An exceptional land steward and wilderness lover, Hu Bahar intended to keep his forested gorge untouched. Honoring her late husband’s desire to preserve their family land, Dawn Bahar sold the original 25-acre preserve to the Finger Lakes Land Trust at a significantly reduced price in 1998. In 2005, the Land Trust more than doubled the size of the preserve by acquiring an adjacent 33-acre parcel, and then purchased another 29-acre parcel in 2007. These more recent additions were very significant in that they permanently protected public access to dramatic Carpenter Falls and a series of other falls in the gorge.

While the forest on the preserve that is found on the gently-sloping terrain around the rim of the Bear Swamp Creek gorge was logged over the past two hundred years (most recently in the 1970s), the forest in the deep gorge was mostly inaccessible because of the steep slopes. This area likely harbors a significant area of old-growth trees such as Eastern hemlock and red oak. Other species include white pine, American beech, sugar and red maple, white ash, black cherry, American basswood, yellow birch, and tulip tree. The hemlock, red oak, and tulip trees are often over 24″ dbh (diameter at breast height), and some very large oaks are certainly well over 100 years old.

White Trail

Moderate

Do not attempt to take the optional path into the gorge unless you are in good physical condition. This path is very steep and rope is available. This is an out and back so the rope becomes necessary going back up. Can be very strenuous.
*The optional path is no longer available and has been blocked off.

Route type: Out and Back

Length: 2.4 miles