New York · Hiking

Spanish Loop Trail

Spanish Loop TrailPhoto: javajoe6, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
3.3 mi
one way
636 ft
climb
1,971 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Aug–Sep
best months

The Spanish Loop Trail is a 3.3-mile point-to-point hike in James Kennedy State Forest in New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. It rises from about 1,387 feet to about 1,971 feet, with a total elevation gain of 636 feet. The route is rated easy, and the trip takes about 1.5 hours. The trail is a straightforward outing, and the climb is spread out along the way. The steepest stretch comes at about 2.7 miles in, with a grade of 21 percent. The trail also has a total descent of 989 feet, so it works well as a loop if you pair it with another nearby route. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ithaca show July highs around 79°F with lows near 56°F, and the station sits roughly 740 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. Several other loop trails sit within a mile, including the Swedish Loop Trail, the Irish Loop Trail and the Lithuanian Loop Trail. The Virgil Mt. Loop is about 2.4 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Spanish Loop Trail

    Best months: August–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      30° / 13°

      19 wet

    2. Feb

      32° / 14°

      17 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 22°

      17 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 33°

      15 wet

    5. May

      67° / 43°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 52°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 56°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 54°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 48°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 38°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 29°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 21°

      19 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ithaca 13 E, NY, 2.9 mi away at 1,228 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors