This 8.3 mile section of the Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Trail features Stevenson Forest Preserve, Rieman Woods and beautiful Robert Treman State Park.  You'll have a chance to see Robert Tremen State Park in a way that most people don't get a chance to.  This is another great section of the Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Trail in central New York.  This stretch of the FLT/NCT is featured on map M17 from the FLTC.

This section begins off Trumbull Corners Road at a small parking area for Stevenson Forest Preserve near Rumsey Hill Road.  The 83 acre Stevenson Forest Preserve is part of the Finger Lakes Land Trust.  This magnificent forest was donated to the land trust in 1995 and has grown with additional donations in 1998-1999. 

There is a short 0.4 mile blue blazed trail off the FLT/NCT that leads to a nice view and is worth exploring.  The trail winds back to Trumbull Corners Road and will follow or run parallel to the road for a short while before turning right on Porter Hill Road.

The trail turns right off the road and your actually traveling west for about 0.2 miles before reaching the Rieman Woods Bivouac Area (no water).  The land here is owned by the Cayuga Trails Club.  The trail turns back to the east as you soon cross Porter Hill Road.  Your gently descending and cross Hines Road 1.3 miles after crossing Porter Hill Road.

The trail soon turns left to follow a gas line before leaving the gas line in just 0.2 miles.  In another 0.2 miles you'll notice the green "New York State Park Land" signs as you enter Robert Tremen State Park.  This state park is one of the jewel parks of the Finger Lakes Region.  In 0.4 miles you'll reach a trail register and in another 0.3 miles you'll reach Woodard Road.

After crossing dirt Woodard Road, the trail follows an old grassy lane.  In 0.2 mile you'll see a plaque honoring the old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that was once here.  A blue blazed "CCC Trail" is on your left and the trail also doubles as a high water bypass trail. 

There was a reroute in Robert Treman State Park in 2008 due to closure of an old road bridge suffering from infrastructure deterioration. The trail now requires a fording of Fish Kill Creek, which can be difficult during times of high water.  Look below for an alternative in times of high water.

The 0.7 mile blue blazed trail passes through the remains of the SP-6 CCC camp that existed here from 1933-1941, heads past an old mill, to the main junction of the parks Gorge Trail plus South Rim Trail.  The blue blazed trail utilizes the South Rim Trail before veering right to meet back with the main FLT/NCT.  Thru hikers will find rest rooms and potable water on this side trail. 

At the junction of the blue blazed trail the main trail turns sharply right to follow the creek before coming to a point to ford (cross) the creek.  After crossing the creek the trail turns left and heads back toward the old bridge, then soon meets the old trail.  Steeply climb on a few switchbacks plus log steps and soon after leveling off reach the Fish Kill Overlook with a view.

In another 0.5 miles reach the eastern junction of the Blue Blazed High Water Bypass Trail on your left.  Soon the trail will begin a steep descent, passing some old park buildings before leveling off just prior to reaching the Sierra Shelter.  From here it's another 0.9 miles before the trail goes under NY 13 and you reach the large parking area off NY 13/34/96.  You pass close by the main Robert Tremen Campground before finally reaching Enfield Creek and the NY 13 bridge.

High-Water Alternative over Fish Kill Creek
If water in Fish Kill Creek is too high to ford safely, return to the stone monument and take the blue-blazed/orange-blazed Old CCC Camp Spur Trail to the Old Mill in upper Treman State Park. Continue to follow the blue blazes along the parking area to the South Rim Trail. Follow blue blazes to a right turn off the South Rim Trail to connect with the main FLT, blazed white. At this point, the blue blazes end; turn left on the FLT and continue to follow white blazes eastward to Routes 13/34/96.

Attention thru hikers:

We suggest that thru hikers utilize the blue blazed high water trail for rest rooms and potable water at the old mill.  Before turning off the blue trail back on the FLT/NCT, stay on the South Rim Trail briefly to the second overlook, which is the spectacular Lucifer Falls Overlook.

Directions:  From Ithaca, NY 13 South to NY 327.  Turn left on Trumbull Corners Rd.  The Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Trail leaves the road on the right before you cross a stream.  There is a large pull off/parking area on the right.  The GPS coordinates are N42 24.558 W76 38.285 for those who have a GPS devise.

Fish Kill Creek

Sierra Shelter in Robert Treman State Park

Enfield Creek

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