Paddle Journal

February 16, 2003

Letchworth State Park is located in the Southern Tier, about 45 miles south of Rochester. If you take Exit 30 from I-86, it's a 27-mile ride to a spot that you will definitely want to visit no matter what the season.

It was about 10 degrees outside when we decided to grab the snowshoes and take a peek at the magnificent waterfalls that run through the gorge. The Genesee River meanders through Wyoming county when, at Letchworth, it suddenly drops 600 feet through 3 waterfalls.

The river water was quiet and thick like an icy slurry, but as it went over the 100 foot drop, it thundered! Icicles hung tightly onto rock shelves, fearing to plunge into the freezing depths. Blue, white, aquamarine, and tan, their colors and shapes made quite a display.

We walked along the rim of the gorge starting at the Glen Iris. Unfortunately, the inn was closed for the season. A hot beverage and some cookies would have been a welcome treat on this blustery afternoon. We recalled the wonderful time we had experienced when we had stayed there one fall. The cuisine was excellent.

Letchworth is a 14,000 acre park with over 67 miles of trails. It is referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the East." I don't like that comparison. Letchworth is a Park that proudly stands on its own merits.