After seeing a picture of Taughannock Falls State Park, I couldn’t wait to visit. I have now been in the summer and the fall, on a holiday weekend and a week day, so I have a good idea of what it’s like to visit (though winter would be pretty too!).

So here is my guide with ALL the information you might possibly need to know to visit Taughannock Falls State Park and the nearby area.

Years visited: 2021 & 2024

Time of year: July & October

Visit Other Popular State Parks in NY:

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What’s in this Article?

• About Taughannock Falls
• Best Time of Year to Visit
• Overlook and Visitor’s Center
• Hiking the Gorge Trail
• Other Things to Do in the Park
• Other Things to Do Nearby
• Where to Stay

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About Taughannock Falls

How to Pronounce Taughannock

First things first, hooooow do you pronounce “Taughannock Falls?”

The name Taughannock means “full of trees” in the Algonquin language. To the best of my knowledge, the name is pronounced “Tuh-gan-ick.”

History of Taughannock Falls

Before the American Revolution, the area around Taughannock Falls was inhabited by the Cayuga Indians. According to legend, they threw the chief of the neighboring Delaware tribe off of the falls during a battle. The chief’s name was Taughannock, thus the falls were named after him.

In the 1800s, a Victorian hotel was built overlooking the falls, and was very popular until the early 1900s. The hotel caught fire during renovations and was destroyed, and the land came to be owned by the Finger Lakes State Park Commission.

Where is Taughannock Falls?

Taughannock Falls State Park is on the edge of Cayuga Lake, one of the largest Finger Lakes. It is about 15-20 minutes north of Ithaca, home of Cornell University. Ithaca is well-known for its waterfalls, and has the motto “Ithaca is gorgeous!”

The impressive waterfall is one of the best things to do in New York State!

Points of Interest in Taughannock Falls State Park:

• Main entrance:
  • Park Office
  • Gorge Trail
  • Lower Falls
  • South Rim Trail
  • Marina
  • Lake acess
  • Swimming beach
• Falls Overlook:
  • Overlook viewpoint
  • Visitor Center
  • North Rim Trail
• Upper Falls:
  • North Rim Trail
  • South Rim Trail
  • Upper Falls
• Rice Road
  • Sledding hill
  • Skating ponds
  • Warming shelter
  • Trail parking

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Best Time of Year to Visit Taughannock Falls

• Good to Know: No matter what time of year you visit (unless it’s a cloudy day), it is best to photograph to falls in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low. Otherwise it is challenging to expose the photos, because part of the gorge will be in sun, and part of it will be in shade.

Summer

In my opinion, summer is the BEST time to visit Taughannock Falls State Park. The falls will be roaring at full strength, which also means you can feel the spray from the falls on the bridge, which will feel great in the summer! Plus it will be the best weather for enjoying the Finger Lakes.

The Gorge Trail itself is very shady, so you don’t have to worry about it being too hot in summertime. Just try to come early in the day, as this will help you beat the crowds and the heat! We visited on July 4th weekend, but since we came around 7:00 am, we hardly saw anyone on the trail.

Fall

I’ve seen stunning pictures of Taughannock Falls in the fall, surrounded by colorful foliage. So I made a point of stopping on my way home from a fall New England road trip, but I was disappointed.

The volume of water in the falls had run down to a trickle, and you could barely see them at all. I know this isn’t always the case, but when I visited at the beginning of October, the falls and creek were almost dried up. And even though it was a weekday, the park was very crowded.

If you do come in the fall, try to come in mid to late October, and come early in the morning. Just keep in mind the flow of the falls might be lessened.

Winter

I’ve never been to Taughannock Falls in the winter, but I’ve seen beautiful photos. I imagine this place would look like a winter wonderland, if you manage to see it covered in a fresh layer of snow.

You will definitely not have to worry about crowds in the winter, plus the park actually has an ice rink and sledding hill. Many of the trails are used for cross country skiing in the winter.

Just make sure if you are coming in the winter that you have a pair of good boots that won’t slip on the ice, like these comfy boots that I love!

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Taughannock Falls Overlook & Visitor Center

The Falls Overlook is not at the main entrance to Taughannock Falls State Park. I say this because on our first visit to the park, we didn’t know there were multiple entrances (pretty common stuff, but you know. We like to get confused when we travel…).

