Original (April 24, 2024) trip postponed to May4, 2024 at 8:30am
Join us for a leisurely, round trip, spring bike ride on the Black Diamond Rail Trail, followed by a tailgate picnic at Cass Park.
Trip Cancellation Notification Procedure:
Registrants will receive a warning email the day before the trip if there is a possibility that the trip might be cancelled and, if cancelled , will receive an additional cancellation email by 6am on the day of the trip.
Non-Registrants wishing to attend must view this trip event description on the triple cities website. The first line line of this description will read: TRIP CANCELLED and be posted by 6am on the morning of the trip date, ie 4 May 2024).
Rain Date: Sat, May 4, 8:30am is the rain date for the the original trip of 24 April 2024
Trip Leader: Kevin Walters, kwalters@stny.rr.com, (c) 607 768 7518
Bike Surface: crushed gravel
Distance and riding time: 16.8 miles round trip. At a leisurely pace of 5 mph, anticipate about 1.5 hours for the outgoing leg and a little over an hour for the return leg or around 3 hours at most for the round trip.
Sightseeing at the Top of Taughannock Falls:
Spend some time to explore the gorge above the fall before making the return trip. It is a beautiful sight to behold.
Bike Route: Black Diamond Rail Tail from Cass Park in Ithaca, NY to the top of Taughannock Falls, Trumansburg, NY and return to start
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Bike Types that may be used: Road, Hybrid, Mountain, E-bike
Bathroom locations: At trail start adjacent to Cass Park covered picnic pavilion and at trail end Taughannock Falls Overlook on Taughannock Park Rd ( first right after crossing over stream bridge north of trail terminus on Jacksonville Rd )
Directions: The Black Diamond Rail Trail starts in Cass Park across from the Ithaca Children's Garden entrance on Turtle Lane shown as Cass Park Access Road on your GPS and the map below. You will find parking here as well. . Enter "Ithaca Children's Garden, Ithaca, NY" as your destination in your GPS or Maps App to obtain driving directions. Your GPS will instruct you to make a left turn onto Cass Park Access Rd. which is actually Turtle Lane on the road sign at that junction.
Note that Rte 89 continues north onto Taughannock Blvd. from W Buffalo St. The blue dot in the green area at the top center of the map below marks the proximate location of the Black Diamond Rail Trail start on Cass Park Access Rd.
Tailgate Picnic: There will be a tailgate picnic at ride completion at the Children's Garden parking area or the covered picnic pavilion, if available. So bring your own food, beverages, coolers, chairs , and eating accoutrements. Bring your own food and, if you like, a dish to pass.
