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Coordinates: 42°32′42″N 76°36′22″W / 42.545°N 76.606°W / 42.545; -76.606
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{{short description|State park in New York state, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox park
{{Infobox park
| name = Taughannock Falls State Park
| name = Taughannock Falls State Park
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| coords = {{coord|42.545|-76.606|type:landmark_region:US-NY|format=dms|display=title,inline}}
| coords = {{coord|42.545|-76.606|type:landmark_region:US-NY|format=dms|display=title,inline}}
| type = [[State park]]
| type = [[State park]]
| location = 1740 Taughannock Blvd. <br/>Trumansburg, New York<ref name=NYSP_main>{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx |title=Taughannock Falls State Park |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |accessdate=April 2, 2016}}</ref>
| location = 1740 Taughannock Blvd. <br/>Trumansburg, New York<ref name=NYSP_main>{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx |title=Taughannock Falls State Park |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=April 2, 2016}}</ref>
| nearest_city = [[Trumansburg, New York]]
| nearest_city = [[Trumansburg, New York]]
| area = {{convert|750|acre|km2}}<ref name=RIoG_PS>{{cite book |title=2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook |url=http://www.rockinst.org/nys_statistics/2014/2014_Yearbook_Section_O.pdf |publisher=The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government |year=2014 |chapter=Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9 |page=674 |accessdate=April 2, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916082616/http://www.rockinst.org/nys_statistics/2014/2014_Yearbook_Section_O.pdf |archivedate=September 16, 2015 }}</ref>
| area = {{convert|750|acre|km2}}<ref name=RIoG_PS>{{cite book |title=2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook |url=http://www.rockinst.org/nys_statistics/2014/2014_Yearbook_Section_O.pdf |publisher=The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government |year=2014 |chapter=Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9 |page=674 |access-date=April 2, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916082616/http://www.rockinst.org/nys_statistics/2014/2014_Yearbook_Section_O.pdf |archive-date=September 16, 2015 }}</ref>
| created = {{Start date|1925}}<ref name=MNN>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/taughannock-falls-state-park-a-users-guide |title=Taughannock Falls State Park: A user's guide |website=Mother Nature Network |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
| created = {{Start date|1925}}<ref name=MNN>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/taughannock-falls-state-park-a-users-guide |title=Taughannock Falls State Park: A user's guide |website=Mother Nature Network |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
| operator = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
| operator = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
| visitation_num = 434,090
| visitation_num = 434,090
| visitation_year = 2014
| visitation_year = 2014
| visitation_ref = <ref name=NYSP_attendance>{{cite web |url=https://data.ny.gov/Recreation/State-Park-Annual-Attendance-Figures-by-Facility-B/8f3n-xj78 |title=State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003 |website=Data.ny.gov |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
| visitation_ref = <ref name=NYSP_attendance>{{cite web |url=https://data.ny.gov/Recreation/State-Park-Annual-Attendance-Figures-by-Facility-B/8f3n-xj78 |title=State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003 |website=Data.ny.gov |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
| open = All year
| open = All year
| camp_sites =
| camp_sites =
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| website = [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx Taughannock Falls State Park]
| website = [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx Taughannock Falls State Park]
}}
}}
'''Taughannock Falls State Park''' ({{IPAc-en|t|ə|ˈ|ɡ|æ|n|ə|k}}) is a {{convert|750|acre|km2|adj=on}} [[state park]]<ref name=RIoG_PS/> located in the [[Ulysses, New York|Town of Ulysses]] in [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]], [[New York (state)|New York]] in the United States. The park is northwest of [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]] near [[Trumansburg, New York|Trumansburg]].
'''Taughannock Falls State Park''' ({{IPAc-en|t|ə|ˈ|ɡ|æ|n|ə|k}} {{respell|tə|GAN|ək}}) is a {{convert|750|acre|km2|adj=on}} [[state park]]<ref name=RIoG_PS/> located in the town of [[Ulysses, New York|Ulysses]] in [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]], [[New York (state)|New York]] in the United States. The park is northwest of [[Ithaca, New York|Ithaca]] near [[Trumansburg, New York|Trumansburg]].


The park's namesake, '''Taughannock Falls''', is a {{convert|215|ft|adj=on}} [[Waterfall#Types|plunge waterfall]] that is the highest single-drop waterfall east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].<ref name=NatGeo>{{cite book |title=National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the United States |date=2012 |publisher=National Geographic Society |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=1426208898 |pages=54–55 |edition=4th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nF92MKfiuksC&pg=PA54 |accessdate=October 2, 2015 |chapter=Taughannock Falls}}</ref>
The park's namesake, '''Taughannock Falls''', is a {{convert|215|ft|adj=on}} [[Waterfall#Types|plunge waterfall]] that is the highest single-drop waterfall within the United States east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].<ref name=NatGeo>{{cite book |title=National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the United States |date=2012 |publisher=National Geographic Society |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=1426208898 |pages=54–55 |edition=4th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nF92MKfiuksC&pg=PA54 |access-date=October 2, 2015 |chapter=Taughannock Falls}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
The region surrounding Taughannock Falls State Park was home to the [[Cayuga people]] prior to their displacement from the area during the Clinton-Sullivan Campaign following the [[American Revolutionary War]]. Taughannock Creek was used as a source of power for mills and a gun factory in the early 19th century.<ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath>{{cite book |title=Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting |date=2003 |publisher=Reader's Digest Association |location=Pleasantville, N.Y. |isbn=0762104244 |page=242 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PwTi34hdNJoC&pg=PA242 |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
The region surrounding Taughannock Falls State Park was home to the [[Cayuga people]] prior to their displacement from the area during the Clinton-Sullivan Campaign following the [[American Revolutionary War]]. Taughannock Creek was used as a source of power for mills and a gun factory in the early 19th century.<ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath>{{cite book |title=Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting |date=2003 |publisher=Reader's Digest Association |location=Pleasantville, N.Y. |isbn=0762104244 |page=242 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PwTi34hdNJoC&pg=PA242 |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>


