Autumn in Finger Lakes Region in Upstate New York -
Part 2: Letchworth State Park
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峻秀的峽谷， 壯麗的瀑布，河水碧綠、清澈見底，如詩如畫，景色秀麗， 讓人有種 回歸
自然的感覺， 真是可以刺激詩人靈感的好去處。

Spectacular view of Upper Falls near the southern end of Letchworth State Park at Castile, NY 14427
in western part of Finger Lakes Region in upstate New York, USA. The first glimpse of the deep gorge
and the waterfalls, especially in the autumn season, is breathtaking.

The metal trestles of the Railroad High Bridge near Upper Falls are visible. The bridge stands 234 feet
over the river and spans the gorge for 850 feet.

We toured Letchworth State Park on October 13, 2012.
宏偉壯麗的瀑布。

Zoom in on Upper Falls on the Letchworth Gorge.

Letchworth State Park is one of the most scenically magnificent areas in the eastern U.S. The Genesee River
roars through the Letchworth Gorge over three major waterfalls between cliffs -- as high as 600 feet in some
places -- surrounded by lush forests.
水量充沛， 氣勢非凡的瀑布，傾瀉而下，聲勢如萬馬奔騰。

Zoom in even more for a closer view of the Upper Falls which drops 157 feet.

The Letchworth State Park is about 35 miles southwest of Rochester and 45 miles southeast of Buffalo in the
State of New York. The park is about 17 miles long along the Genesee River and averages a mile in width.

Map: Click here for interactive Google Map showing location of Letchworth State Park

Detailed park maps are available at:

http://www.nyfalls.com/downloads/maps/letchworth-park-map.pdf

http://nysparks.com/parks/attachments/LetchworthTrailMap.pdf
Beautiful colors of autumn foliage in the lush forests in Letchworth State Park near the waterfalls.

The park has four entrances: from the towns of (1) Mount Morris at north end, (2) Perry, (3) Castile, and (4)
Portageville at south end.
景色如彩虹般多采多姿, 如詩如畫, 更是一場知覺及視覺的饗宴。

Vivid autumn foliage on lush forests on the deep, dramatic Letchworth Gorge. The foliage in southern section
of the park seemed to be pretty near its peak, making the views even more idyllic, but the foliage on some
northern sections of the park was still green on October 13.
峻秀峽谷，河光山水，風光迷人，絕美景點，非凡镜界，仙氣十足， 令游客駐足欣賞，
看得目瞪口呆， 讓此地成為手指湖區的旅遊勝地。

Gorgeous view of Middle Falls and a glimpse of Upper Falls on the Letchworth Gorge as viewed from the
Inspiration Point. The Middle Falls drops 100 feet in the gorge. At suitable conditions, a brilliant rainbow arches
across the falls. This is one of the most famous vistas in the Park.
大自然奇景， 盡展峽谷水石之美，風光秀麗的景色令人心曠神怡。

Zoom in on picturesque Middle Falls.
從兩山間流出的清澈泉水瀑布，讓人留戀往返陶醉其中。

Zoom in even more for a closer view of the Middle Falls.
Autumn foliage near these waterfalls.
Lower Falls as viewed from the rim of Letchworth Gorge. Lower Falls drops 55 feet in the gorge.
Zoom in for a closer view of Lower Falls.

The three major waterfalls called the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls are located in Portage Canyon, the
southern section of the gorge and of the park.
The 127-stone-step trail for visitors to hike from the rim of the gorge down into the gorge for a wonderful view
of the Genesee River Gorge and the water cascading over the Lower Falls.
Some visitors hiked down the 127-step trail to get a closer view of the Genesee River and the Lower Falls in
the gorge.
Visitors and foliage on the top of the sheer cliffs up to 550 feet high above the gorge. Along the park road,
there are many parking lots and associated Lookouts for visitors to enjoy the fantastic views of the winding
deep gorge. Every overlook has stunning views.
碧綠泛藍，清澈迷人的溪潭， 水石之美，新鮮的空氣， 靜謐幽深的氣氛，引人入勝，清
新脫俗的超凡享受，洗卻滿身塵囂的最佳場所，彷如遺世深藏的一方秘境。

