Taughannock Falls Taughannock Falls State Park

taughannock falls main cataract 215-foot drop (66 m), making 33 feet (10 m) taller niagara falls. tallest single-drop waterfall east of rocky mountains. waterfall located along taughannock creek, flows through long gorge cliffs 400 feet (120 m) high.

geology , natural history

the waterfall , gorge comprise example of hanging valley, formed taughannock creek s stream-carved valley meets deeper glacially carved valley contains cayuga lake. gorge has continued retreat westward cayuga lake eroded shale near fall s base worn away stream, supports erosion-resistant siltstone , sandstone found in upper portions of gorge. annual freeze , thaw cycles act upon small faults in rock, causing large sections break away, further expanding gorge.

the gorge supports shale cliff , talus community of plants, including 3 regionally rare species classified threatened in new york state: butterwort (pinguicula vulgaris), birds-eye primrose (primula mistassinica) , yellow mountain saxifrage (saxifraga aizoides).