Approximately one-third of the Finger Lakes Trail System is on private property. Private landowners receive no compensation for this; they offer this out of love of the land and their willingness to share.
This fact is most surprising to people getting to know about the FLT. At first, they assume that the FLT is government-run entity with taxpayers supporting the cost of hiking across New York State. In fact, the FLT is a private, non-profit, volunteer built and maintained footpath. The trail exists because of the dedication of its members and volunteers, the cooperation of state agencies responsible for our public lands, and the generosity of the private landowners who have shared the use of a small piece of their land with hikers.
If you are one of our host landowners, a big THANK YOU from our members and FLT hikers.
If you are a hiker, be aware of when you are hiking on sections of the trail on private property. Unless you are certain that you are on public lands, assume that it is private property.
Trail closed on private land
To protect landowner rights, all sections of the Finger Lakes Trail on private land are closed for 24 hours on the first Monday in February.
Trail closed for hunting
Some landowners choose to close their section of trail during hunting seasons, which may include turkey season in the spring, turkey season in the fall, and big game seasons in the fall (see hunting season dates here). Private land trail closures are listed on maps and guidebooks published by the FLTC and in the Trail Condition Notices on this website.
You must respect these closures in the interest of preserving good relations with our landowners. If you hike on a closed section of trail without permission you may be trespassing.
Be a good guest!
Here are some common-sense “Guest rules” you can practice:
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- Stay on the trail.
- Leave all gates open or closed the way you found them.
- Hike quietly; respect landowner privacy.
- Absolutely no fires or camping unless explicitly permitted.
- Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
- Remove any litter you find.
- If you encounter the landowner or family members, greet them and thank them for hosting the trail.
- If you see something that is not right, please report the details to the FLT Office at (585)658-9320 or by email at [email protected].
Be the kind of guest you would welcome if you owned the property.
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This is an overview map of the Finger Lakes Trail System. It shows tracks of the main trail, branch trails, loops and spurs. The track colors represent the blaze colors for the branch trails, loops, spurs, and sections of the main FLT not blazed in white. Most of the main FLT is depicted in black & white for better visibility on various map backgrounds, but blazed in white on the ground. Trail closures (hunting, logging, etc.) and recommended bypass routes are depicted as shown at right. Hover over a track to display the name and length. Tracks colored 
This is a overview map of the Finger Lakes Trail System. It shows tracks of the main trail, branch trails, loops and spurs. The track colors represent the blaze colors for the branch trails, loops, spurs, and sections of the main FLT not blazed in white. Most of the main FLT is depicted in black & white for better visibility on various map backgrounds, but blazed in white on the ground. Trail closures (hunting, logging, etc.) and recommended bypass routes are depicted as shown at right. Hover over a track to display the name and length. Tracks colored 
Loop Maps, Guides and GPS files you can purchase from the 
Water source – TREAT BEFORE DRINKING
