Tuesday morning’s rain brought some additional water flow to the beautiful Taughannock Falls in the town of Ulysses, NY. At 215 feet in free fall height, the falls is probably one of the most spectacular falls that we have in the Finger Lakes region of NY. Many wedding ceremonies are performed at this location and from this vantage point, the rocks surrounding the falls are in the shape of a heart. In the Algonquin Language, “Taughannock” means “in the trees” and when viewed from the falls overview, it truly does look like water falling from the trees!
The falls in the trees was formed some 12,000 years ago by the retreating glacial ice at the southern end of Cayuga Lake. The glacial ice gave Mother Nature an ample supply of water which cascaded over the land to the slowly receding lake. The falls overlook area where I took these pictures was probably covered with water – a scene very hard to imagine today. Now, Mother Nature depends upon the gentle summer rains and few spring storms in the Finger Lakes to continue her job of carving out the fall’s canyon.
The Taughannock Falls lies about three-quarters of a mile back from Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes in surface area. By the time the water flows into Cayuga Lake, it is just a gentle flow of water and an ideal site for launching boats into Cayuga Lake from Taughannock State Park along route 89.
This beautiful park along Cayuga Lake is lovely place to have a family gathering, to enjoy a picnic lunch, or just sit under one of the many shade trees. There is a beautiful play area for the younger children and for everyone, a swimming area to cool off in the sun warmed water of the lake. And while you are taking a rest, Mother Nature is still at work in the Finger Lakes, slowly carving out her sculptures of stone for the enjoyment of future generations.
