Outdoors
Walking the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail
Keuka sits higher than Seneca. The water that leaves it at Penn Yan has to lose that height over a short distance, which it does in a series of drops through a wooded gorge. Mills were built along every one of them. The path the mule teams used is still there, and walking it is the easiest way to see a piece of the region that has nothing to do with wine.
What is the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail?
It is a former towpath and rail bed running roughly seven miles between Penn Yan and Dresden, following the stream that drains Keuka Lake into Seneca Lake. The surface is crushed stone and dirt, the grade is gentle, and it passes the remains of the mills that once used the water.
The fall between the two lakes is what made it industrial. Water power meant mills, and mills meant a way to move goods, first by towpath and later by rail. What is left now is foundations, races cut into rock, and a lot of trees.
How hard is the walk?
Easy. The trail follows an old rail grade, so it stays close to flat for its whole length. You can join it at either end or at points in between and turn back whenever you like, which makes it work for an hour as well as for a full day.
It is not a loop. Unless you leave a second car at the far end, you walk out and back. Most people take a section rather than the full length.
Surface conditions change with the weather. After heavy rain the lower stretches hold water. Boots are more comfortable than trainers in spring.
Before you go
- Out and back, not a loop. Plan your turning point by time rather than distance.
- The trail is flat but unpaved. Boots after rain, anything in dry weather.
- Shade for most of its length, which makes it a good choice on a hot afternoon.
- Parking is at the ends and at a few road crossings between them.
How does it fit into a day around the lake?
It pairs well with a morning in Penn Yan, since the trail starts at the edge of the village. Walk a couple of hours, eat in town, then drive south along the lake in the afternoon. That gives you exercise, a meal and the water without rushing any of it.
If you would rather have hills and views than a flat woodland walk, our guide to hiking in the Finger Lakes covers the harder options, and the waterfalls guide covers the ones worth the detour.
Penn Yan itself is worth an hour. We wrote about the village and what surrounds it in our guide to Penn Yan.
Is there anywhere to stop at the end?
Dresden sits on Seneca Lake at the eastern end, and Penn Yan holds the western end with the shops and food. Most walkers start from Penn Yan for that reason, then turn back before reaching Dresden.
Coming from our side of Keuka, Penn Yan is about thirty minutes north. It makes a natural first stop on a day that ends back down the lake with us.
What is left of the mills?
Foundations, stone races cut into the rock, and the occasional wall standing in the trees. The gorge held mills of several kinds through the nineteenth century, using the fall of water between the two lakes, and the remains are scattered along the whole length of the trail.
It is not a preserved site with signs at every stop. Most of what you see you have to notice for yourself: a rectangular cut in the rock, a line of stone in the undergrowth, a pool that is too regular to be natural.
That is part of why the walk holds up. You are moving through an industrial landscape that the forest has taken back, rather than through a museum.
Can you cycle it?
Yes. The surface is crushed stone and dirt on an old rail grade, which suits a hybrid or a mountain bike. A road bike with narrow tyres will struggle, particularly after rain. The gentle gradient makes the full length manageable in either direction.
Cycling the whole seven miles and back is a comfortable morning. Walking the same distance is a full day, which is why most walkers take a section.
When is it at its best?
Autumn, for the colour in the gorge, and spring for the volume of water coming through. Summer is shaded and cool, which makes it one of the better options on a hot afternoon. Winter closes nothing but the footing becomes uneven.
We go through what each season brings across the region in our weather guide.
Thirty minutes south of Penn Yan, on the east shore of Keuka. A good place to sit down after a morning of walking.
How long is the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail?
Roughly seven miles between Penn Yan and Dresden. It is a linear trail, so a there-and-back walk of any length works.
Is the trail suitable for bikes?
The surface is crushed stone and dirt on an old rail grade, so it suits a hybrid or mountain bike better than a road bike. Conditions vary with the weather.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are a common sight on the trail. They are also welcome at our winery afterwards, indoors as well as on the terrace, which we cover in our guide to visiting with a dog.
Written by
The Domaine LeSeurre Team
Céline & Sébastien LeSeurre and the team at Domaine LeSeurre — a family winery on Keuka Lake, in Hammondsport, New York. French roots, Finger Lakes soul.