===Tourism===
===Tourism===
[[File:View of Taghanic House, by E. C. Thompson (cropped).png|thumb|Taughannock House Hotel]]
[[File:View of Taghanic House, by E. C. Thompson (cropped).png|thumb|left|Taughannock House Hotel]]
During the second half of the nineteenth century, steamboats, railroads and Victorian hotels were built in the region to serve tourists who traveled to view the falls. By 1925 the hotels were failing due to a decline in tourism, and New York State began acquiring land to form a park.<ref name=NatGeo/><ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath />
During the second half of the nineteenth century, steamboats, railroads and Victorian hotels were built in the region to serve tourists who traveled to view the falls. By 1925 the hotels were failing due to a decline in tourism, and New York State began acquiring land to form a park.<ref name=NatGeo/><ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath />


J.S. Halsey built a two and a half story hotel in 1850, known variously as the Cataract Hotel or Taughannock House (or simply as Halsey's Hotel) at the Taughannock Falls Overlook.<ref>{{cite web |title=Taughannock House Hotel |url=https://ithacafingerlakes.com/2017/03/17/taughannock-house-hotel/ |website=Walk in the Park: Finger Lakes Heritage and beyond |publisher=Owl Gorge Productions |accessdate=28 June 2019 |date=17 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Taughannock-history">{{cite web |title=Ithaca and Trumansburg |url=https://taughannock.us/history/ |website=The Overlook |accessdate=28 June 2019}}</ref> Visitors could reach the hotel by taking a train to Cayuga Lake, take a steamboat across the lake to Goodwin's Point, then finally board a stagecoach to reach the hotel.<ref name="waymarking">{{cite web |title=Taughannock Overlook History - Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg, NY |url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMT87F_Taughannock_Overlook_History_Taughannock_Falls_State_Park_Trumansburg_NY |website=Waymarking |publisher=Sign by NY State Parks |accessdate=28 June 2019}}</ref> The hotel site today is the location of the park visitor center and parking lot.<ref name="Taughannock-history" />
J.S. Halsey built a two and a half story hotel in 1850, known variously as the Cataract Hotel or Taughannock House (or simply as Halsey's Hotel) at the Taughannock Falls Overlook.<ref>{{cite web |title=Taughannock House Hotel |url=https://ithacafingerlakes.com/2017/03/17/taughannock-house-hotel/ |website=Walk in the Park: Finger Lakes Heritage and beyond |publisher=Owl Gorge Productions |access-date=28 June 2019 |date=17 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Taughannock-history">{{cite web |title=Ithaca and Trumansburg |url=https://taughannock.us/history/ |website=The Overlook |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> Visitors could reach the hotel by taking a train to Cayuga Lake, take a steamboat across the lake to Goodwin's Point, then finally board a stagecoach to reach the hotel.<ref name="waymarking">{{cite web |title=Taughannock Overlook History - Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg, NY |url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMT87F_Taughannock_Overlook_History_Taughannock_Falls_State_Park_Trumansburg_NY |website=Waymarking |publisher=Sign by NY State Parks |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> The hotel site today is the location of the park visitor center and parking lot.<ref name="Taughannock-history" />


