County: Seneca

Acreage: 13 acres

Trail Distance: 0.5 miles

Directions:
From Ithaca, take Rt. 89 north to Town of Romulus. Preserve is on east side of Rt. 89 about one mile north of Cayuga Lake Road. Turn right, across from mailbox #6374, to park. Walk past gate and down access lane.

Trail Map

Whitlock Nature Preserve

Along the shore of Cayuga Lake lies a 13-acre piece of forest that holds the memories of a family in the rings of its trees.

History

It is doubtful that when Louisa Whitlock's grandfather moved to a farm in Ovid from NYC, he would have imagined that four generations of his family would continue to enjoy the land he purchased. Both Louisa and her mother were born on the farm. In the 1950's and 60's, the Whitlock family spent summers in Ovid, and in 1966, the family purchased lakefront property. To help preserve the memories of her childhood and protect the forest she became familiar with, Mrs. Whitlock donated 13 acres to the Finger Lakes Land Trust, keeping one acre for her family.

Natural History

From Route 89, a wide path snakes through the forest toward Cayuga Lake. Several apple trees on the western part of the preserve serve as reminders of the land's agricultural history. Red cedar, white pine, tulip and dogwood appear here and there within younger woods, rising above tangled masses of multi-flora rose. A steep slope drops towards the lake, its soil held in place by the roots of hemlock, oak, and basswood. Large black walnut, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory and white pine also shade the slope and drop leaves into the water. In spring many flowers bloom, among them white trillium, violet, wild geranium, and mayapple.

In recent decades, commercial and private development of Cayuga Lake shorelines has increased dramatically. Through the generosity of the Whitlocks, 500 feet of lakeside property will be kept forever wild--open for the quiet enjoyment of everyone. The preserve's narrow beach is made up of rounded stones, shaped by years of tumbling in the waves. Search carefully, and you may be able to find a "lucky stone" with a hole through the middle. Clam and zebra mussel shells are also easy to find--remember to watch out for sharp edges! A shallow rock shelf extends from the shore, creating an attractive feeding area for migrating waterfowl such as Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers and Mallards.

Test your tree identification skills or take a picnic to the beach while you enjoy this lovely piece of land!