Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

This is a state park centered on the amazing geologic features of Enfield Glen. A waterfall cascades through a gorge here, ending in a beautiful pool for swimming at the base of the falls, with a trout stream flowing out of it towards nearby Cayuga Lake.  For the geologically curious, the trails through the gorge are fascinating and educational. And fossils abound, easily visible in the stream flowing out of the falls. This was a main draw for me about this park, as was the proximity to the paleontology institute and Museum of the Earth just to the north in the hamlet of Trumansburg.  https://www.museumoftheearth.org/

Within the park itself, there are camping options for both tent and trailer camping. However, even if you usually prefer campground camping, it might be well worth your while to consider the camper cabins. These beautiful rustic cabins are located alongshore and adjacent to the falls in one of the most beautiful parts of the park! Although hikers and swimmers walk the trails nearby to the cabins alot during the day, they are usually done by late afternoon and then your cabin site is peaceful, shady and quiet, with the main sound being wind through the hemlocks and rippling of water over the stones in the brook closeby. Pull up a rocker and ease your way into a peaceful evening! Great location as a basecamp not only to explore the park, but also the nearby Geology museum as mentioned, plus Ithaca, Cayuga Lake, and area vineyards

Location: This park is close to Ithaca which was the best part. Trails and Natural Features: We loved the waterfall, swimming area (seasonal so closed when we stayed), and the fall colors. Sites: They have very few electric sites so we decided to boondock. It surprised me that all the full hookup sites were reserved but very people actually showed up for their reservations while we stayed. Lame. And heads up that if you don’t stay in the big clearing for big rigs, there are tight turns between trees to get in and out of the non-electric sites. We ended up making a back-in site into a pull-through site… whoops. Starlink: I work remotely so internet is important. We weren’t camping in the clearing because those sites were booked, but even the Starlink struggled where we were and I ended up working from the library in town. So heads up if you need internet. Bathrooms: They were spacious but older. Temperature in the showers was tricky. Hot is cold and cold it hot. Cool stuff: They had compost bins and provide bags for all campers. That’s cool!

We loved our two-night stay at this park. It is a very compact park and once you are settled, everything is within walking distance. 76 sites plus 12 cabins in two loops– an “old” one and a “new” one. The old loop has 35 sites (sites 1-12 have electric hookups but, in my opinion, they are not nearly as nice as other sites with no hookups. These 12 sites are very close together (1-6 are more like parallel parking spots) with no privacy between them. Sites 36-72 are in the new loop and can vary significantly. I was told there are future plans for electric hookups in the new loop. If you are camping in the summer, you will want Sites 36, 38, 40, 42, 48, 50, or 76 as these are very shaded and private. The sites on the outside of the grassy area(52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72) were in full sun, which was very nice in September but could be brutal during hot summer months. Some have trees for separation, but these sites are spaced a generous distance apart. The sites on the inside of the loop seem less desirable to me and no one occupied them during our stay. 

Only the bathhouse in the new loop (which was very clean) had showers, which were very nice (clean with a good hard spray and hot water). 

The office was staffed until 6:30 pm and since we pre-registered, the process was very smooth. There is one garbage/recycling area between the two loops and the bonus for us was propane canister recycling. There are a large day-use area and a shelter available to rent, along with two playgrounds (one designated for ages 2-5 and the other for ages 5-12). During the summer months, there is a swimming hole fed by Lower Falls; swimming is only allowed when lifeguards are present. 

What we loved most about our stay here was the hike on the Gorge and Rim Trails. You can make a loop by hiking both. It was a good workout, but the views were incredible on the Gorge Trail. With your camping fee, you can also visit nearby Buttermilk Falls State Park and there is a similar, but shorter, Rim/Gorge Trail which was also worth visiting.

We spent two nights camping at Robert H. Treman State Park. The campground has an area with wooded sites, an area with sites in a large field (with hookups for RVs), and an area for the cabins (which looked very cool). All sites have fire rings and a picnic table. There are also flush toilets and free showers; these facilities were well-maintained and clean. We stayed in site 35 which is a wooded site located at the end of a loop. It was one of the larger, more private sites; reserve it if it is available.

The park contains nine miles of hiking trails. We hiked the Gorge Trail (2.12 miles) with a return on the Rim Trail (2.09 miles) to create a loop from the campground. The hike took us alongside the gorge of Enfield Glen and past twelve waterfalls. The route was a lot of up and down with terrain through wooded areas as well as on rocks next to the water. However, the stunning views and its variety did not disappoint. Unfortunately the swimming area was closed due to flooding but it would be a perfect ending to this hike on a warm summer day.

Overall, this park was great. The size was just right with on-site access to hiking and swimming. The nearby amenities of downtown Ithaca was a bonus!