====The Taughannock Giant====
====The Taughannock Giant====
[[File:Picture of a petrified body, belonging to a pre-historic race, by W. L. Hall (cropped).png|thumb|upright|Workmen pose with the "Taughannock Giant"]]
[[File:Picture of a petrified body, belonging to a pre-historic race, by W. L. Hall (cropped).png|thumb|upright|Workmen pose with the "Taughannock Giant"]]
On July 2, 1879, workmen widening a carriage road near the Taughannock House Hotel uncovered what appeared to be the petrified body of a seven-foot-tall man. Newspapers reported on the find, and [[Cornell University]] scientists removed parts of the body for examination. Over 5,000 people paid a small admission fee to view the 800-pound "giant." Before long, the figure was revealed to be a hoax created by the hotel's owner, John Thompson, and two associates. The idea for the hoax had been inspired by the [[Cardiff Giant]], a similar "discovery" in nearby [[Cardiff, New York]] in 1869.<ref name="Rogers">{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=A. Glenn |title=The Taughannock Giant |url=https://www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/the-taughannock-giant/ |accessdate=28 June 2019 |issue=Fall 2003 |publisher=Life in the Finger Lakes |date=1953}}</ref><ref name="Githler">{{cite news |last1=Githler |first1=Charley |title=A Look Back At: Home-Grown Hoax: The Taughannock Giant |url=http://tompkinsweekly.com/stories/a-look-back-at-home-grown-hoax-the-taughannock-giant,487 |accessdate=28 June 2019 |publisher=Tompkins Weekly |date=26 December 2017}}</ref> Although the original giant has been damaged and lost,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Githler |first1=Charlie |title=Local legend: the Taughannock giant |url=https://www.ithaca.com/special_sections/summer_ithaca/local-legend-the-taughannock-giant/article_6d78d164-8ba4-11e9-b89a-8fa4049b7c32.html |website=Ithaca.com |accessdate=28 June 2019 |location=Ithaca, NY |date=15 June 2019}}</ref> a replica was constructed for the Tompkins Center for History & Culture by local artists in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is our Next Taughannock Giant? |url=https://thehistorycenter.net/taughannock-giant |website=Tompkins Center for History & Culture |accessdate=28 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What is our Next Taughannock Giant? |url=https://www.ithaca.com/calendar/what-is-our-next-taughannock-giant/event_1dd685f4-41ab-11e9-87cb-df04c1dbb5b4.html |website=ithaca.com |accessdate=28 June 2019 |date=29 March 2019}}</ref>
On July 2, 1879, workmen widening a carriage road near the Taughannock House Hotel uncovered what appeared to be the petrified body of a seven-foot-tall man. Newspapers reported on the find, and [[Cornell University]] scientists removed parts of the body for examination. Over 5,000 people paid a small admission fee to view the 800-pound "giant." Before long, the figure was revealed to be a hoax created by the hotel's owner, John Thompson, and two associates. The idea for the hoax had been inspired by the [[Cardiff Giant]], a similar "discovery" in nearby [[Cardiff, New York]] in 1869.<ref name="Rogers">{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=A. Glenn |title=The Taughannock Giant |url=https://www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/the-taughannock-giant/ |access-date=28 June 2019 |issue=Fall 2003 |publisher=Life in the Finger Lakes |date=1953}}</ref><ref name="Githler">{{cite news |last1=Githler |first1=Charley |title=A Look Back At: Home-Grown Hoax: The Taughannock Giant |url=http://tompkinsweekly.com/stories/a-look-back-at-home-grown-hoax-the-taughannock-giant,487 |access-date=28 June 2019 |publisher=Tompkins Weekly |date=26 December 2017}}</ref> Although the original giant has been damaged and lost,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Githler |first1=Charlie |title=Local legend: the Taughannock giant |url=https://www.ithaca.com/special_sections/summer_ithaca/local-legend-the-taughannock-giant/article_6d78d164-8ba4-11e9-b89a-8fa4049b7c32.html |website=Ithaca.com |access-date=28 June 2019 |location=Ithaca, NY |date=15 June 2019}}</ref> a replica was constructed for the Tompkins Center for History & Culture by local artists in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is our Next Taughannock Giant? |url=https://thehistorycenter.net/taughannock-giant |website=Tompkins Center for History & Culture |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What is our Next Taughannock Giant? |url=https://www.ithaca.com/calendar/what-is-our-next-taughannock-giant/event_1dd685f4-41ab-11e9-87cb-df04c1dbb5b4.html |website=ithaca.com |access-date=28 June 2019 |date=29 March 2019}}</ref>


An earlier publicity stunt masterminded by Thompson in 1874 involved hiring Canadian acrobat "Professor Jenkins" to cross a 1,200-foot-long tightrope suspended 350 feet above the creek.<ref name="Githler" /> He was reported to have crossed twice over two days, at least one of those times while blindfolded and wearing "Chinese wooden shoes."<ref>{{cite news |title=Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope |url=https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19400111.2.64& |accessdate=28 June 2019 |issue=Volume 60, No 78 |publisher=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=11 January 1940}}</ref><ref name="folklore">{{cite news |title=Facts and folklore about Ithaca and Tompkins County |url=https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/life/2015/08/12/facts-folklore-ithaca-tompkins-county/31529281/ |accessdate=28 June 2019 |publisher=The Ithaca Journal |date=12 August 2015}}</ref> Jenkins had previously crossed [[Niagara Falls]] gorge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tightrope Walkers |url=https://my.nflibrary.ca/TightropeWalkers |website=Niagara Falls Public Library |accessdate=28 June 2019}}</ref><ref name="CDSun">{{cite news |title=Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope |url=https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19400111.2.64& |accessdate=28 June 2019 |publisher=Cornell Daily Sun |date=11 January 1940}}</ref>
An earlier publicity stunt masterminded by Thompson in 1874 involved hiring Canadian acrobat "Professor Jenkins" to cross a 1,200-foot-long tightrope suspended 350 feet above the creek.<ref name="Githler" /> He was reported to have crossed twice over two days, at least one of those times while blindfolded and wearing "Chinese wooden shoes."<ref>{{cite news |title=Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope |url=https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19400111.2.64& |access-date=28 June 2019 |volume=60|issue=78 |publisher=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=11 January 1940}}</ref><ref name="folklore">{{cite news |title=Facts and folklore about Ithaca and Tompkins County |url=https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/life/2015/08/12/facts-folklore-ithaca-tompkins-county/31529281/ |access-date=28 June 2019 |publisher=The Ithaca Journal |date=12 August 2015}}</ref> Jenkins had previously crossed [[Niagara Falls]] gorge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tightrope Walkers |url=https://my.nflibrary.ca/TightropeWalkers |website=Niagara Falls Public Library |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref><ref name="CDSun">{{cite news |title=Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope |url=https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/?a=d&d=CDS19400111.2.64& |access-date=28 June 2019 |publisher=Cornell Daily Sun |date=11 January 1940}}</ref>


