Sims-Jennings Preserve
at Cayuga Cliffs

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike,  xc-ski
Distance - miles of trails
Quiet - relatively quiet
Surface - dirt or mowed trails
Elevation - steep  in areas
Pets - leash required
Address - Ridge Road/Route 34B, Lansing NY

In a Nutshell

Well maintained trails through a mixture of open fields and steep woods gives variety for pollinators and birds as well as glimpses of Cayuga Lake. 

Location and Parking

More details

Sims-Jennings Preserve is a beautiful mixture of open fields from reclaimed farmland and steeper wooded sections. As the full name is Sims-Jennings Preserve at Cayuga Cliffs, the word "cliffs" should give a couple hints. First, be careful. There are numerous signs warning about areas where you really want to stay on the trails to avoid unstable cliff areas. And second, there are some steeper sections. (I had to laugh at a Google Review that complained it was steep).

From the parking area, you'll see pollinator gardens which attract various insects and birds in seasons. From there, you'll follow a trail around the perimeter of a field lined with a variety of hardwoods. This half-mile "White" trail takes you to the main junction point from which you can continue to a nice viewpoint of the lake and cliffs, take Danny's Trail (the steepest) down along a gorge and nearer the water, or head south along a relatively flat out and back trail (Yellow). There is also the Red trail off of this latter Yellow Trail that goes up to another meadow with views of the lake. Note that on the map this Red Trail is shown as a out and back, but is actually a lollypop trail with a longer loop (at least on the 2025 map version).

The viewing area at end of White trail has a couple benches. I was able to sit and watch some turkey vultures exploit the drafts and glide along this area. If you plan to take the Danny's Trail (Blue), I might use this as a place to catch breath on way back up. I should point out that you start at the highest elevation in the parking lot. This means it seems like a very easy hike as you go downhill, just remember you'll need to go back up to get to the car. I will also mention, you cannot get to the actual shore of Cayuga Lake from here. You can hear it and see, but steep cliffs are a barrier.

There are a couple of small waterfalls depending on how the water is running. Notably one on Danny's Trail prior to it turning left, downhill and then one on the Yellow trail about halfway.