Yesterday I had the chance to hike through the Cascadilla Gorge, one of campus’ many hiking trails maintained by the Cornell Botanic Gardens. The hike was curated by Todd Bittner, the director of natural areas at the Cornell Botanic Gardens. From Todd’s expertise, the attendees learned about the gorge’s long history and how it has evolved with the university after being acquired in 1909 through a donation by Robert H. Treman.

As times have changed, so has the use of the gorge as is evident by the remnants of a quarry in the gorge that was used to harvest the stone that today composes Cascadilla Hall. Today, the Cascadilla Gorge is a valued and historic natural area that is protected and maintained to help preserve its beauty for generations to come. Over the past century, the gorge has undergone radical changes, having once been partially submerged via the construction of a now-demolished dam and through the replacement of some of the native flora with invasive species. Outside of the realm of man-made impacts, natural changes to the gorge’s architecture are evident from historic artifacts such as photographs and slope documentation that can be found in the university’s rare manuscript library showing the dynamic effects of the environment on the land. The Cascadilla Gorge is one of the many natural treasures found on campus that is diligently maintained by the Cornell Botanic Gardens, and it will continue to hold its prominence as both a historic and natural wonder for many years to come.