Arnot Forest Lodge & Cabins

Welcome to the Arnot Forest!

The Arnot Forest Field Campus provides an ideal venue for multi-day events accommodating up to 150 people and within 25 minutes of Ithaca. Adjacent to Cornell’s 4200-acre Arnot Forest in the Finger Lakes region, it is a wonderful rustic location for workshops, retreats, conferences, outdoor education programs, and community or school groups.

The Landscape and Natural Surroundings

A regionally unique aspect of the Arnot Forest Campus is the inspirational landscape and wooded habitats easily accessible by skis, mountain bike, foot, or vehicle.

Within 4,200 acres of contiguous forest are 2,500 acres of managed hardwood forest, 100 acres of grasslands, 10 ponds, over 1,400 acres of young forest, and 6 first-order streams that feed Banfield Creek. On the uppermost ridge with a clear sky, you can see rolling forest extending for miles into Pennsylvania. Cornell also operates a state-of-the-art maple sugaring demonstration and research site adjacent to the field campus.

On the field campus grounds, two open pavilions near the main lodge support outdoor or rainy-day events. Around the perimeter is a loop trail that passes through fields, forests, and a secluded pond. An expansive front lawn and large upper field can accommodate tent camping or temporary event structures.

The Main Lodge

The main lodge is the central meeting area of the field campus. It includes a fully equipped commercial kitchen with utensils. Another smaller kitchen is also available for privacy or for use during the winter.

The main hall, or dining room area, seats 100 and can also serve as an area for indoor activities, large group meetings, or instruction. The lodge has a stone fireplace, video screen, and wireless internet. An adjoining, smaller, heated room supports smaller or winter groups.

The lodge also provides a wheelchair accessible restroom and shower that is heated year-round.

Cabins

Twelve rustic cabins distributed around the field campus each accommodate 5-8 sleepers; for 65 total beds. Guests provide bedding and toiletries. All cabins have electrical service and lights. The facility will support 25 overnight guests in the winter, utilizing the five heated cabins and the small heated kitchen and meeting room located in the lodge.

The cabins surround a large activity field and lawn area and are adjacent to a sports field. The cabins are in close proximity to the lodge and accessible bathhouse. Bring a flashlight and shoes for nighttime navigation around the field campus.

Bathhouse and Other Amenities

A bathhouse with sides for male and female guests supports large groups and overnight stays. There are two parking areas which together accommodate up to 50 cars, and roadside parking for an additional 20 cars. Onsite camping is also available, with central fire pits and within easy distance of the bathhouse. The field campus is located well off the road and is very quiet and secluded, a perfect location for privacy, bird watching, outdoor walks, and enjoying the natural beauty of the Finger Lakes.

We welcome you to experience the Arnot Forest as an affordable woodsy event venue near Ithaca, NY.

To inquire about rentals of the property or for other questions concerning programs at Arnot Forest, please fill out our contact form.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Last updated December 15, 2023