The Indian name "Cayuga" means
"boat landing." Many people identify
with Cayuga Lake because of the line
"Far Above Cayuga's Waters" in the
Cornell University song.

Cayuga Lake, the longest of the
Finger Lakes, is just under 40 miles
long, is 3 1/2 miles wide at the widest
point, and has an average width of 1 3/4
miles. It is 435 feet deep at the deepest point
off King Ferry (second only to Seneca Lake in
depth) and at 384 feet above sea level is
the lowest of the Finger Lakes.

In addition to the Cayuga Inlet at Ithaca,
five tributaries at the southern end feed the lake:
Cascadilla Creek, Fall Creek, Salmon Creek, Six-Mile
Creek and Taughannock Creek. Cayuga Lake outlets
into the Seneca and Cayuga Canal, which joins the
northern ends of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. This
canal connects with the Erie Canal north of
Seneca Falls. Lake Ontario can be accessed
from Cayuga Lake via the Erie Canal, Cross
Lake and the Oswego Canal.

Excerpt from
Persons, Places and Things IN the Finger Lakes Region
by Emerson Klees