Discover The Stone Bug: A Hidden Gem in New York

The Stone Bug of Ringwood Road

Tucked deep in the woods just outside Ithaca, New York, there’s a peculiar sight. Locals call it the "Stone Bug," and if you’re lucky enough to find it—up a winding path off Ringwood Road—you’ll understand why it’s something of a legend.

But fair warning: it sits on private property, so unless you’re invited, it’s best admired from a respectful distance.

Like a relic of another time, the Stone Bug rests quietly beneath a canopy of leaves, forever parked in the forest.

READ MORE: Explore an Abandoned Village Hidden in the Woods a Few Hours From Utica

Created in 1976

The Stone Bug was created in 1976 thanks to Cornell art professor Stephen Gibbian.

The story goes that Gibbian had long imagined building a car out of stone. He just couldn't find the right spot. Until the day he wandered into the woods and saw it - a worn-out, early '60s VW Beetle abandoned by its owner and forgotten by time.  It sat near a generous pile of stone.

"When I saw that pile of usable stone and that old Beetle smiling up at me, I knew that this was the right time, place, and car," Gibbian later wrote in an article chronicling the project.

READ MORE: What the Bug?! Beetle Balancing Act Baffles New York Drivers

Vintage VW Parts

The original frame of the Bug became a skeleton to shape stones around around.

The tires were filled with concrete to give them that classic Beetle bulge, the kind that would last for centuries.

Gibbian scavenged vintage VW parts to give it soul—chrome bumpers, head lights, even hubcaps.

READ MORE: Who Parked Their Car On Top of a Smokestack in Amsterdam?

Personalized License Plate

The most striking detail, perhaps, is the license plate. A thick slab of antique sandstone, hand-engraved with the words: “1976 – SG”.

The year the dream was realized, and the initials of the man who made it real.

Secret in Plain Sight

The Stone Bug isn’t just a sculpture. It’s a kind of time capsule, a secret hiding in plain sight.

A moment frozen in stone, a tribute to creativity, and a Beetle that will never drive—but will never die either.

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