An Ithaca-area gorge park with 12 waterfalls, hand-built CCC stone stairways past 115-foot Lucifer Falls, a seasonal Gorge Trail, and a swimming hole below the Lower Falls.
Before you go
Treman is a gorge-and-swimming-hole park near Ithaca where timing is everything. The Gorge Trail and its stone stairways are seasonal and closed in winter, the Lower Falls swimming hole runs only from late June to Labor Day with lifeguards, and the campground books through ReserveAmerica. Plan around the gorge season and the swimming window, and reserve a site if you want to stay.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Strong waterfall flow and green glen, but the Gorge Trail stays closed until conditions allow, usually mid-spring.
Pack Rain shell, warm layer, and shoes for wet stone once the gorge opens.
Warm and busy, with the swimming hole open below the Lower Falls and full trail access.
Pack Grippy footwear for wet stone steps, swim gear, and an early weekend arrival.
Crisp, colorful, and the most photogenic window before the gorge closes for winter.
Pack Layers, traction for wet leaves on stone, and a headlamp for shorter days.
Cold and icy, with the Gorge Trail closed and only the rim trails open.
Pack Insulation, traction, and adjusted expectations: no gorge-floor access.
Gorge Trail past Lucifer Falls
The signature route through Enfield Glen, climbing CCC-built stone stairways past 12 waterfalls including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls. The trail is seasonal and closes for winter.
Lower Falls swimming hole
The natural stone-lined swimming area below the Lower Falls, with a diving board and lifeguards in season. Swimming is not guaranteed and can close for water quality or staffing.
Rim Trail loop
The all-season alternative to the Gorge Trail, on the higher ground above the glen. This is what stays open when the gorge is closed.
Put the access rule first: shuttle, parking, timed-entry, or reservation windows should decide the order of the day. For one day in Robert H. Treman State Park, make Gorge Trail past Lucifer Falls the non-negotiable, add Lower Falls swimming hole only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Rim Trail loop as the flexible finish.
Turn Robert H. Treman's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Robert H. Treman State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Robert H. Treman State Park packing list
0 of 22 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
22 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Robert H. Treman asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Camp in the park's 72-site campground beneath the pines if you want to stay on site, booked through New York's ReserveAmerica with cabins reservable in advance. Otherwise base in Ithaca, minutes away, which also puts Buttermilk Falls and the wider Finger Lakes gorge circuit within an easy drive.
Camping reservations
The park has a 72-site campground beneath tall pines, plus cabins, all booked through the New York State Parks reservation system. The bigger planning variable is the season: the Gorge Trail closes in winter, and the swimming hole runs only in summer.
Reviewed June 8, 2026
Booking window
Camping and cabins reserve through New York's ReserveAmerica. Cabins require an advance reservation, and campsites are strongly recommended to be reserved ahead. The camping season typically runs mid-May into early November.
Where to book or verify
Official New York reservation portal for campsites and cabins at Robert H. Treman.
Park page with trail and swimming status, fees, hours, and seasonal closures.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Getting there
Arrival note
Robert H.
Access note
Treman sits just southwest of Ithaca, New York, off Route 13 in the Finger Lakes region.
Car strategy
A car is the practical way in, and Ithaca puts you minutes from Buttermilk Falls and within an easy loop of the wider Finger Lakes gorge parks.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
Yes, at the natural swimming hole below the Lower Falls, open daily about 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from late June to Labor Day with lifeguards. Swimming is not guaranteed and can close for water quality, weather, or lifeguard availability.
No. The Gorge Trail and its stone stairways are seasonal and closed in winter for safety. Only the higher Rim Trail stays open in the off-season, so visit mid-spring through fall for the full gorge experience.
Not to visit for the day, though a seasonal vehicle fee applies when the booth is staffed. Cabins require advance reservations and campsites are strongly recommended, all booked through New York's ReserveAmerica.
Lucifer Falls drops about 115 feet and is the centerpiece of the Gorge Trail through Enfield Glen, reached by the CCC-built stone stairways that thread the gorge past a dozen waterfalls.