Ithaca is Gorges

   
Equipped with my Merrell boots, Patagonia shorts, Camelbak hydration backpack, and a zip-locked bag of trail mix--I was a walking, talking, outdoors advertisement ready to tackle another outdoors escapade. My boyfriend and I decided to take a day trip to Ithaca, NY. Ithaca is an adorable college town that bustles with an active community. The little town is known for its organic love of the environment and outdoorsy culture; aka hiking heaven. Our sixth sense of adventure brought us to Robert Treman State Park. This state park is one of the many that inhabits Ithaca, NY and encompasses several beautiful trails that are saturated with waterfalls, gorges, and a big helping of Mother Nature.

After careful consideration, we decided to attack the Rim Trail. We were immediately welcomed by a massive flight of rock stairs. Now..I think I am in pretty decent shape, but some of those stairs made me feel far from Rocky Balboa. Also in the beginning of our journey, we kept passing children and tweens in flip flops and bathing suits; which made us think that our hiking boots and Bear Grylles ensemble was a tad over-dressed for this hike. But our gear, finally, came in handy once we got into the heart of Mother Nature and her awesomeness.

(A little sister of the stairs we met at the trail's entrance)

The trail was extremely pretty and the scenery resembled a continuously changing backdrop. I felt like I was constantly changing biomes every 15 minutes: temperate forest to taiga to rain forest (Hey, I was paying attention in sixth grade earth science). It was a little muggy but not too buggy; and the Rim Trail, for the most part (besides a few confusing forks-in-the-road), was clearly marked. It was a perfect length for a day hike--4 miles, round trip!

The best scenic feature was definitely the waterfalls, hands down. I couldn't get a good picture, but you could hear water flowing on every section of the trail; it was the perfect ambiance noise for an expensive spa. Plus there was a huge watering hole connected to a gentler falls where people were allowed to swim. The natural pool was accompanied with a diving board and everything, not too shabby for the middle of the wilderness. The air was embellished with so much laughter and excitement, that it made the trip such an memorable and fun experience. I love the outdoors, but it's always better when you have someone to share it with. 

I enjoy Ithaca because of its countless explorable nooks and crannies, whether it be a trail or quaint cafe. The town radiates a passion for nature and screams adventure to whoever wishes to partake. Ithaca is gorges.