Tioga County: Nature, History and Harness Racing

Tioga County brings together nature trails, museums, local shops and harness racing. When planning your trip, you can focus on the things that interest you most: outdoor activities, history, local products or a day at the races. Each of these themes also offers different areas of focus—from habitats and wildlife to changing exhibitions and seasonal races.

Nature Trails and Habitats

Two Rivers State Park Recreation Area has several miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. The Waterman Center focuses on nature preserves as well as trails: the Center owns and operates six different nature preserves. The Waterman Center Trails span five miles through ponds, forests, scrubland and fields.

Logan Hill Nature Preserve offers a different focus. Its habitats include young and mature forests, grassland, meadows and an elevated wetland. Bobolinks, Prairie Warblers, woodcocks, wood frogs, salamanders and other amphibians find habitat there. You can explore the nature theme through both hiking and mountain biking trails and the diversity of landscapes and wildlife.

History and Local Discoveries

The Tioga County Historical Society updates the exhibits in two of its galleries two to three times a year. Admission to the museum exhibits is free year-round. The Bement-Billings Farmstead, by contrast, focuses on a specific period: this living history museum presents domestic life, agricultural practices and the natural environment of the early 19th century. The two sites offer different ways to explore history—through gallery exhibits on the one hand and the everyday life of an earlier era on the other.

The Depot Friday Nights entertainment series takes place at the NV Railroad Depot. For travelers interested in antiques, the Tioga Antiques Trail includes more than a dozen shops with a range of specialties. This variety is part of the trail’s character; your specific interests in shops can shape your own route.

Harness Racing and When to Visit

Tioga Downs Casino Resort has a 5/8-mile harness racing track. Live harness racing is offered from May to September, while simulcast racing is available year-round. This distinction is useful when planning: if you want to experience a live race, plan your trip around the season; simulcast racing is not limited to that period. If a specific race day will determine your plans, check the dates for your travel period.

Farm Stands and the Regional Setting

Local farm stands in Tioga County offer specialty cheeses, maple syrup, meat, honey, vegetables and fruit, as well as health and beauty products and natural fibers. Their selection therefore extends beyond food, combining agricultural products with other locally offered goods.

The wider regional setting may also be of interest when planning your trip: Tioga County is a short drive from many outstanding attractions in the Finger Lakes region.

Explore more destinations: Owego, Apalachin, Dutchess, Oneida, Herkimer County, Clinton County, Schoharie County and Orange.

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