Parks & Trails
The Town of Dryden offers many beautiful trails and natural areas to explore!
Jim Schug Trail – This 4.2 mile trail is flat and easy. Good for walking, bike riding, snowshoeing, and more. *Accessible
Dryden Rail Trail – This trail starts where the Jim Schug Trail ends in the Village of Dryden, and continues through the Village of Freeville, Etna, Varna, and ends at the town line at Game Farm Road where visitors can continue on into the Town of Ithaca and eventually into the City of Ithaca.
Dryden Lake Park – This .75 mile long lake is great for family gatherings. Parking area for Jim Schug Trail *Accessible
Campbell Meadows – Easy winding trails follow Fall Creek with many scenic views and places for a picnic.
Etna Nature Preserve – A .25 mile trail through a 12 acre nature preserve, with an abundance of wildlife and foliage.
Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve – This 1.5 mile trail is a medium to difficult rating. Hiking, bird watching, and cross-country skiing are all allowed.
Genung Nature Preserve – This 53 acre land preserve has an easy hiking trail roughly 1 mile long along Fall Creek.
Monkey Run Preserve – Medium to hard difficulty, this preserve offers scenic views and beautiful foliage along Fall Creek.
Hammond Hill State Forest – 3,618 acres and 8 trails with 5.6 miles in length offer the public many opportunities.
Yellow Barn State Forest – Yellow Barn State Forest covers 1,289 acres of land. The forest is primitive in nature, and passive recreational activities such as hunting, trapping, and snowmobiling can be enjoyed.
O.D. von Engeln Nature Preserve – Two trails offer a total of 1.75 miles of hiking through luscious plant life. These medium difficulty trails are great for hiking, bird watching, and low impact activities.
Roy H. Park Nature Preserve – Baldwin Tract – An easy and inviting trail within a 241-acre preserve leads you through a former farm field with an extensive forest and wetlands, and along one of the loveliest, wildest stretches of Six-Mile Creek.
Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary – The 230-acre sanctuary encompasses forests, ponds, ferny swamps, and abundant wildlife.
Other Parks & Trails Organizations
Playground Locations in Dryden
- Groton Ave Park
- Dryden Lake Park
- Montgomery Park
- Ellis Hollow Community Center
- Etna Park
- Varna Community Center
- Dryden Elementary School
- Freeville Elementary School
- Bethel Grove Community Center