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Welcome to Ulysses, NY

Overview

Ulysses is a rural town that forms the northeast corner of Tompkins County, bounded on the north by Covert in Seneca County and on the west by Hector in Schuyler County. The towns of Enfield and Ithaca are to the south and Cayuga Lake is to the east. The town includes the sizable and thriving village of Trumansburg and the much smaller hamlet of Jacksonville. It is the site of Taughannock Falls State Park, which includes the 215-foot falls and a deeper gorge.



Essentials

Most of the commerce of the town is in or adjacent to the village of Trumansburg. A small commercial area southeast of the village includes a large grocery store, a liquor store, a pharmacy, a veterinary clinic and car dealership. Jacksonville has a service station with a convenience store, a seasonal farm market, and a post office.



Recreation & Entertainment

Taughannock Falls State Park offers hiking, swimming, fishing, and boating. The gorge trail is a flat, easy walk often taken by entire families with strollers. The rim trail is slightly more challenging, but offers spectacular views above and below the falls.



Transportation & Traffic

Route 96 runs north to south across the eastern third of the town through Trumansburg, and Route 89 parallels the lake, providing a route to the state park and lakeside cottages. Perry City and Halseyville roads are county highways that traverse the town east to west and north to south, respectively. Bus Route 20 of the Tompkins Consolidate Area Transit (TCAT) has regular service to Trumansburg on Route 96 and Route 21 provides seasonal service to Taughannock Falls State Park along Route 89. Both state routes can become mildly congested during commuting hours and Route 89 can be crowded with tourists and cottagers during the summer.



Pros & Cons

Ulysses has sweeping vistas filled with active farmland and woodlots. The village of Trumansburg is an active and complete commercial center, sparing residents the drive to Ithaca for most needs. Town residents can also take advantage of the cultural amenities of the village. On the other hand, away from the state roads the town almost entirely lack public transportation and any commerce at all, which means residents must drive to Trumansburg or Ithaca for all their needs.