===State park===
===State park===
Taughannock Falls State Park was created in 1925 on a {{convert|64|acre|km2|adj=on}} parcel of land acquired by New York State.<ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath/> Roads and trails at the park were improved by the [[Works Progress Administration]] in the 1930s.<ref name=Nature_NY>{{cite book |last1=Stradling |first1=David |title=The Nature of New York: An Environmental History of the Empire State |date=2010 |publisher=Cornell University Press |location=Ithaca, N.Y. |isbn=0801445108 |page=167 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sJur-ecCVDgC&pg=PA167 |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref> The park has since grown to its current size of {{convert|750|acre|km2}}.<ref name=RIoG_PS/>
Taughannock Falls State Park was created in 1925 on a {{convert|64|acre|km2|adj=on}} parcel of land acquired by New York State.<ref name=RD_OffBeatenPath/> Roads and trails at the park were improved by the [[Works Progress Administration]] in the 1930s.<ref name=Nature_NY>{{cite book |last1=Stradling |first1=David |title=The Nature of New York: An Environmental History of the Empire State |date=2010 |publisher=Cornell University Press |location=Ithaca, N.Y. |isbn=0801445108 |page=167 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sJur-ecCVDgC&pg=PA167 |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref> The park has since grown to its current size of {{convert|750|acre|km2}}.<ref name=RIoG_PS/>


===Origin of name===
===Origin of name===
Several possible sources have been proposed for the name ''Taughannock'', all of which describe [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] origins. One translation suggests that the name is derived from a combination of [[Iroquoian languages|Iroquois]] and [[Algonquian languages|Algonquin]] terms<ref name=Beauchamp_1907>{{cite book |last1=Beauchamp |first1=William Martin |title=Aboriginal Place Names of New York (New York State Museum Bulletin, Volume 108) |date=1907 |publisher=New York State Education Department |pages=232|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MBQTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA232 |accessdate=October 1, 2015}}</ref> meaning "great fall in the woods".<ref name=NYSP_NatureTimes>{{cite web |url=http://nysparksnaturetimes.com/2014/08/26/whats-in-a-name-taughannock-falls/ |title=What's in a Name? – Taughannock Falls |website=Nature Times |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |accessdate=October 1, 2015}}</ref> An alternate theory suggests that the name may refer to a [[Lenni Lenape]] (Delaware) chief named ''Taughannock'' who died near the falls during a battle.<ref name=NYSP_NatureTimes/>
Several possible sources have been proposed for the name ''Taughannock'', all of which describe [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] origins. One translation suggests that the name is derived from a combination of [[Iroquoian languages|Iroquois]] and [[Algonquian languages|Algonquin]] terms<ref name=Beauchamp_1907>{{cite book |last1=Beauchamp |first1=William Martin |title=Aboriginal Place Names of New York (New York State Museum Bulletin, Volume 108) |date=1907 |publisher=New York State Education Department |pages=232|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MBQTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA232 |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> meaning "great fall in the woods".<ref name=NYSP_NatureTimes>{{cite web |url=http://nysparksnaturetimes.com/2014/08/26/whats-in-a-name-taughannock-falls/ |title=What's in a Name? – Taughannock Falls |website=Nature Times |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> An alternate theory suggests that the name may refer to a [[Lenni Lenape]] (Delaware) chief named ''Taughannock'' who died near the falls during a battle.<ref name=NYSP_NatureTimes/>


==Park description==
==Park description==
Taughannock Falls State Park offers hiking and nature trails, camping and picnicking. The park includes a stretch of [[Cayuga Lake]]'s shoreline, where swimming, fishing, and a boat launch are available. In the winter, the park offers facilities and trails for ice-skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing.<ref name=NYSP_main/>
Taughannock Falls State Park offers hiking and nature trails, camping and picnicking. The park includes a stretch of [[Cayuga Lake]]'s shoreline, where swimming, fishing, and a boat launch are available. In the winter, the park offers facilities and trails for ice-skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing.<ref name=NYSP_main/>


