My Taughannock Constitutional!

I want to share a photo journey of my morning constitutional!  Two to three times a week I meet friends to hike the rim trail around Taughannock Gorge... it's about a 2.5 mile hike with 800 stone stairs that climb up and around Taughannock Falls.  Mostly we walk fast, talk and forget to look at the views, but today I brought my camera... want to see?
Taughannock Falls has a 215 drop, making it 33' higher than Niagara Falls.  It is the highest free falling waterfall in the northeastern United States. It falls with such force, the plunge pool below is more than 30' deep.  Erosion has carved out 400' high cliffs, and rocks continue to crash down from the canyon faces. The gorge terminates at Cayuga Lake by one of our favorite summer swimming spots.
The 800 stone steps that go up and around the gorge were built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) under Roosevelt's New Deal that created work for the nations unemployed young men during the Great Depression.  The infrastructure they created at Taughannock and in State and National parks around the country is a testament to their skills.
Taughannock is breathtaking, don't you think?  Whenever we have visitors I always bring them (and I make them walk the Rim Trail), so beware, if you are in my neck of the woods.... bring your hiking boots!

Comments

  1. RCNovember 8, 2011 at 11:31 AM

    wow! so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. nursenikkiknitsNovember 8, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    Stunning! You are making me itch to get my hiking boots on. Unfortunately, at this time of the year, in my neck of the woods, I will have to strap them to snowshoes!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ArchiknistNovember 8, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    I miss Taughannock!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Betz WhiteNovember 8, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    Wow. After I pick my jaw up off the floor I am going to pack my suitcase! Stunning! You are so so lucky. My morning walk is through a vinyl sided wasteland.

    ReplyDelete
  5. JustineNovember 9, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    I have been there a few times. So beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  6. MaureenNovember 14, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    Let's reinstate the CCC. We need to improve our roads and rails and build in access to our wonders (such as the falls in your story today). We would create employment for all unemployed since it isn't all hard labor - the laborers need feeding, clothing, support services. Let's go America.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 15, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Beautiful! Now I just need to come up with an excuse to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownNovember 20, 2011 at 12:52 AM

    I went to college at Cornell and this post made me instantly homesick. Must get back to Ithaca, ASAP!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousDecember 26, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    Que votre nature est belle! Vous devez faire de belles balades.
    Pascale

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment