Waterfalls of Western New York
by: Sue Freeman
Mention New York and people automatically think of New York
City. It conjures up images of skyscrapers and more recently,
terrorism. But, skip the city and head northwest in New York State
to a region called the Finger Lakes where you'll find natural
beauty in lakes, hillsides covered in vineyards and hundreds of
waterfalls.
The abundance of waterfalls is due to the region's geologic
history of shallow seas and glaciers. The seas deposited shelled
creatures to form three major limestone escarpments or rock cliffs.
The glaciers scrapped deep gouges and produced massive volumes
of water as they melted creating gorges filled with waterfalls
including Taughannock, Silver Thread, Buttermilk, Montour, Hector,
Stony Brook, and Watkins Glen.
The escarpments interrupted the flow of water and created additional
waterfalls. The Onondaga Escarpment is responsible for Akron Falls
and Serenity Falls. The Niagara Escarpment is responsible for
Niagara Falls and the Upper Falls of the Genesee River in Rochester.
Visiting the many waterfalls can be an easy car trip, an invigorating
hike or a fun summer creekwalk. There's plenty of waterfall adventures
for every age and ability. On a hot summer day the best place
to be is walking up a stony creekbed, lying in a rush of cooling
water, and sitting in the spray of a waterfall. Creekwalking is
a sport anyone who can walk can enjoy. All you need are some non-slip
Teva-like sandals or a old pair of sneakers, a willingness to
get your feet wet, and a guidebook showing where to go (http://www.footprintpress.com/Waterfalls/WaterfallsPreview.htm).
Waterfall discovery can be a year round sport. Each waterfall
changes with the seasons. A spring torrent becomes a wisp in summer
and a wonderland of ice sculpture in winter. And, waterfall sleuthing
leads to a trove of history. Early settlers used the waterfalls
to power their mills throughout the region. Dams and millponds
still dot the countryside. You can see remains of old mills and
mills that still operate at Gasport, Williamsville, Littleville,
and New Hope. Today we use the waterfalls mainly for their aesthetic
beauty and for the soothing effects that waterfalls provide. Waterfalls
offer magical sounds and mesmerizing sights to anyone willing
to sit for a moment.
Here's a sampling of the special adventures that await you
in Western New York:
- Walk behind a wall of water at Tinkers Falls.
- Hike a mile and cross an 80-foot suspension bridge to reach
Royalton Falls where women's history was made.
- See small flames dance behind a waterfall from natural gas
leaks at Eternal Flame Falls.
- Visit Letchworth State Park on a quest to find all 28 waterfalls.
- Creekwalk up Chautauqua Creek to sit naked in the spray of
Skinny Dip Falls.
- Bicycle the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail to enjoy Seneca Mill
and Cascade Mill Falls.
- Strap on instep crampons and walk up frozen waterfalls in
Conklin Gully.
- Load the wee ones into the stroller and follow an easy 0.7-mile
trail to see Taughannock Falls plummet 215 feet from a high rock
notch.
- Follow a new 0.4-mile paved path in Rochester to stand at
the crest of Lower Falls and at the base of Middle Falls of the
Genesee River.
- Splash up Grimes Glen to enjoy two 60-feet high waterfalls.
About The Author: Sue Freeman's expertise is fun in the outdoors.
She's the author of 11 guidebooks and 1 travel narrative, all
aimed at enticing others to explore the outdoors. Sue escaped
a corporate executive job in 1997 after 25 years, to follow her
passion and has been spreading the word ever since. With a background
in Medical Technology and a MBA in Marketing, writing would seem
to be an unlikely career change. But, years of business writing
combined with a love of the subject matter can be a powerful combination.
Details on New York's waterfalls can be found in the guidebook
"200 Waterfalls in Central and Western New York A Finders'
Guide." For more information or to order go to web site www.footprintpress.com
or to order call 1-800-431-1579.
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