In addition to the {{convert|215|ft|adj=on}} Taughannock Falls, two additional waterfalls are located along Taughannock Creek within the park. A {{convert|20|ft|adj=on}} cascade, known as Little or Lower Falls, is located downstream of Taughannock Falls, while the {{convert|100|ft|adj=on}} Upper Falls are found upstream of Taughannock Falls.<ref name=Hiking_WF>{{cite book |last1=Minetor |first1=Randi |last2=Minetor |first2=Nic |title=Hiking Waterfalls in New York: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes |date=2014 |publisher=FalconGuides |location=Guildford, Conn. |isbn=0762787503 |pages=87–89 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5gt_AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA87 |accessdate=October 3, 2015}}</ref>
In addition to the {{convert|215|ft|adj=on}} Taughannock Falls, two additional waterfalls are located along Taughannock Creek within the park. A {{convert|20|ft|adj=on}} cascade, known as Little or Lower Falls, is located downstream of Taughannock Falls, while the {{convert|100|ft|adj=on}} Upper Falls are found upstream of Taughannock Falls.<ref name=Hiking_WF>{{cite book |last1=Minetor |first1=Randi |last2=Minetor |first2=Nic |title=Hiking Waterfalls in New York: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes |date=2014 |publisher=FalconGuides |location=Guildford, Conn. |isbn=0762787503 |pages=87–89 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5gt_AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA87 |access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref>


Views of Taughannock Falls are available from two trails. The {{convert|0.75|mile|km|adj=mid|-long}} Gorge Trail leads to a viewing area at the base of the falls<ref name="CNY">{{cite web|title=Hiking Trails at Taughannock Falls|url=http://www.cnyhiking.com/NYSP-TaughannockFallsStateParkHikingTrails.htm|website=CNY Hiking|accessdate=23 January 2018}}</ref> and also passes by Lower Falls. The {{convert|1.5|mile|adj=on}} North Rim Trail and {{convert|1.2|mile|adj=on}} South Rim Trail can be connected to form a loop hike which offers views of Upper Falls.<ref name="CNY" />
Views of Taughannock Falls are available from two trails. The {{convert|0.75|mile|km|adj=mid|-long}} Gorge Trail leads to a viewing area at the base of the falls<ref name="CNY">{{cite web|title=Hiking Trails at Taughannock Falls|url=http://www.cnyhiking.com/NYSP-TaughannockFallsStateParkHikingTrails.htm|website=CNY Hiking|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref> and also passes by Lower Falls. The {{convert|1.5|mile|adj=on}} North Rim Trail and {{convert|1.2|mile|adj=on}} South Rim Trail can be connected to form a loop hike which offers views of Upper Falls.<ref name="CNY" />


The Gorge Trail is open all year long, unlike the Rim Trails which are closed to the public in winter. Swimming under the waterfall is hazardous and strictly forbidden.
The Gorge Trail is open all year long, unlike the Rim Trails which are closed to the public in winter. Swimming under the waterfall is hazardous and strictly forbidden.<gallery>
File:20200722 182642 taughannock falls waterfall.webm|Video of the Falls.
File:Upper falls (Taughannock Falls State Park).jpg|Upper Tuaghannock Falls.
File:Lower Taughannock Falls April 2024.jpg|Lower Taughannock Falls.
</gallery>


==Taughannock Falls==
==Taughannock Falls==
{{Infobox waterfall
{{Infobox waterfall
| name = Taughannock Falls
| name = Taughannock Falls
| photo = TaughannockFalls Gorge.jpg
| photo = Taughannock Falls, Ulysses, NY - 2024.jpg
| photo_width = 250
| photo_width =
| photo_caption = Taughannock Falls in spring 2012
| photo_caption = Taughannock Falls in spring 2024
| location = [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]], [[New York (state)|New York]]<ref name=GNIS>{{cite GNIS|967070|Taughannock Falls|October 3, 2015}}</ref>
| location = [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]], [[New York (state)|New York]]<ref name=GNIS>{{cite GNIS|967070|Taughannock Falls|October 3, 2015}}</ref>
| coords = {{coord|42.5356|-76.6108|display=inline|type:waterbody_region:US-NY|format=dms|name=Taughannock Falls}}
| coords = {{coord|42.5356|-76.6108|display=inline|type:waterbody_region:US-NY|format=dms|name=Taughannock Falls}}
| watercourse = Taughannock Creek
| watercourse = [[Taughannock Creek]]
| type = Plunge
| type = Plunge
| height = {{convert|215|ft|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|215|ft|abbr=on}}
Line 71: Line 77:
| average_flow =
| average_flow =
| world_rank =
| world_rank =
|mapframe=no
}}
}}

Taughannock Falls' main [[waterfall|cataract]] is a {{convert|215|ft|m|adj=mid|drop}},<ref name=WWDB>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Taughannock-Falls-9303/ |title=Taughannock Falls |website=World Waterfall Database |accessdate=October 1, 2015}}</ref> making it {{convert|33|ft|m}} taller than [[Niagara Falls]]. It is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].<ref name=NatGeo/><ref name=TWCnews>{{cite web |url=http://www.twcnews.com/nys/binghamton/explore-ny/2015/05/24/taughannock-falls-state-park.html |title=The Natural Wonder of Taughannock Falls State Park |website=Time Warner Cable News - Southern Tier |date=May 24, 2015 |author=O'Brian, Mike |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref> The waterfall is located along Taughannock Creek, which flows through a long [[gorge]] with cliffs up to {{convert|400|ft|m}} high.
Taughannock Falls' main [[waterfall|cataract]] is a {{convert|215|ft|m|adj=mid|drop}},<ref name=WWDB>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Taughannock-Falls-9303/ |title=Taughannock Falls |website=World Waterfall Database |access-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> making it {{convert|33|ft|m}} taller than [[Niagara Falls]]. It is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].<ref name=NatGeo/><ref name=TWCnews>{{cite web |url=http://www.twcnews.com/nys/binghamton/explore-ny/2015/05/24/taughannock-falls-state-park.html |title=The Natural Wonder of Taughannock Falls State Park |website=Time Warner Cable News - Southern Tier |date=May 24, 2015 |author=O'Brian, Mike |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref> The waterfall is located along [[Taughannock Creek]], which flows through a long [[gorge]] with cliffs up to {{convert|400|ft|m}} high.


===Geology and natural history===
===Geology and natural history===
The waterfall and gorge comprise an example of a [[valley#Hanging valleys|hanging valley]], formed where Taughannock Creek's stream-carved valley meets the deeper glacially carved valley that contains Cayuga Lake. The gorge has continued to retreat westward from Cayuga Lake as easily eroded [[shale]] near the fall's base is worn away by the stream, which supports erosion-resistant [[siltstone]] and [[sandstone]] found in the upper portions of the gorge. Annual [[Frost weathering|freeze and thaw]] cycles also act upon small [[Fault (geology)|fault]]s in the rock, causing large sections to occasionally break away, further expanding the gorge.<ref name=NYSGS>{{cite web |url=https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/nysgs/experience/sites/taughannockfalls/index.html |title=Taughannock Falls |website=New York State Geological Survey |publisher=New York State Museum |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
The waterfall and gorge comprise an example of a [[valley#Hanging valleys|hanging valley]], formed where Taughannock Creek's stream-carved valley meets the deeper glacially carved valley that contains Cayuga Lake. The gorge has continued to retreat westward from Cayuga Lake as easily eroded [[shale]] near the fall's base is worn away by the stream, which supports erosion-resistant [[siltstone]] and [[sandstone]] found in the upper portions of the gorge. Annual [[Frost weathering|freeze and thaw]] cycles also act upon small [[Fault (geology)|fault]]s in the rock, causing large sections to occasionally break away, further expanding the gorge.<ref name=NYSGS>{{cite web |url=https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/nysgs/experience/sites/taughannockfalls/index.html |title=Taughannock Falls |website=New York State Geological Survey |publisher=New York State Museum |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>

⚫
The gorge supports a "Shale Cliff and [[talus deposit|Talus]]" community of plants, including three regionally rare species classified as [[Threatened species|threatened]] in New York State: Butterwort (''[[Pinguicula vulgaris]]''), birds-eye primrose (''[[Primula mistassinica]]'') and yellow mountain saxifrage (''[[Saxifraga aizoides]]'').<ref name=BioD_in_NYSP>{{cite web |url=http://Parks.ny.gov/publications/documents/biodiversity/BiodiversityBodySection2.pdf |title=Biodiversity in New York's State Park System - Summary of Findings |author1=Evans, D.J. |author2=VanLuven, David E. |date=January 2007 |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |page=23 |access-date=October 2, 2015}}</ref>

{{See also |Ithaca, New York#Geography}}


== Events ==
⚫
The gorge supports a "Shale Cliff and [[talus deposit|Talus]]" community of plants, including three regionally rare species classified as [[Threatened species|threatened]] in New York State: Butterwort (''[[Pinguicula vulgaris]]''), birds-eye primrose (''[[Primula mistassinica]]'') and yellow mountain saxifrage (''[[Saxifraga aizoides]]'').<ref name=BioD_in_NYSP>{{cite web |url=http://Parks.ny.gov/publications/documents/biodiversity/BiodiversityBodySection2.pdf |title=Biodiversity in New York's State Park System - Summary of Findings |author1=Evans, D.J. |author2=VanLuven, David E. |date=January 2007 |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |page=23 |accessdate=October 2, 2015}}</ref>
The park hosts numerous events throughout the year. [https://taughannock.us/activities/taughannock-falls-state-park-summer-concert-series/ A Summer Concert Series] provides an outdoor venue for local bands. Concerts start at 7 p.m. on Saturday nights in July and August.


[https://cayugalaketriathlon.org/ The Cayuga Lake Triathlon] uses the park for a swimming, biking and running event in early August. In 2008, the race served as the USA Triathlon Sprint National Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slowtwitch.com |title=2008 USA Triathlon National Championship Schedule |url=https://www.slowtwitch.com/News/_2008_USA_Triathlon_National_Championship_Schedule_109.html/http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/_2008_USA_Triathlon_National_Championship_Schedule_109.html |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Slowtwitch.com |language=en}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
In ''[[The Midnight Sun]]'', episode 75 of the American television series ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'', Taughannock Falls is implied to be the subject of Norma's oil painting.


