Lick Brook

After all these years, there are still some Ithaca-area waterfalls we haven't seen yet. So we have been setting out to rectify that.

First a side-tangent. On Friday we went to the Cornell Plantations and walked around the Mundy Wildflower Garden. On the walk we detoured to the vet school and viewed the Poisonous Plant garden they have there... it is disturbing how so many plants, including ones you eat somewhat often, are considered poisonous.

Back on task. On Saturday we went to the Sweedler Preserve at Lick Brook which is yet another gorge near Ithaca.

We parked at the top and walked down the "gentler" white blazed finger-lakes trail. At the bottom there were copious wildflowers, and we even ran into a bunch of old people on a wildflower tour. At the bottom we found the first waterfall:
Lick Brook

Around the base of the falls someone, possibly space aliens, had been making mini rock sculptures:
Lick Brook Rock Sculptures

Now we took the blue-blazed trail up along the creek. It was steep, almost to New Hampshire proportions. Here's another waterfall along the way:
Lick Brook

They were very insistent you didn't leave the trail:
DANGER High Cliffs

There is a big amphitheater carved by the brook, but it is hard to see from the trail. You can barely see the waterfall feeding into it:
Lick Brook

Further up, there are a lot of more moderate waterfalls:
Lick Brook Vince


After finishing there, it was such a beautiful day we decided to go back to Buttermilk falls and walk around Treman Lake. Which we did, but much to Kristina's annoyance the only picture I took there was one of a sign:
Buttermilk Danger

Behind where the sign is, there is a neat and ancient-looking dam that you get to walk across.

And after all that hiking, we were glad to get home.
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