The Hertel Bowl is part of the upper slope of the Fall Creek Valley. It is one of several great bowls carved over the millennia by the rushing waters of Fall Creek. Hertel Bowl is high above Fall Creek, and is therefore one of the most ancient. The Hertel Bowl is currently a goldenrod meadow, growing on land previously used as a hay meadow.
In the Fall, the bowl is filled with blooming goldenrods, asters, and other meadow flowers. These plants are a good resource for many insects (like a fertile oasis, they provide food, shelter, hunting areas, and mating sites). Because they bloom in that brief period when Ithaca's growing season and Cornell's academic calendar coincide, goldenrod meadows are highly valued for teaching by Cornell professors. This meadow is buzzing in the Fall, just waiting for budding entomologists.