==See also==
==See also==
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{{Commons category|Taughannock Falls State Park}}
{{Commons category|Taughannock Falls State Park}}
* [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx New York State Parks: Taughannock Falls State Park]
* [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx New York State Parks: Taughannock Falls State Park]
* [https://taughannock.us/ taughannock.us: Taughannock Falls State Park]
* [http://www.nysparks.com/parks/attachments/TaughannockFallsParkMap.pdf Taughannock Falls State Park map]
* [http://www.nysparks.com/parks/attachments/TaughannockFallsParkMap.pdf Taughannock Falls State Park map]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEH0q5_9Iag Video about the Taughannock House Hotel]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEH0q5_9Iag Video about the Taughannock House Hotel]
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[[Category:Protected areas established in 1925]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1925]]
[[Category:1925 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:1925 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Glens of the United States]]
[[Category:Waterfalls of New York (state)]]

Latest revision as of 16:45, 25 November 2024

Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls in Autumn 2003
Taughannock Falls State Park is located in New York
Taughannock Falls State Park
Location of Taughannock Falls State Park within New York State
TypeState park
Location1740 Taughannock Blvd.
Trumansburg, New York[1]
Nearest cityTrumansburg, New York
Coordinates42°32′42″N 76°36′22″W / 42.545°N 76.606°W / 42.545; -76.606
Area750 acres (3.0 km2)[2]
Created1925 (1925)[3]
Operated byNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Visitors434,090 (in 2014)[4]
OpenAll year
WebsiteTaughannock Falls State Park

Taughannock Falls State Park (/təˈɡænək/ tə-GAN-ək) is a 750-acre (3.0 km2) state park[2] located in the town of Ulysses in Tompkins County, New York in the United States. The park is northwest of Ithaca near Trumansburg.

The park's namesake, Taughannock Falls, is a 215-foot (66 m) plunge waterfall that is the highest single-drop waterfall within the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.[5]

History

[edit]

The region surrounding Taughannock Falls State Park was home to the Cayuga people prior to their displacement from the area during the Clinton-Sullivan Campaign following the American Revolutionary War. Taughannock Creek was used as a source of power for mills and a gun factory in the early 19th century.[6]

Tourism

[edit]
Taughannock House Hotel

During the second half of the nineteenth century, steamboats, railroads and Victorian hotels were built in the region to serve tourists who traveled to view the falls. By 1925 the hotels were failing due to a decline in tourism, and New York State began acquiring land to form a park.[5][6]

J.S. Halsey built a two and a half story hotel in 1850, known variously as the Cataract Hotel or Taughannock House (or simply as Halsey's Hotel) at the Taughannock Falls Overlook.[7][8] Visitors could reach the hotel by taking a train to Cayuga Lake, take a steamboat across the lake to Goodwin's Point, then finally board a stagecoach to reach the hotel.[9] The hotel site today is the location of the park visitor center and parking lot.[8]

The Taughannock Giant

[edit]
Workmen pose with the "Taughannock Giant"

On July 2, 1879, workmen widening a carriage road near the Taughannock House Hotel uncovered what appeared to be the petrified body of a seven-foot-tall man. Newspapers reported on the find, and Cornell University scientists removed parts of the body for examination. Over 5,000 people paid a small admission fee to view the 800-pound "giant." Before long, the figure was revealed to be a hoax created by the hotel's owner, John Thompson, and two associates. The idea for the hoax had been inspired by the Cardiff Giant, a similar "discovery" in nearby Cardiff, New York in 1869.[10][11] Although the original giant has been damaged and lost,[12] a replica was constructed for the Tompkins Center for History & Culture by local artists in 2019.[13][14]

An earlier publicity stunt masterminded by Thompson in 1874 involved hiring Canadian acrobat "Professor Jenkins" to cross a 1,200-foot-long tightrope suspended 350 feet above the creek.[11] He was reported to have crossed twice over two days, at least one of those times while blindfolded and wearing "Chinese wooden shoes."[15][16] Jenkins had previously crossed Niagara Falls gorge.[17][18]

State park

[edit]

Taughannock Falls State Park was created in 1925 on a 64-acre (0.26 km2) parcel of land acquired by New York State.[6] Roads and trails at the park were improved by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.[19] The park has since grown to its current size of 750 acres (3.0 km2).[2]

Origin of name

[edit]

Several possible sources have been proposed for the name Taughannock, all of which describe Native American origins. One translation suggests that the name is derived from a combination of Iroquois and Algonquin terms[20] meaning "great fall in the woods".[21] An alternate theory suggests that the name may refer to a Lenni Lenape (Delaware) chief named Taughannock who died near the falls during a battle.[21]

Park description

[edit]

Taughannock Falls State Park offers hiking and nature trails, camping and picnicking. The park includes a stretch of Cayuga Lake's shoreline, where swimming, fishing, and a boat launch are available. In the winter, the park offers facilities and trails for ice-skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing.[1]

In addition to the 215-foot (66 m) Taughannock Falls, two additional waterfalls are located along Taughannock Creek within the park. A 20-foot (6.1 m) cascade, known as Little or Lower Falls, is located downstream of Taughannock Falls, while the 100-foot (30 m) Upper Falls are found upstream of Taughannock Falls.[22]

Views of Taughannock Falls are available from two trails. The 0.75-mile-long (1.21 km) Gorge Trail leads to a viewing area at the base of the falls[23] and also passes by Lower Falls. The 1.5-mile (2.4 km) North Rim Trail and 1.2-mile (1.9 km) South Rim Trail can be connected to form a loop hike which offers views of Upper Falls.[23]

The Gorge Trail is open all year long, unlike the Rim Trails which are closed to the public in winter. Swimming under the waterfall is hazardous and strictly forbidden.

