Tag: south rim

First Day

Spring Equinox

MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Thank You for exploring with me the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls State Park on this first day of Spring 2023.

Photographs with video from this walk, with nature sounds and music in 4K HD
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Here, before the epynmous creek flows over the falls, glacial outflow carved this deep canyon through relatively soft sedimentary rock.
Distant Lake View
The place for rest and wonder
Looking into the gorge
South Rim view of falls
Taughannock creek below the falls
Red Barn on Gorge Road, off South Rim rial.
Perched on the north rim of the gorge, the Visitor Center for the Falls Overlook is visible before trees leaf out.
On spring’s first day Taughannock Creek is full beneath the old railroad bridge, now a connector between South and North Rim Trails.
The creek here plunges into the chasm below a former railroad bridge.
Gorge from Railroad Bridge Walkway

Click me for another Taughannock post, “Cuteness Break.”

Cayuga Lake Bench View

Last Hike

A sllideshow

MichaelStephenWills26 Comments

Thank You for exploring the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls State Park on the last perfectly sunny autumn day of 2019.

A sunny November Walk

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  • Autumn Oak Leaves, detail
  • Acorn Still Life
  • Chipmunk eating acorn
  • The Brink
  • The Why for the Bench
  • Welcome Summertime Shade
  • Left Behind or an Offering?
  • Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
    Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
  • Oak Leaves, forest floor
    Oak Leaves, forest floor
  • Understory Autumn
  • Hemlock Shadows
    Hemlock Shadows
  • Rock Elm, autumn
    Rock Elm, autumn
  • Glimpse of Cayuga Lake
    Glimpse of Cayuga Lake
  • Gorge View with Oak Leaves
    Gorge View with Oak Leaves
  • Glory on Gorge Road
    Glory on Gorge Road
  • Cayuga Lake Bench View
    Cayuga Lake Bench View
  • Taughannock Gorge, November
    Taughannock Gorge, November
  • Three Sisters, Taughannock Falls gorge wall.
    Three Sisters, Taughannock Falls gorge wall.
  • Into the Gorge
    Into the Gorge
  • Distant View with Hemlock
    Distant View with Hemlock
  • Oak and Hemlock
    Oak and Hemlock
  • Gorge Road, early November
    Gorge Road, early November
  • Upper Falls
    Upper Falls
  • South Rim Trail, early November
    South Rim Trail, early November
  • Last Flower with Moss, early November
    Last Flower with Moss, early November

Click me for the first post of this series, “Cuteness Break.”

South Rim Trail, early November

Lone Elm

Among Hemlocks

MichaelStephenWills13 Comments

A Rock Elm, late to turn in autumn, stands among a hemlock grove on the South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls Park, Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

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  • South Rim Trail, early November
    South Rim Trail, early November

Rock Elm, autumn

Rock Elm Autumn

MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

Taughannock Gorge south rim trail passes close to Gorge Road at one point. Rock Elm is an understory tree that comes into its own late autumn.

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  • Glory on Gorge Road
    Glory on Gorge Road

Rock Elm, autumn

November Star

MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

Elms thrive in the understory, turning late to catch autumn sunlight.

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  • Rock Elm, autumn
    Rock Elm, autumn

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Oak Leaves, forest floor

Leaf Carpet

A Natural Wonder

MichaelStephenWills16 Comments

Wednesday last I enjoyed shuffling along a forest carpet along the South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls Park. It is a lost pleasure now the first snow is with us.

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  • Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
    Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
  • Oak Leaves, forest floor
    Oak Leaves, forest floor
  • Understory Autumn

Photographs in Gallery

  • Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
    Leaf Carpet on South Rim Trail
  • Oak Leaves, forest floor
    Oak Leaves, forest floor
  • Understory Autumn

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Ironweed, late November

Views from the Bench I

No Pun Intended

MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Some sights from last post.

Moss on the edge of upper Taughannock Gorge cliff, with the falls in background far below.

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  • Moss on Cliff Edge
    Moss on Cliff Edge

The last flower of autumn, a single bloom of Ironweed.

  • Ironweed, late November
    Ironweed, late November

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

On the Edge

An Autumn Revalation

MichaelStephenWills8 Comments

After leaf fall abrupt emptiness of Taughannock Falls is visible from the south rim. Beyond, you can just make out the enormous carved limestone slabs that protect visitors from the constant infall from the gorge walls allowing them to approach the falls.

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  • The Brink

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Glowing Leaves

Holding On

MichaelStephenWills20 Comments

The oak holds tight to leaves, sometimes until spring when new growth pushes last year’s off. Here is a cluster on a bright November afternoon hanging above the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls Park of the New York State Finger Lakes Region.

  • Backlit Autumn Oak Leaves
  • Autumn Oak Leaves, detail
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Summer Walk

Experience a hike around Taughannock Gorge on a summer morning with thunderstorms threatening

MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Constant winds from thunderstorm updrafts, I brought along an umbrella just in case.

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  • Maple Tree
  • View from the South Rim Trail. The water flowing from Taughannock Falls to Cayuga Lake.
  • The steep, high gorge walls below the falls on a humid July morning.
  • gorge walls
  • My umbrella
  • Taughannock falls in distance
  • Taughannock Falls in distance
  • South Rim Stairs built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s
  • Pine Forest at foot of stairs
  • An interesting presentation at the Gorge entrance
  • Tiger Lilies
  • brown creek water meets Cayuga Lake (900 feet deep)
  • Last waterfall of Taughannock Gorge
  • wild roses
  • Wild rose blooms
  • camping on North Rim
  • North Rim Gorge view
  • Lobe leaved Hepatica
  • Mushroom and Moss on the “wetter” north rim
  • asters, an invasive species
  • The dramatic and virtually inaccessible gorge above Taughannock Falls

Click the “Watch on YouTube” for a larger format view and more information about each video.

Taughannock Falls Gorge on a humid summer morning
Hemlock Forest on South Rim Trail
Taughannock Falls Gorge from South Rim Trail
Taughannock Falls from South Rim trail
View of Taughannock Falls Gorge from the North Rim trail on a humid summer (July) morning. Turkey Vultures circle overhead…they are there most summer days.
View of the first waterfall of Taughannock Gorge from the railroad bridge linking the North and South Rim trails on a humid summer (July) morning. This large waterfall empties to the gorge above the 210+ foot Taughannock Falls.
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills