Finger Lakes Explorers

Fillmore Glen is a little ways off the beaten tourist trail of the Finger Lakes but it should definitely not be missed. This 950-acre park is a true gem, offering a variety of landscapes and outdoor activities that are sure to appeal to nature lovers of all ages and skill levels. The park can be found just a few miles south of Owasco Lake in the town of Moravia and is only about a half hour drive or so from Ithaca.

If you’re wondering if the name of this park had anything to do with former president Millard Fillmore, you’d be right! President Fillmore was born just a few miles from the park and a replica of his childhood home can be found on the park grounds. 

Aside from the history, the park hosts a number of amenities, including 60 campsites, with places for RVs and campers, a number of pavilions, a fun and new(ish) playground, and even a natural swimming pool, which is created by damming the stream that flows through the park. It was still too early in the season for this to be open when we visited but it should be by the end of May. 

The park’s main attraction is its narrow tree-covered gorge, complete with waterfalls, tons of natural flora, and wildlife. Winding through the gorge, you’ll find the 1.5-mile Gorge Trail. This stunning gorge trail is one my favorites in the Finger Lakes. It’s densely wooded and includes 8 beautiful bridges that criss-cross the stream. And, as gorge trails go, it’s definitely one of the less crowded due to the park’s off-the-beaten-path status. 

To access the gorge trail, we parked in the main lot just beyond the entrance. There’s a large pavilion here with tons of picnic tables, some decent bathrooms, and a water bottle filling station. Heading back beyond the pavilion, a large, grassy lawn takes you past the natural swimming pool and to the start of the trail.

Now, I will caution you, the start of this trail consists of a rather intimidating set of steps, but don’t let it deter you from doing the hike. The trail is much easier after this initial section. But you will need to trek up more than 100 stone steps at the very beginning. 

If this section might be too difficult for you or anyone in your group, there is another option. When driving into the park, stay to the right past the initial parking lot and head up the Park Road a little ways. You’ll soon come across another small parking lot. And across the way is another access trail to reach the gorge trail. There’s a bit of an uphill climb from here but you’ll bypass all of the steps and most of the elevation gain.

Either way, if you take the stairs like us or do the bypass, the trail is pretty easy from here on out. It follows the edge of the stream for about a mile and a half, where you’ll have the option to turn around and head back or continue up to the north rim trail or south rim trail.

The steep walls of the narrow gorge were mostly covered in green foliage – moss, trees, ferns – with outcroppings of layered shale. Small waterfalls trickle down the hillsides and into the creek below. And although there aren’t many dramatic waterfalls along the way like you might find in Watkins Glen, the small cascades and rippling creek are beautiful as is, and add the perfect, calming background sound.

We continued on the gorge trail for just about a mile until the 5th and 6th bridges. By that point, our kids had had enough so we turned back.  

If you continue on beyond this point, you can cross a bridge and connect with the north rim trail or take the gorge trail all the way up the side of the gorge and connect to the south rim trail. There is a lookout here where the gorge and south rim trails meet that is probably stunning in the winter months when the foliage is gone. But it’s still pretty cool in the summer because, even without the views, you can get a real appreciation for how high up you are and just how deep that gorge is. 

After finishing our hike, we headed back over to the playground area for a picnic lunch. One novelty of this park is that, to get between the main parking lot and the playground and campground area, you have to cross the stream as it goes over the road. My kids thought this was the coolest thing. There is a pedestrian bridge if you don’t want to get your feet wet, but walking or driving across a cascading creek isn’t something you get to every day!

That wrapped up our trip to Fillmore Glen. This park isn’t a can’t miss if you like hiking, adore gorge trails as much as I do, or just want a little tranquility in nature. So check it out!