Use of the Finger Lakes Trail

The Cayuga Trails Club is responsible for maintenance of about 100 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail System. Many of the club's hikes are on sections of the FLT System.

Who can use the Finger Lakes Trail

The entire FLT System is open for use by the general public with no fees charged for its use. The system is closed where it crosses private land on the first Monday of February for 24 hours each year. Persons using the trail system should be aware of the various big game and other hunting seasons and should avoid use during these times. The trail system is intended for foot travel. Motorized vehicles, mountain bikes, and horses are not permitted unless specifically approved by the landowner or public authority having jurisdiction. It is recommended that groups be kept as small as possible, particularly for back-packing when the size should not exceed 10 persons.

Areas where vehicles can be parked legally are mentioned in the Guide to Trails and are marked on FLTC maps. Some locations are along road; in this case, be sure to park well off the road surface. If you are going to leave a car for several days it is best to avoid roadside parking. Inquiring locally or through the local sheriff may provide a safe and legal parking location. In any event, do not leave any valuables visible in the vehicle. Winter conditions often make it impossible to use designated parking locations.

How to find the Finger Lakes Trail

Normally, all trailheads and trail road crossings are marked with a one-foot square yellow sign with a green FLT logo. Other locations are marked with 3-inch white or orange disks with the FLT logo. The trail is marked with 2" x 6" vertical paint or plastic blazes on trees, poles, and posts along the entire route, except in the Catskill Forest Preserve where the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) trail disks are used. Blazes are visible when traveling in either direction. Normally, when you are at one blaze, you can see the next blaze further down the trail. On some roads and well-defined trail the blazes may be a little farther apart.

Single blazes are used to identify the route. Double blazes, one above the other, are caution signs for you to look for a turn off from the general direction of travel or other situations for which you should be alert:

Key to trail blazes

Beginning of trail	Trail continues	End of trail
Look for turn or other change	Look for left turn	Look for right turn
Trail start/end (old style)	Left turn (old style)	Right turn (old style)