An Afternoon’s Exercise Around Taughannock Gorge

MichaelStephenWills

Yesterday afternoon was bright, sunny enough for me to break out of the winter exercise routine for a walk around Taughannock Falls, a New York State Park 7.5 miles from the front door through farmland and small villages with views of Cayuga Lake.

The route around the gorge, following the North and South Rim trails with a side trip to the edge of Cayuga Lake is 3 miles with a modest elevation change of about 500 feet.

My route began at the top with a cell phone, from the Falls Overlook, there is a gradual slope, until the end where flights of steep stone steps end at the gorge floor. The steps were free of ice and snow.

These photographs are from the cell phone. Here is the lake and a portion of the gorge. Yes, the lake is a dark blue on sunny days and is ice free this year. Another trail follows the gorge floor to below the falls, I opted out of the additional 1.5 miles today in the interest of finishing well before sunset.

Click any photograph to visit my Fine Art version of Taughannock Falls.

Taughannock Gorge and Cayuga Lake from the North Rim Trail – CLICK ME for my Fine Art version of Taughannock Falls.

I have a few versions of these South Rim Trail stone steps taken at this perfect time of day, the low sun through the trees. Built in the 1930s by Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corp, the steps and the entire trail are a work of art.

Climbing up from the gorge to the South Rim Trail – CLICK ME for my Fine Art version of Taughannock Falls.

The far view of Taughannock Falls always fascinated me. I’ve never done it justice. There are several view points from the South Rim, overlooking the gorge were it bends to the south with only the upper third of the falls visible. The flow today was photogenic. I used the cell phone zoom to catch the view between the trunks of two trees.

View of the falls from the South Rim – CLICK ME for my Fine Art version of Taughannock Falls.

The top of the south rim was the only ice. It is there through April some years. Here is the closest, full view of Taughannock Falls from the North Rim. It is the same view you will find in my Fine Art version of the falls.

View of the falls from the North Rim – CLICK ME for the Fine Art version of Taughannock Falls.

And a cell phone video of the falls for the full effect.

Enjoy!!

25 thoughts on “An Afternoon’s Exercise Around Taughannock Gorge”

  1. I so enjoyed this picturesque walk through Taughannock Gorge, Michael. What a gorgeous place in the world. Enjoyed the video, seeing the falls and their fullness and beauty, too. Your photos were a treat.

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    1. Thanks for saying so, Julie. Those stone steps are always well received..there is something about them….climbing is good exercise and the way the steps are set and spaces were well done. What’s loves about the walk along the gorge is the soothing sound of the stream the entire way.

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  7. Wonderful post, Michael. I lived beside a lake when I was very, very young and I’ve always had an affinity to water since then. Wonderful sharing of your “accessible beauties.” The sound of falling water was wondrous. ❤

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    1. Watkins Glen can get very crowded in summer, plus the gorge trail is narrow leading to people jams. Taughannock Fall trail is very wide, accommodating many more people. I do not have the visitor numbers. Taughannock is a very popular park, the gorge trail is open year round. Watkins Glen closes in the winter, as do many of the other gorge centered parks.

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