So use “Taughannock Falls Overlook Visitors Center” to get to the overlook spot, and “Taughannock Falls State Park” to get to the main entrance and trailhead.

The overlook viewpoint is right off of the parking lot, so you don’t have to walk far to reach it. There are several stairs to go down to get to the lower viewing platform.

• Good to Know: You can access the North Rim Trail from here, but since parking is limited to one hour, the better place to park for the trail would be the “Upper Falls parking lot.”

Visitor Center

There is a small visitor center here, with bathrooms, water fountains and a little gift shop. The visitor center is not open during the winter months. It should typically be open from May through October.

Parking

There is a small, free parking lot here, but you can only park for up to one hour.

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Hiking the Gorge Trail at Taughannock Falls

“Gorge Trail” seems to be the name of the most popular trail in every NY state park… There’s the (stunning!) Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen, and the main trail at Letchworth State Park is also called the Gorge Trail. So I guess it comes as no surprise here that the trail to the base of Taughannock Falls is also known as the Gorge Trail.

Where to Park for the Gorge Trail

There is a small parking lot right at the trailhead for the Taughannock Falls Gorge Trail. If this is full, you can also park in the large main parking lot across the street. There is a pedestrian walkway leading from the main parking lot to the trailhead.

Parking is $9. You only have to pay for parking once per day. Just keep your receipt to show to the guard at the gate. You can pay with cash or card.

Bathrooms at the Trail Head

There are several porta potties available at the Gorge Trail trail head. You can also use the restrooms across the street in the main park area.

How Long is the Gorge Trail?

The Taughannock Falls Gorge Trail is a short and easy hike. The trail is only 3/4 of a mile long, and it is wide and flat the whole way.

Depending on how quickly you go, or how often you stop, it could take 30-45 minutes. The last time I was there, I rushed through the trail in a hurry, and did it in about 20 minutes (one way).

The trail is through the woods for the most part, so it is very shady. You can bring dogs and strollers on the trail, and there are benches scattered throughout where you can sit and enjoy the day.

Can You Walk in the Creek?

When I was there in the fall, the creek bed was incredibly dried up in most places, and a lot of people went off the trail to hike up the creek. There are actually paths from the main trail into the creek, if you want to walk through Taughannock Creek during the hike.

The only place it is prohibited to hike in the creek is under the footbridge that leads to the base of the falls. But you are welcome to walk in it up until that point.

Falls Viewpoint

At the end of the hike is the Taughannock Falls viewpoint. There is a little footbridge to cross the creek (you can feel the spray of the falls here on a hot summer day!), that leads to the main viewing platform. There are several plaques to read about the history and geology of the falls.

The trail is not a loop, so after you have finished enjoying the falls, you just head back the same trail again to the parking lot. You can also access the South Rim Trail from this parking lot.

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Other Things to Do at Taughannock Falls State Park

The main parking lot for the state park is across the street from the trailhead parking lot for the Gorge Trail. From the main parking lot, you can access most of the other things to do in Taughannock Falls State Park, including the boat launch and swimming beach.

• Good to Know: If you pay for parking at the Gorge trailhead, you can park for free across the street in the main parking lot. Just show them your parking receipt.

Have a Picnic

Taughannock Falls State Park is the perfect place for a picnic! There are a couple tables by the lower falls viewpoint, at the start of the Gorge Trail. But most of the picnic tables are off of the main parking lot, overlooking Cayuga Lake. It is an ideal spot for a picnic lunch.

• Good to Know: There are grills available at the park. There is a small cafe selling snacks seasonally, but they are only open in the summer.

Enjoy Cayuga Lake

The best thing to do, besides hiking, is to enjoy the beautiful lake! There are several ways you can get out on (or in!) the water:

• BYOB-Bring your own boat. If you have a boat, you can launch it from the Taughannock Falls boat launch.
• Rent a boat-There are several places you can rent boats in Ithaca, if you would like to navigate the lake yourself.
• Join a cruise-You can take a boat tour out on Cayuga Lake from Ithaca (but not from the actual park itself) with Discover Cayuga Lake or Ithaca Boat Tours.
• Rent kayaks-Rent a kayak in the park from Paddle-N-More to enjoy an afternoon on the lake.
• Swimming-There is a small beach in the park with lifeguards where you can go swimming.

