Are you looking for ways to cool off on those hot summer days? The Ithaca area has lots of places to swim in the summer time, including pools, rivers and lakes.   There are 150 waterfalls that flow across the town, funneling water through gorges carved out thousands of years ago by glaciers.

The local community offers several life guarded natural and community swimming areas, including:

• Taughannock Falls State Park – life guarded swimming area on the west side Cayuga Lake.
• Buttermilk Falls State Park – life guarded swimming hole in a natural pool at the bottom of Buttermilk Falls.
• Robert H. Treman State Park – life guarded swimming in a natural pool at the base of a waterfall.
• Myers Park – life guarded swimming on the east side of Cayuga Lake.
• Cass Park Pool or Alex Haley Pool – large municipal swimming pools in the city of Ithaca.

Natural swimming areas – Lakes and Swimming holes

Taughannock Falls State Park

Taughannock State Park has a large, seasonally-available, life guarded area for swimming in Cayuga Lake.  There are changing rooms and restrooms available. Although swimming is prohibited in gorge, Taughannock State Park also features fishing, hiking and nature trails, picnic and playground areas, campsites and cabins overlooking Cayuga Lake, with a marina, a boat launch, and the beach nearby.

Taughannock Falls State Park is a worthwhile place to visit during your trip to the Finger Lakes. The park is located on Rte. 89 approximately 8 miles north of Ithaca or 4 miles south of Trumansburg.

Buttermilk Falls State Park

Buttermilk Creek descends more than 500 feet in a series of cascades and rapids as it flows down through the steep valley toward Cayuga Lake, forming a natural pool at the base of Buttermilk Falls. This stream-fed swimming hole at the bottom of the falls at Buttermilk Falls State Park is a popular place for a refreshing swim to cool off on a hot summer day.  There are changing rooms and restrooms nearby. The upper park has a small lake, hiking trails through woodlands and along the gorge and rim, picnic areas and playing fields. The lower park has a campground, natural pool and playing fields.

Directions: To get to the lower parking area, which has quick access to the main falls, the swimming area, restrooms, and campsites, take Route 13 South for one and a half miles out of Ithaca. The park will be on the left.

Robert H. Treman State Park

Swim in a cool, stream-fed pool beneath a waterfall.  Sounds like a dream, right? At Treman State Park, there is a dammed area of the creek for swimming that goes right up to the Lower Falls, also known as Enfield Falls. Stand under the falls and let the water cascade over you to cool off on a hot summer day. For added excitement, there is a diving board perched on a cliff right in front of the falls.  Swimming is allowed in lifeguarded area only. The short trail to the swimming area and Lower Falls is handicap accessible.

Robert H. Treman State Park also features nine miles of hiking trails through Enfield Glen. Follow winding trails along the gorge past 12 waterfalls, including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls.

Directions: The park is located along State Route 327 in Ithaca, south of Cayuga Lake. From Ithaca, go South on Rte 13 (also 34/96) for 5 miles to Rte 327.

Myers Park

Myers Park is located on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake about 10 miles north of Ithaca off Route 34B. The park has a swimming area with lifeguards to take a dip in Cayuga Lake, along with a playground, volleyball net, basketball court, horseshoe pits, picinic tables and bbq pits.

The Town of Lansing park in Myers also has picnic tables and barbecue grills scattered throughout the park grounds, a concession stand, vending machines, restrooms, and a boat launch . Admission to the Park is free for Town of Lansing residents. Nonresidents are charged $4 per car.

Pools in the Ithaca area

Alex Haley Pool

Alex Haley Pool, in the Fall Creek area of downtown Ithaca, is a community pool open to youth and adults of all ages and swimming abilities.  The big pool has a water slide.  There is a kiddie pool for babies and toddlers.

The pool is centrally located across from Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) – near downtown Ithaca, an easy walk from The Commons area and is open from noon to evening daily from Memorial Day thru Labor Day.

The pool is available for use by organizations and groups for open swim at a group rate. Season passes are available for residents who live within the city of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Town of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Groton, Newfield, Ulysses, and the Village of Lansing.

Cass Park Pool

Cass Park, located on Taughannock Blvd in Ithaca, NY, is a fun park with an ice rink, a swimming pool, 4 tennis courts, 20 athletic fields , playground equipment, an exercise trail, and a large picnic pavilion. Cass Park has a paved, two-mile path that loops through the park with beautiful views of the Cayuga Lake Inlet and the hills above Ithaca.

The pool is available for use by organizations and groups for open swim at a group rate. Season passes are available for residents who live within the city of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Town of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Groton, Newfield, Ulysses, and the Village of Lansing.

Ellis Hollow Pool

The Ellis Hollow Pool is an outdoor community swimming pool located at the Ellis Hollow Community Center at 111 Genung Rd, Dryden, NY and operates from June through Labor Day. An annual membership is required to use the pool. Memberships are available to non-residents at the same annual rate as they are to residents. The pool is open for general swimming afternoons and evenings.