by Dave DeGolyer
There’s an entire world in the southern Finger Lakes. It’s one of waterfalls, unique history that has fallen into the margins, world-class wineries nestled on country roads and hidden outdoor experiences that tend to be a bit more hushed, a bit quieter. But like any good secret, this one is worth sharing.
Off the beaten path outdoor fun
One of the region’s best kept secrets is also one of its largest natural assets. That lack of notoriety and fame means less foot traffic, less crowds and more opportunities for you to explore at your own pace.
Stony Brook State Park is home to three hiking trails, each about a mile in length. The main gorge trail leads you along a cascading stream through a canyon of rugged rock-faced cliffs and three large waterfalls. The park features numerous picnic areas scattered throughout the woods and more than 80 campsites, offering a chance to reconnect with nature on your own terms.
Photo courtesy Stu Gallagher
On a hilltop, 500 feet above the Cohocton River, a local group of cyclists have transformed a small park set in a copse of hemlocks into a haven for mountain bike enthusiasts. With panoramic views, picnic pavilions, a playground and mountain bike and hiking trails, Mossy Bank offers a touch of tranquility just minutes from downtown Bath.
About 15 minutes away, Mountain Rose Horse Farm offers a double dose of county calmness with a quiet setting and the chance to interact with animals. In addition to the horses that you’ll ride around a pond, through a field of wildflowers and among trees, you’ll also meet Lucas, the friendliest goat greeting-committee around.
Photo courtesy Stu Gallagher
Unique history
Stunning Keuka Lake is framed east and west by two two-lane highways: Route 54 and 54A (named one of the Top 15 Scenic Drives in the World by British Airways). At the southern end of Keuka rests tiny Hammondsport, a historic town of less than 700 residents.
More than 100 years ago, one resident – a champion bicycle racer in his youth – built a motor, strapped it to a makeshift bike frame and sped into the record books at nearly 137 miles per hour becoming “fastest man on earth.” Glenn Curtiss was so good a building engines that within a year he became an aviator who would go on to hold the first pre-announced public flight in the country, winning America’s first aeronautical prize. He taught the first female pilot, the first Navy pilot and the first aviators from several countries. At one point, Curtiss was dubbed “the world’s foremost flier.”
You can learn about his many accomplishments at the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, where other largely unknown stories are also being told. A new ground-breaking exhibit will open in June 2026 called Hidden Voices of World War II. It will spotlight the Flying Tigers, Curtiss-Wright Cadettes and the museum’s volunteer community-based restoration shop which restored a vintage P-40; the plane will be the centerpiece of the new exhibit.
Exceptional wine
Hammondsport is also where the “American Wine Region of the Year” (Wine Enthusiast) began back in 1829. A story of quality and innovation that is still being written today.
Imagine having a PhD, being one of the foremost experts in your field in your home country, then moving across the world, speaking five languages (but not English) and knowing you had the answer to a question no one in your new country had ever been able to solve. When he arrived in America, Dr. Konstantin Frank, a Ukrainian immigrant, had already spent more than 30 years honing his skills and acquiring an expansive amount of first-hand experience. In 1957, with the first successful planting of vinifera grapes in the northeastern United States, Dr. Frank forever changed winemaking in region and beyond. Today you can visit Dr. Frank’s Winery which offers the “#1 Winery Tour in America” four years running (USA Today).
Photo courtesy Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
The winery has also played a role in recruiting to the region several exceptional European winemakers who continue to push the boundaries on what wine can be – wineries like Domaine LeSeurre and Ravines, and most recently Weis Vineyards, named New York State’s “Winery of the Year” (2022, 2024 and 2025).
Although three major interstates make their way through Steuben County, the lifeblood of the area is found on the old country highways and byways, in small towns that are often overlooked. They give you more opportunities to discover exceptional experiences your friends haven’t heard of yet. Think of the new secrets you can share.
