Months before our trip, a friend shared a Facebook post that included Taughannock Falls as one of many beautiful waterfalls to see in New York. Right away we tried to figure out how we could incorporate this stop (and one other from the same site) into this road trip. We definitely took the back roads on this day, but it was oh, so worth it!

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Taughannock Falls Overlook

A sixteen-hour drive home and one more overnight loomed over the end of our trip. A couple more stops could make the journey slightly less painful, so we found a route that would take us past the two New York waterfalls with our overnight in Jamestown, NY. Even though we weren’t even using our Edge’s GPS for navigation, it seized up somewhere on one of those backroads – never to return until we shut ‘er down for a reboot. Was it worth it? Oh HELL yes!!

“Pronounced Tuh-GAN-nick. The falls’ name is believed to have derived from the Algonquian Taconic (“in the trees”) or Taghkanic (after a Lenape chieftain killed in battle nearby). Taughannock Falls carves a 400-foot gorge through layers of sandstone, shale and limestone that were once the bed of an ancient sea. With a 215-foot plunge, this waterfall stands three stories taller than Niagara Falls.” ~ READ MORE

Quick Stop, Great Views

A very easy walk got us to the overlook and I ventured down another level for a slightly better angle. Although the gorge and rim trails would have offered even better views from above and below the falls, we didn’t have that kind of time. And to be honest, seeing the falls from this perspective was amazing. The leaves had reached a beautiful goldish glow and the contrast with the rock was absolutely breathtaking!

Letchworth State Park

It was a good thing that our first stop was a quick one, because our next one was not! With “over 14,000 acres of natural splendor,” avid hikers and folks wanting to explore the park beyond just the falls should probably consider an overnight or two. There are over 60 miles of trails to walk, ride horses, bicycle, and cross-country ski – along with lots of other fun activities (more on photo at left).

The park itself is absolutely beautiful – just packed with trees. Today with limited time, we had our hands full just taking in the falls and the lower falls picnic area. I could see coming back here on a New York Waterfalls road trip in the future.

“Letchworth State Park, renowned as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” is one of the most scenically magnificent areas in the eastern U.S. The Genesee River roars through the gorge over three major waterfalls between cliffs – as high as 600 feet in some places – surrounded by lush forests.” ~ READ MORE

The High Bridge of Portage

< “The steep-sided gorges and rivers of the Genesee Valley presented many obstacles for transporting agricultural goods and lumber to larger markets. Encompassing over 120 miles and serviced by 104 locks, the Genesee Valley Canal served as a major transportation hub in the region before the bridge was built. The canal operated between 1840 and 1878 but did not open fully until 1862. The Buffalo and New York City Railroad chose this spot to bridge the gorge, finishing the timber trestle “High Bridge of Portage” in 1852, the longest and highest span of its kind during this period.

The Iron Bridge Rises. The wood frame of the trestle made the world-famous bridge vulnerable to fire from coal sparks thrown from train engines, and in 1875, the bridge burned down. The Erie Railway replaced the outdated timber bridge with a new iron viaduct in a remarkable eighty-six days. Setting the standard for bridges of its type, the Iron Portage viaduct would remain in daily freight service for 142 years.” ~ From the sign at left.

Above the Upper Falls

High up we could hear the roar of the falls, and we caught glimpses of the beauty we’d see as we got closer to the action. We admired the lovely (sturdy) work of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), who in the 1930s worked hard to make our national parks safe and beautiful with massive railings and rock stairways. Their work is evident – and greatly appreciated – all over this park.

Up top we had obscured views, pops of color, and the hint that something wonderful was about to reveal itself!

Another Vantage Point

Still above the falls we had a bird’s eye view of the river, with spectacular colors, and a glimpse of the walkway down below. Too bad we didn’t more throughly examine the park map before we left, because as we started to descend Jim decided to head back. I could have just continued my downward climb and met him at that walkway, rather than climb all the way back up to meet him and take the car down river a little further. Oh well, it’s good for the legs, right?

Upper Falls At Last!

We’ve been hearing the roar, smelling the “fresh”, and feeling the mist of the Genesee River for a while now, but FINALLY we get to see it! Although the views are better from further down with the massive iron bridge in the background, they are pretty wonderful from close up too.

The Journey to Middle Falls

Along with better views of the Upper Falls, also comes fabulous rock walkways, brilliant colors and more amazing views of the river – along with seemingly still pools of water unaware that the next dropoff is right around the corner!

A Man Ahead of His Time

“Attempt great things and expect great things” ~ Rules of Conduct, William Pryor Letchworth, age 10

William Letchworth was born in 1823 in Brownville NY and at age 15, apprenticed for a saddle manufacturer till he learned every aspect of the business. When he was 25, he partnered with a Buffalo, NY firm to form Pratt & Letchworth where he put his vast knowledge to work. He devoted all of his time to his business, but once his three brothers started working at the firm in the day-to-day management, he was finally able to take some time off to travel. From that point he vowed to take more leisure time in the future.

While considering a location for a summer home, he was encouraged to look at the Genesee Valley. In 1857, Letchworth road the Erie Railroad on his way home from New York City which passed over the gorge on the elevated trestle. And the rest is history. He paid off a colleague’s debt to buy the land, and he called his new home “Glen Iris” – after the Greek goddess of rainbows. Over the years he groomed the once-logged forests and planted many more trees.

By 1898, the threat of a hydroelectric dam upstream from Glen Iris had Letchworth lobbying against the destruction of the gorge he had restored. In 1906, working with the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, he deeded 1,000 acres to New York State for a public park, saving for future generations what the Indians called Jenisheu, “the beautiful valley.” ~ READ MORE

Middle Falls

Nothing to say here… except WOW!

“Aim to do all possible good in the world” ~ Rules of Conduct, William Pryor Letchworth

“God wrought for us this scene beyond compare, but one man’s loving hand protected it, and gave to his fellow man to share. ~ An excerpt of a poem by Sarah Evans Letchworth at Inspiration Point, Letchworth Park June 8th, 1909. To READ MORE

Lower Falls Picnic Area

We tried without success to find the lower falls, and I’m not just saying that because we were running short on time. The signage was sketchy at that point and we were getting tired. We couldn’t imagine the third set of falls could compare to the first two, so we gave up and explored the Picnic Area that we could find. Maybe on that New York Waterfalls road trip of the future we’ll give it another try. I sure wouldn’t mind coming back here again!

Do You Agree? WOW-Worthy?

Up Next: Bay State Getaway Recap

Happy trails,
Barb