is a true Ithacan classic! Long Valley is surrounded by incredibly steep and intimidating hills creating some of the most spectacular views around Ithaca.

Overview

You do start off with a little climb called Snyder Hill. This climb may be long, but with an average gradient of just 4%, this hill is one of the easiest ones you'll find in Ithaca. A descent on Landon Rd brings you to Brooktondale. Beware that this descent ends at a stop sign right in front of Route 79, so keep your hands on your brakes. If you need to refuel at this point, you can get water, snacks, or even a full meal at Brookton’s Market.

You enter Long Valley once you go South of Brooktondale. There are beautiful views all along this part of the route, so don't forget to look around. There are two roads, Belle School Rd and Ridgeway Rd, that you can take to shorten this route if needed. You follow Coddington Rd back up all the way until Burns Rd. Once you cross Six Mile Creek, you start climbing back towards Ithaca. The climb ends on the Vincent and Hannah Pew Trail, a paved trail that crosses through a mixture of forests and fields. (The trail is also featured in the Three Trails route.)

If you do want to see Long Valley but don’t feel like biking all the way there from Ithaca, you can also start your ride from Brooktondale. Doing just the Long Valley loop is about 11.1 miles.

Traffic

Most roads are pleasant country roads without too much traffic. Coddington, however, does see quite some traffic and doesn't have a shoulder, so pay special attention when you're on this road.

Scenery

Long Valley provides some of the best views around Ithaca. The hills surrounding the valley are especially tall and beautiful.