One of the most interesting and truly magnificent waterfalls that we had the opportunity to see while visiting New York was the Taughannock Falls. We stayed in Ithaca, and it took us a little less then 20 minutes to get there (about a 10 mile drive) and the location is slightly northwest of the city. The falls are on the west side of the Cayuga Lake, and the address is 1740 Taughannock Blvd. Trumansburg NY 14886. (We went to the overlook and this is located at 2381 Taughannock Park Road, Trumansburg NY 14886. There is also a visitor center at the overlook.)

We traveled in early October, and honestly that was a really great time to go. We did encounter a little rain on part of the trip, but overall the weather was pretty temperate. It was fairly warm mid-day, but in the evenings it tended to get slightly chilly, so we were glad that we packed light jackets and long pants.

When you are traveling to the Northeast in spring, summer, or fall it is typically a good idea to pack for both warmer and cooler days because we can get fluctuations in temperatures. Also, I recommend bringing a raincoat or umbrella because there are usually a mixture of sunny and rainy days. Since we traveled to Ithaca in early October, the leaves were starting to turn into bright colors with the green leaves and everything just looked very magical!

One really neat thing about going directly to the overlook and visitor center is that you will not have to travel very far to actually see the waterfall. You will see the visitor center to the left, and then there is a path to the right of that with a staircase that allows you to have an awesome vantage point without traveling too far. It is literally about a 2 minute walk to get to the overlook from the visitor center. When we were in New York, I had a pretty bad sprained ankle, and while I did walk down a couple flights of stairs on the overlook, it was awesome that it was not too big of a hike to see the actual waterfall. Also, I think this would make the area a great spot to visit for families or if you do not want to walk too far. (In addition to seeing fabulous views of course!)

There are walking trails in this area as well if you are an avid hiker and are interested in checking that out. If you are hosting a get together or special event, there are pavilion rentals in the park. In addition to this, there are campsites and cabins in this area that overlook Cayuga Lake with a boat launch and beach for warm sunny days. If you are interested in checking that out, I will link the Taughannock Falls State Park website at the bottom of this page so you can learn more.

When we walked up to the overlook area, we were absolutely completely mesmerized. The Taughannock Falls are the highest single drop waterfall in the Northeastern region of the United States, and is 215 feet (65 meters) tall! To provide you with more perspective, it is 33 feet (about 10 meters) higher then the famous Niagara Falls. The gorge walls that surround it are more than 400 feet (123 meters) on both sides. The rocks that have formed the falls are estimated to be created over 380 million years ago! These historic rocks that make this impressive gorge are sandstone, shale, and limestone. Over the last 10,000 years the glaciers retreating and process of erosion has actually created the Taughannock Falls. It is truly amazing to think about how these unique formations and gorges were formed.

If you are traveling to the Finger Lake region I highly recommend a stop at this spectacular waterfall. It is truly a marvel of nature and it really just makes you appreciate our Earth in all her magnificence. Let me know in the comments if you have traveled to this location, and what you thought of it as well. I hope that you are having a wonderful day, and remember to click that subscribe button!

If you are traveling to the New York area, and are interested in hiking or viewing spectacular waterfalls, a book that I would highly recommend and also own myself is “Hiking Waterfalls New York.” This literature reviews a variety of hikes, from the famous Niagara Falls, to even more less known hikes, but spots that you will not want to miss! At the beginning of the book, I really like that the author categorized the trails from her favorites, best waterfalls for fall foliage, best gorge hikes, roadside waterfalls, best historical falls, and even waterfalls that may draw in more crowds versus less crowded waterfalls. There is also a very nice map that lays out where the locations of them are, and that can be an amazing tool when you are planning your trip. This is great so that you know how far of a distance you can expect to travel from where you are lodging, and you can really make the most out of your time and itinerary. With each hike and waterfall listed there is a full color photo, trail distance, difficulty, and even information about the actual surface that the trail is made out of in addition to so much more!

For more information regarding this book, click on the Amazon Affiliate link below to learn more.

https://amzn.to/4apPdqm

-Additional Related Articles

https://parks.ny.gov/parks/taughannockfalls

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The Robert H. Treman State Park

Ithaca Falls Natural Area

The Sagan Planet Walk Ithaca New York

The Best Things To Do In Ithaca New York

NortheastAllie

For generations, my family has lived in the Philadelphia area, and my writing reflects these influences. This blog explores perspectives on life, encouragement, travel, health, and local living.

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