The Cascadilla Gorge Trail that links downtown Ithaca with the Cornell University campus by way of the Collegetown business district has been opened for the season by Cornell Plantations.

"Anyone is welcome to hike along the gorge, but we ask visitors to stay on the trail for their own safety and the safety of others," said Cornell Plantations Director Donald Rakow, noting that the Cornell Outing Club helped clear out debris that had accumulated over the winter. Major repair work from the 1996 flooding has now been completed, the director said, and minor repairs to the steps and trails will continue throughout the summer in the gorge, which is closed during the winter due to icy conditions.

Besides being the quickest and most scenic way to get from downtown Ithaca to the Cornell campus on foot, the Cascadilla Gorge Trail also is a natural "greenway" for migrating birds and other animals. The 0.3-mile ascent takes about an hour. Stone benches and walls are provided along the trail.

The Cascadilla and Fall Creek gorge trails are managed by Cornell Plantations, where the grounds are open to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dark each day. For more information, call (607) 255-3020. Or visit the Cornell Plantations web site at http://www.plantations.cornell.edu to find out "What's Blooming at Plantations," or get the online guide to the Plantations Path as well as schedules of Plantations classes and special events.