Other Hiking Trails

The Gorge Trail isn’t the only hiking trail in Taughannock Falls State Park. There is also the South Rim Trail and the North Rim Trail, that go along each side of the gorge.

You can access the South Rim Trail from the Gorge Trail trailhead or from the parking lot at the top of the gorge. Use that same parking lot for the North Rim Trail. You can also access the North Rim Trail from the visitor center, but since parking there is limited to 1 hour, it is better to use the upper parking lot.

There is also a multi use trail that is used for cross country skiing in the winter, but is good for hiking in the summer and fall. You can park at the parking lot for the Rice Hill sledding hill to access these trails. The trail is also accessible from the visitor center parking lot.

Ice Skating & Sledding

In the winter, you can head to the Rice Hill sledding hill to go sledding or ice skating on the ponds. You can also use the trails here for snowshoeing or cross country skiing.

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Other Things to Do Nearby

Explore Ithaca

Ithaca is the fun college town that’s right by Taughannock Falls, and other state parks. Its motto is “Ithaca is gorgeous!” There are tons of waterfalls to explore nearby, plus Buttermilk Falls State Park, Cornell University, and the Museum of the Earth. Be sure to walk around the Ithaca Commons to find a restaurant for dinner!

Greek Peak Mountain Resort

About 30 minutes from Ithaca, or 45 minutes from the state park, is Greek Peak Mountain Resort. This would be a great place to visit for a day trip from Ithaca, or as a stop on a Finger Lakes road trip. They have a mountain coaster, zipline, chairlift, spa, indoor water park and more! It’s an especially great spot in the fall for leaf peeping!

Fingerlakes Wine Trail

You can’t visit the Finger Lakes and not tour at least one winery (unless you’re me, in which case you just settle for the wine infused ice cream in Geneva). The FLX region is well-known for their wineries, so take a day to explore some of the stops on the FLX Wine Trail.

Watkins Glen State Park

Just a 35 min. drive from Taughannock Falls State Park is Watkins Glen State Park. This is one of my top 3 favorite state parks in NY! The Gorge Trail is absolutely stunning, and looks like it was stripped straight out of Lord of the Rings. Plus, the small town of Watkins Glen is super cute and right on Seneca Lake, the other biggest Finger Lake.

Corning Museum of Glass

If you’re looking for an indoor activity to do, be sure to check out Corning Museum of Glass! Corning is another super cute small town (it’s actually award winning) that’s just one hour from Taughannock Falls. I promise this museum is anything but boring! There are several unique galleries filled with crazy glass sculptures, and you can even try a make your own glass experience! Be sure to stop by the shops in the fall to pick a glass pumpkin (or two).

• Good to Know: Watkins Glen is halfway between Taughannock and Corning, so it’s the perfect place to stop on the way to Corning Museum of Glass on a Finger Lakes road trip.

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Where to Stay

Inn at Taughannock Falls

The best place to stay for Taughannock Falls State Park is the beautiful Inn at Taughannock. This gorgeous resort is right in the middle of the park, with lake views from almost every room. They have several buildings on property, a restaurant, and even a food truck! So even if you don’t stay here, be sure to stop by for something to eat.

Country Inn & Suites

When we visited, we stayed at the Country Inn & Suites in Ithaca. It’s an affordable hotel that’s just a short drive from everything. There is nothing special about it, but it’s fine for a place to stay after a day of exploring.

Other Ithaca Hotels

There are plenty of other hotels in the Ithaca area. It’s a cute college town close to several state parks, with a fun downtown area and lots of restaurants. So feel free to search other hotels in the Ithaca area for your trip.

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That’s all the information you need to plan a trip to the gorgeous Taughannock Falls State Park!

Further Reading

I have a lot of information on things to do in New York State (my home state!). If you’re looking for more ideas while you’re here, check out some of these articles:

• Hiking the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen
• Corning Museum of Glass Travel Guide
• Things to Do in Rochester, NY
• Things to Do in Buffalo, NY
• The Complete Guide to Letchworth State Park
• Things to Do in Niagara Falls

Any more questions?

If you have any more questions about visiting Taughannock Falls, feel free to email me or comment below.

Planning a trip to the Finger Lakes?

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You might also like:

• The Best Things to Do in NY State
• The Complete Guide to Niagara Falls
• 1-Week Western NY Road Trip Itinerary

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