The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) celebrated the completion of public access improvements to its 241-acre Roy H. Park Preserve in the town of Dryden, Tompkins County, on Friday, May 8, 2026.
FLLT staff and volunteers were joined by town, county, and state representatives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the reopening of the preserve’s north entrance, where new, universally accessible public access features, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, are available to all visitors.
Pictured at the ribbon cutting on May 8, 2026, are (from L to R): New York State Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles, Land Trust Board Member Beth Dann, NYS DEC Region 7 Forester Chris Sprague, Land Trust member Dan Karig, Dryden Town Supervisor Jason Leifer, and Tompkins County Legislator Greg Mezey – Photo by Chris Ray
The new features include two scenic overlooks as well as trail extensions that provide easy access to wetlands which are home to beaver, waterfowl, and other wildlife. In addition, the existing boardwalk has new leveling and handrail modifications; the parking area contains two accessible parking spots; and there is improved access to the adjacent Hammond Hill State Forest. The FLLT received funding for this project from the Tompkins County Tourism Capital Grant program, the New York State Conservation Partnership Program, a collaboration between the Land Trust Alliance and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and gifts from individual donors.
“We’re pleased to provide opportunities for people of all abilities to experience the beauty of this diverse natural area,” said Land Trust President Andy Zepp. “This project is the first of its kind for our organization and is a significant expansion of universal access to nature in Tompkins County.”
The Roy H. Park Preserve borders Yellow Barn and Hammond Hill state forests and the Cornell Old 600 Natural Area, making it an important connector in a larger array of some 8,000 acres of protected land.
Visitors to the preserve can utilize a 1.6-mile trail network that weaves through forests, meadows, wetlands, and a scenic stretch of Six-Mile Creek, as well as a one-mile trail connecting the boardwalk to the trail system at Hammond Hill. The preserve is open year-round from dawn to dusk for low-impact recreational activities and wildlife observation.
Photo: FLLT
The preserve is also located in the “Emerald Necklace,” a proposed greenbelt linking more than 50,000 acres of existing conservation land in an arc around Ithaca, from the Finger Lakes National Forest in the west to the Hammond Hill State Forest in the east. Together, these lands host 78 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail, two National Audubon Society-designated Important Bird Areas, numerous Finger Lakes Land Trust Preserves and conservation easements, several state forests and parks, and dozens of Tompkins County-designated Unique Natural Areas. The FLLT purchased the parcel of the Roy H. Park Preserve that hosts the boardwalk in 2010, creating the first link in the Emerald Necklace, while also acquiring additional lands that were added to Yellow Barn State Forest.
2026 marks the 20th anniversary of this initiative, and the FLLT is hosting a self-guided hiking challenge to celebrate. This hiking challenge can be done in sections, at your own pace, and over the course of 2026. For more information, visit fllt.org/emerald20hike. To learn more about FLLT conservation lands with the Emerald Necklace, visit fllt.org/emerald20 for maps, photos, and more.
