When I was a freshman at Cornell, Second Dam was the most talked-about swimming spot, perfect for Ithaca’s warmer weekends. I went a full year before hearing about Robert H. Treman State Park, and honestly, it’s the more appealing choice for a day trip — particularly because it doesn’t require climbing 15 minutes down a steep, rocky hill in slippery flip-flops like I did to get to Second Dam during my Orientation Week freshman year. (Yes, it was still worth it for the view and swim, but regardless.)
Compared to Second Dam, Treman feels less like a Cornell rite of passage and more like an actual small escape from campus.
The summer swimming season at Treman runs from late June through Labor Day weekend, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., so make your plans quick! It’s about a 25-minute drive from campus, with $10 parking, or you could take Route 67 on the TCAT. I’d recommend getting there a bit earlier on especially warm weekends when the swimming hole gets particularly busy.
When I finally ventured over in late August, a large wooden sign read the water was 63 degrees Fahrenheit. And for Ithaca, I’ll take it. Was it cold? Absolutely. Was that going to stop me from getting in? Apparently not.
As soon as you enter the park, the view is, no pun intended, ‘gorgeous.’
There’s a massive waterfall flowing into a large swimming hole with varying depths, ranging from the roughly 4-foot shallow end to the more than 10 feet deep “Lower Falls,” which has a diving board and lifeguard on duty. The swimming hole is also a great spot for a photo opportunity, whether you’re under the waterfall with friends, sitting alongside the rocks or attempting to capture the pure scenery without accidentally dropping your phone into the water’s abyss.
I did indeed have to get acclimatized in the shallower end before taking the adrenaline-inducing plunge off the diving board at the Lower Falls. Calling it an “acclimatization period” is a generous way of saying I stood there questioning my decisions before forcing myself to dunk my entire body underwater. But it was more than worth the shivering and goosebumps to dive into the fresh water below.
I more than recommend Treman for a day trip and picnic with friends, or as a mini solo outing to dip your feet in and clear your mind as you contemplate dropping that PE class you were already barely convincing yourself to follow through on.
The warm weekends of Ithaca are brief. No one really knows when the few 75 degree Fahrenheit days we’ve been lucky enough to receive will turn into 30 degrees overnight.
So enjoy it while you can. Soak up nature. Take the plunge. It really is gorgeous.
Savannah Sandhaus is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the Lifestyle department and can be reached at ssandhaus@cornellsun.com.