Cathedral Rock or Sugar Loaf Rock or Sugar Dome is a conical pillar with flat top. It was formed
through the force of the water below Lower Falls.  
A hawk flying in the gorge. We also saw a turkey vulture flying in the gorge.
Two views of the Mount Morris Dam near the north end of Letchworth State Park and near the town of Mount
Morris.
Mount Morris Dam is 1,028 feet wide and 230 feet above river bed. It is a single purpose flood control "Dry
Dam" to protect the city of Rochester and Lower Genesee Basin.

The Genesee River is one of the few rivers that flows North. This river is 157 miles long with its source in
Ulysses, Pennsylvania and winding its way north through Rochester into Lake Ontario.

There are water below (north of) the Mount Morris Dam, but the wide and long gorge above (south of) the
Mount Morris Dam was dry (except for the Genesee River) when we were there on October 13, 2012.

When there is no flood, Genesee River just flow through the holes at the base of the Dam and no water is
accumulated in the gorge above (south of) this Dam. It seems to me that the Single Purpose Dry Dam wants
to keep the gorge above the dam to be dry when there is no flood to achieve the maximum empty capacity to
be able to hold huge amount of flood water when serious flood happens.

Before Mount Morris Dam was built, serious flood occurred several times causing tremendous damages in
Rochester and Lower Genesee Basin.
When we were at the Mount Morris Dam Overlook in the morning, we saw wave after wave of huge number of
Canada geese flying in formation with loud noise over our heads and descending down onto the lake below
(north of) the Mount Morris Dam.
Thousands of Canada geese concentrating on the lake below (north of) Mount Morris Dam.
Gorgeous autumn foliage along Park Road near Mount Morris Dam area.
平坦舒適的景觀林蔭步道， 為金黃色的秋葉所覆蓋，林間漫步，和諧自然，景色優美。

Level hiking trails that parallels the rim of the gorge in Letchworth State Park with several fantastic
Lookouts for visitors to enjoy the spectacular views and to hike through the lush forests, especially
with gorgeous autumn colors.
The Genesee River has carved a 17-mile gorge with cliff walls rising as high as 600 feet from the river and
1,000 plus feet wide, earning it the nickname, "Grand Canyon of the East".  

In addition to this Grand Canyon of the East, I have toured the real Grand Canyon in Arizona as shown on my
web page at:

http://www.shltrip.com/Grand_Canyon.html

I have also toured the Grand Canyon of the Pacific on the Island of Kauai in Hawaii as shown on my web page
at:

http://www.shltrip.com/Hawaii_Part_5_Kauai.html

I have also toured the Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon as shown on my web page at:

http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_in_Pine_Creek_Gorge.html
The ridge jutting into the gorge is called Hogsback for its resemblance to a wild boar’s high hunched spine.
This Hogsback dramatizes a horseshoe tight bend of the Genesee River around this ridge.
Hundreds of pigeons were flying in a tight group in the gorge.
湛藍湍急的溪水滑過溪床， 吟唱出淙淙悅耳的詩篇。

Zoom in for two more views of the Genesee River in the gorge.
Two more views of the breathtaking autumn colors on the gorge.

Dramatic waterfalls, lush forests and miles of vistas make this park one of the most notable examples of
spectacular scenery in the eastern United States.
After finishing touring the beautiful Letchworth State Park, we drove south and east to go back to New Jersey.

Part 1 of our Tour of Finger Lakes Region is at the following web page:

http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_in_Finger_Lakes.html

Our autumn tour of New England is at the following web page:

http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_and_Birding_in_NE.html
溪谷秀麗天成。
How I use information age technologies to enhance my enjoyment greatly of sightseeing large driving tour loop
of thousands of miles and of one to two weeks in duration covering many Points of Interest is described on
my web page at:

http://www.shltrip.com/Sightseeing_in_Information_Age.html