Type: Road/Trail, Loop/Out-and-back
Difficulty: 5 / 10
Altitude: 1,053 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes, with leash
Jog-Stroller Friendly: Unknown
Filed Under: Running
Part of the Cayuga Trails Club system and Cornell University's Plantations, this trail runs along Fall Creek, both along the stream side and at some points along a high ridge, which can afford some spectacular views. There are portions of the trail that are in the forest where you can't see the stream. Starting from the main trail head on Hanshaw Road, run south down the old dirt rd/trail (Old Monkey Run Road) for about 1/2 mile.
Keep going until it looks like you will run off a steep embankment and end up in the stream. Take a minute and enjoy the nice view, then back up about 10 feet and take a right. There are a number of trails that snake around through this section, but they all eventually merge near a washed out bridge. You can cross the bridge if you are confidant enough, and pick up some trails on the other side, or you can say "hi" to the bridge (you'll see it again) and keep on going downstream. About 1/4 mile past the bridge you will have to climb up a very steep embankment. Don't worry too much about it, it's not steep enough for ropes or anything like that. When you get to the top, take a left and follow the trail and its corresponding orange markers through woods and fields.
There are a few places where the trail splits and goes back down to the stream, you can take these detours if you'd like, although the path down to the stream can be steep at times. All the detours eventually merge. Just keep heading in a south easterly direction. About 2.5 miles into the run you will hit a community garden and then end up on Freese Rd. If you take a right on Freese Rd and then another right at the intersection with Hanshaw you will end up back at the car in about 1.5 miles.
For more trail fun, take a left on Hanshaw, go down the hill, accross the steel bridge and take another left on 366. Be careful on these roads, there can be alot of traffic at times. About 1/4 mile up 366 there are some agricultural fields, take the dirt road on the left into the fields. Run along the edge of the fields to the very far right corner and pick up the trail again.
There are a few steep hills in this section, but its course is roughly parallel to the stream and opposite the path you just took. When you get to the washed out bridge you can climb up and walk accross and pick up the trail again by taking a right at the other side of the bridge. If you choose this route, take a left when you get to the top of the hill and you will be back on old Monkey Rd and end up back at your car.
Otherwise, if you decide not to cross the bridge there are two other trails along the brook that you can take, they both go in the same direction, one is closer to the brook and less well maintained, the other is in the woods and better kept. Both come out on an abandonded power line. Run along this for about 1 mile, take a left back into the woods at the trail sign, follow the trail back out to Rte 13, cross the bridge (on the left) and drop back into the woods on the left immediately after the bridge. The trail is marked with orange, follow it for about 1/2 a mile until you reach the Old Monkey Run road again, take a right and you will be back at the trail head.
From Ithaca, go East on Route 13 about 3 or 4 miles, take a right on Hanshaw Rd. Parking area is at the intersection of Hanshaw and Lower Creek Rd.
Monkey Run Rd is long abandoned and is not accurately listed on some internet map services.
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