  • Video of the Falls.
  • Upper Tuaghannock Falls.
    Upper Tuaghannock Falls.
  • Lower Taughannock Falls.
    Lower Taughannock Falls.

Taughannock Falls

[edit]
Taughannock Falls
Taughannock Falls in spring 2024
LocationTompkins County, New York[24]
Coordinates42°32′08″N 76°36′39″W / 42.5356°N 76.6108°W / 42.5356; -76.6108 (Taughannock Falls)
TypePlunge
Total height215 ft (66 m)
Number of drops1
WatercourseTaughannock Creek

Taughannock Falls' main cataract is a 215-foot drop (66 m),[25] making it 33 feet (10 m) taller than Niagara Falls. It is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains.[5][26] The waterfall is located along Taughannock Creek, which flows through a long gorge with cliffs up to 400 feet (120 m) high.

Geology and natural history

[edit]

The waterfall and gorge comprise an example of a hanging valley, formed where Taughannock Creek's stream-carved valley meets the deeper glacially carved valley that contains Cayuga Lake. The gorge has continued to retreat westward from Cayuga Lake as easily eroded shale near the fall's base is worn away by the stream, which supports erosion-resistant siltstone and sandstone found in the upper portions of the gorge. Annual freeze and thaw cycles also act upon small faults in the rock, causing large sections to occasionally break away, further expanding the gorge.[27]

The gorge supports a "Shale Cliff and Talus" community of plants, including three regionally rare species classified as threatened in New York State: Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), birds-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica) and yellow mountain saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides).[28]

See also: Ithaca, New York § Geography

Events

[edit]

The park hosts numerous events throughout the year. A Summer Concert Series provides an outdoor venue for local bands. Concerts start at 7 p.m. on Saturday nights in July and August.

The Cayuga Lake Triathlon uses the park for a swimming, biking and running event in early August. In 2008, the race served as the USA Triathlon Sprint National Championship.[29]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Taughannock Falls State Park". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9". 2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook (PDF). The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. 2014. p. 674. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  3. ^ "Taughannock Falls State Park: A user's guide". Mother Nature Network. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  4. ^ "State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003". Data.ny.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Taughannock Falls". National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the United States (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. 2012. pp. 54–55. ISBN 1426208898. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Reader's Digest Association. 2003. p. 242. ISBN 0762104244. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  7. ^ "Taughannock House Hotel". Walk in the Park: Finger Lakes Heritage and beyond. Owl Gorge Productions. March 17, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Ithaca and Trumansburg". The Overlook. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  9. ^ "Taughannock Overlook History - Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg, NY". Waymarking. Sign by NY State Parks. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  10. ^ Rogers, A. Glenn (1953). "The Taughannock Giant". No. Fall 2003. Life in the Finger Lakes. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Githler, Charley (December 26, 2017). "A Look Back At: Home-Grown Hoax: The Taughannock Giant". Tompkins Weekly. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Githler, Charlie (June 15, 2019). "Local legend: the Taughannock giant". Ithaca.com. Ithaca, NY. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "What is our Next Taughannock Giant?". Tompkins Center for History & Culture. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  14. ^ "What is our Next Taughannock Giant?". ithaca.com. March 29, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  15. ^ "Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope". Vol. 60, no. 78. The Cornell Daily Sun. January 11, 1940. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  16. ^ "Facts and folklore about Ithaca and Tompkins County". The Ithaca Journal. August 12, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  17. ^ "Tightrope Walkers". Niagara Falls Public Library. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  18. ^ "Librarian Verifies Tale of Professor Walking Across Taughannock on Rope". Cornell Daily Sun. January 11, 1940. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  19. ^ Stradling, David (2010). The Nature of New York: An Environmental History of the Empire State. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press. p. 167. ISBN 0801445108. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  20. ^ Beauchamp, William Martin (1907). Aboriginal Place Names of New York (New York State Museum Bulletin, Volume 108). New York State Education Department. p. 232. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  21. ^ a b "What's in a Name? – Taughannock Falls". Nature Times. NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  22. ^ Minetor, Randi; Minetor, Nic (2014). Hiking Waterfalls in New York: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes. Guildford, Conn.: FalconGuides. pp. 87–89. ISBN 0762787503. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Hiking Trails at Taughannock Falls". CNY Hiking. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  24. ^ "Taughannock Falls". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  25. ^ "Taughannock Falls". World Waterfall Database. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  26. ^ O'Brian, Mike (May 24, 2015). "The Natural Wonder of Taughannock Falls State Park". Time Warner Cable News - Southern Tier. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  27. ^ "Taughannock Falls". New York State Geological Survey. New York State Museum. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  28. ^ Evans, D.J.; VanLuven, David E. (January 2007). "Biodiversity in New York's State Park System - Summary of Findings" (PDF). NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. p. 23. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  29. ^ Slowtwitch.com. "2008 USA Triathlon National Championship Schedule". Slowtwitch.com. Retrieved March 28, 2023.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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