Ehling guides you to plunge-pools and glacial caves, past fossil beds and through "rock cities"-all the results of the area's distinctive geological history. Many of the hikes described here follow maintained footpaths, including portions of the Finger Lakes Trail, the Conservation Trail, the Letchworth Trail, the Eastside Trail, and Westside Overland Trail. The other hikes, ranging mostly throughout the numerous state forests within the region, utilize walking paths, dirt roads, and jeep trails.

Each hike includes directions to the trailhead, route distance, approximate hiking time, vertical rise, a topographical map, and detailed descriptions of the trail itself. In addition, Ehling enlarges your experience with his knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area's forests, wetlands, and gorges; as well as other land formations such as kettle lakes, eskers, and kames.