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| Ithaca Falls |
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Location -
Ithaca, Tompkins
County Maps - Google Map, Google Earth, Multi GPS - N 42.45288 / W 76.49167 Directions - Located North of Ithaca Cornell University. From the North, take Rt 34 (Lake Street) south. You will pass Ithaca High School on your right. Shortly after you will pass over a bridge and will be able to see the falls on the left. You can park in a dirt lot on the corner of Lake and Falls St. |
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Information Number of falls: 1 fall Size/Types: 150' tall cascade (175' wide) Best time to visit: Year-round. Flow: High Waterway: Fall Creek Time: A few minutes. |
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| Accessibility Seasons/Hours: Open all year. Dawn until dusk. Parking: There is parking for about five cars in the dirt lot on the corner of Falls St. and Lake St. Roadside parking may be possible and there are School lots on the north and south ends of the creek on Lake Street, but it is not known if parking is allowed to the public. Admission: free. Handicap accessibility: from the roadside. Pets: Allowed on leash. Accommodations: benches. |
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| Description Ithaca falls is a frothy, massive waterfall located in the heart of Ithaca, just north of the Cornell campus. Its waters tumble continuously down layers of rock foaming as they cascade. The small gorge below is filled its roar.
This a popular hot-weather destination for local residents.
The pool below the falls, is deep enough for refreshing
swim. (It is not known whether or not this is allowed by the
city of Ithaca, but it is done frequently). Some also come
to sit on the bank of the creek to relax or to read. It is
also a popular fishing destination. A small park along the
way is great for picnicking and sitting and enjoying the
scenery. Fall Creek has 5 other waterfalls that will be profiled in the future on the Fall Creek page. |
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| Trails
Difficulty: easy Markings: none. From the parking area walk up up the right side of the creek towards the large falls. You can't miss it. |
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History
The Ithaca Gun Company, a manufacturer of high-quality shotguns and rifles owned the property around the falls. The company used the falls as a source of power and had a history of dumping into Fall Creek. Possibly due to using the area for live-ammunition testing, copious amounts of lead were found in the soil in the gorge. A Superfund project was set up to begin clean-up of the contamination. In 2005, under harsh criticism, the Ithaca Gun Company closed. Land inheritors Cornell university, assessed the environmental health of this area of fall creek, and subsequently gave the property over to the City to manage. |
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Do not miss... Fossils. The gorge wall below the falls is a great source of brachiopod fossils. |
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| Contact City of Ithaca DPW, Parks and Forestry 245 Pier Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 272-1718 web site |
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| Weather |
| Links Ithaca Falls Contamination Project |
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