Gorges Ithaca Half

Presented by Cayuga Health

With support from Island Health & Fitness

Gorges Ithaca Half

The Gorges Ithaca Half is one of the most scenic half marathons in the country. It offers a point to point course from the quintessential small town of Trumansburg, passing gorges and cascades with a net descent elevation course profile, finishes in one of the most rad small towns in America. It’s a great excuse to make a long weekend in Ithaca running a Half PR or first finish.

Presented By

Date

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Location

Start: Trumansburg

Finish: Cass Park, Ithaca

Registration

Opens November 1st

No Raceday Registration

Whatchya Get?

Entrants will receive an event T, Specialized Purist custom sport bottle, finisher’s medal from Ragged Cuts in CT, post-race food from Fittnell Farms, bus to the start (for those who select it with registration), race.

Start Time

Combined / Mass Start: 07:30

Cost Tiers

11.1.24 - 12.31.24: $102.66 (= $95 + RSU Fees)

1.1.25 - 3.31.25: $124.01 (= $115 + RSU Fees)

4.1.25 - 6.03.25: $140.03 (= $130 + RSU Fees)

Details & Timeline

Staging Area / Finish Lines:

Starting Line: 2025's race will start on Whig St in Trumansburg, just south of the junction with Truman. It’ll start north to pass through Main, circle through the eastern neighborhoods, touch upper Taughannock Falls State Park, merge with the Black Diamond Rail Trail descent back into Ithaca, and run north along the Inlet to a finish in Cass Park.

Finish Line: The event will finish in Cass Park along the Inlet and base of Cayuga Lake.

Packet Pickup:

*It's okay for friends / family to pickup your BIB/shirt for you.

*All Race-Day Check-In’s will pickup shirt at the Finish after the race (so as not to race carry them for those shuttling).

Raceday Timeline:

Sunday, June 08, 2025

  • 05:30 – 07:00 – Raceday Check-In, Start-Line parking, and drop offs at Charles O. Dickerson High School.

  • 05:30 - 06:30 - Race morning finish area parking in assigned zones (entrants parking at finish will get email with assigned zone) in Cass / Alan Treman Park.

  • 07:30 - Mass Start

  • 08:40 - First finisher anticipated to reach finish line

  • 09:30 - Shuttle Buses begin transporting finishers back to Trumansburg High School / Start

  • 11:30 - Last finisher anticipated to reach finish line and course closed

  • 11:45 - Last shuttle bus leaves for Start Parking return

  • 12:00 – Catering closed and Park Cleared of Event Staging

Parking

  • Stay tuned for updates / maps for required / targeted parking areas for Start and Finish areas. In the meantime, see interactional map here.

Maps & Instructions

Start Area: Trumansburg

The Start line will be on Whig St, just south of the T with Truman St. Access to both long-term (raceday) parking, and drop-off will be via Whig Street entrance to the Charles O Dickerson HS.

Instructions for runners driving to / parking at the Start:

We will be using Charles O. Dickerson HS / MS for Start parking and drop-off. You may park and drop-off here between 05:30 and 13:00 on race-day. We will have shuttle buses returning runners from the finish back to the start area parking between 09:30 and 11:45 on race day.

Long Term Parking will use two lots, noted on the image above:

  1. Non-NYS Residents will use the first lot to the left (Lot A above)

  2. NYS Residents will use the lot straight in (careful, busses dropping off overlapping) Lot B above

Return Shuttle

For those parking at the Start and taking a return shuttle, the shuttles will pick finishers up from Cass Park north of the Ice Rink / Pool. To get there, walk back out / north from the finish, with the loading zone across the field to your left. They’ll run intermittently between 9:30 and 11:45.

Start Drop - Off and Long Term Overflow:

  1. Transient Vehicles / Dropping Runners off will use Lot C in the Start Staging area image above and which is fairly straight in. This is intended for drop-off only. No long term parking or hanging around too long otherwise it won’t work. Drop-off vehicles may use circular entry drive for pure momentary drop off, or pulling in to lot proper but only staying literally a minute or two to get stuff out of the car.

  2. If Lots A and B max out Long Term parkers may park in Lot C.

Finish Area - Ithaca

The address of the finish staging area is roughly 701 Taughannock Boulevard, Ithaca, NY. Please see the maps and info below, as well as interactional course map on Plotaroute for more detail on designated parking areas.

Shuttle Buses / Loading Areas

Instructions for runners driving to / parking at the Finish

We will be using several lots surrounding Cass Park and Alan Treman Marine Park for finish-area parking. We’ve divided up the entrants list by place of origin and assigned each to a specific lot.

  • Parking Lot A - Alan Treman / Dog Park (NYS Runners w/ Zip codes of 148xx & 149xx - relative “locals”)

    • Getting To: Plug 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca into your Mapping app and it’ll take you to the entrance to both the Hangar Theater, and Alan Treman / Cass.

    • Getting to Shuttle Bus: After parking, walk back south to the parking strip running north from the Rink. Buses should load in that area.

    • Getting to Parking Post Race: You can walk directly out from the finish line north to get back to that lot.

    • Distances: ~ 0.2 mile walk

  • Parking Lot B - Cass Park (northeast of Pool) - Volunteer / Vendor Parking

  • Parking Lot C - Cass Park Rink - All Non-NYS Entrants

    • Address is 701 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca

    • Buses load just north of the Rink building and the finish is around the back.

    • Distances: ~ 0.2 mile walk

  • Parking Lot D - Union Fields (Runners from NYS but not from zip codes of 148xx or 149xx)

    • Getting To: You can plug 678 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, or this link into mapping. You’ll enter / exit via Rt. 89 to the northeast of the ballfields with a bathroom building straight ahead at entry. That lot is a crescent shape with most of it to the right / north of the entrance.

    • Getting to Shuttle Bus: Walk north along paved waterfront trail, cross Rt. 89 by the Rink. Buses load just north of the Ice Rink building.

    • Getting to Park Post Race: Walk past tennis courts, take a left on the west side of the Ice Rink building on the Waterfront Trail, cross 89, parking ahead.

    • Distances: ~ 0.5 mile walk

Buses to the start will load just north of the Cass Park Ice Rink / Pool complex and run between 05:30 and 06:30. The shuttle to the start is approximately 15 - 20 minutes. There will be a handful of portajohns near the bus loading area as well as 15 or so at the start drop off area.

Those finishers who park at the Start can catch buses back to the finish between 09:30 and 11:45 which will leave from the same spot.

The Route

We'll start stage from Charles O. Dickerson High School in Trumansbug. The start will be on Whig St at the junction with Truman St. Runners will wind north and east, crossing Main St before winding east through the Village. They’ll have a decent Cemetery Hill Climb into mile 2 before starting the descent back towards Ithaca.They'll pass through the upper tip of Taughannock Falls State Park before reaching the head of the Black Diamond Rail Trail. From there it'll be a steady descent along the hard packed gravel surface to arrive back in Ithaca. Once you emerge it'll be just under a mile, running north along the Cayuga Lake Inlet to finish in the ball fields of Cass Park. Be sure to give props to Cayuga Medical / Island Health as you round the turn at 12.4 before sending the finish stretch.

Route map for GIH25 by Ian Golden on plotaroute.com

 FAQs

  • We'll have a handful of area youth running programs and teams on course at water stops. Aid stations will be located at the following approximate mileages: 2.3, 4, 6.1, 8.7, 10.7, & 12.4. Each will have water, a sport-drink and, possibly in the later miles, fruit or something to that effect from Eddydale Farms. We encourage entrants to carry their own bottles to cut down on cup useage.

  • We'll have Portajohns at the start, finish, and alongside Aid Stations at miles 4.2, 6.1, and 8.7.

  • Walkers are welcome. We do have a 4 hour cutoff though so you gotta walk fast!

  • You are permitted to park at the start and get a shuttle back from the finish. Or park near the finish and take a shuttle to the start. You may also get dropped off and picked up.

  • We have a NO REFUND policy. If notice is provided on or before May 15th, the entry can be rolled over into 2024. No transfers to other runners. NO REFUNDS or ROLLOVERS for any reason if notified after May 15th so please don’t ask.

  • Ron Heerkens Jr and Michael Lesher capture beautiful event photography and photos. They'll focus on scenic spots on the course and capture great shots. You won't all make them in one, but if you do, chances are it'll be one worth purchasing and posting. They'll be available roughly a week after raceday and you'll be able to find them on their galleries page here.

    We'll also possibly have a third amazing photographer, Wendy Houseworth of Manifesto Design capturing your finish. We'll send a link if she's we're able to dial it in.

  • Finish times / results will be live by the afternoon of raceday at Leone Timing here.

  • We'll again look to accomodate the checking of gear / an apparel piece at the start. Please try to reserve only if weather dictates needing more layers. Those wishing to check something must bring their own clear-plastic (i.e. gallon-sized ziploc) bag with their name sharpied to the outside. We'll have bins alphabetically divided for you to use per your last-name. They'll be returned to the finish line area. Bags must be collected by 11:30 and those left behind WILL NOT be returned.

  • Yes, runners can download the RaceJoy tracking app, receiving updates on their phone, and allowing others to track and receive updates on their progress. http://www.racejoy.net/download

From Ithaca to Dryden to Lansing Cross Country, SOAR Youth Running, and a hundred others needed to pull this off….

A YUGE Thanks to all our awesome volunteers!!!