Legend of Taughannock Falls - Trumansburg, NY
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 32.225 W 076° 36.559
18T E 367845 N 4710665
Taughannock Falls takes its name from a legend about a battle between the Cayuga and Delaware Indians. Taughannock Falls is located in Taughannock State Park at 1740 Taughannock Blvd., Route 89, Trumansburg, NY
Waymark Code: WMZWGJ
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 01/14/2019
Views: 6
The Legend of Taughannock Falls is recounted in and informational sign at the base of the falls:
According to the legend, there was a great
battle between the Cayugas and a force
of Delaware Indians near the top of the
falls. The Cayugas are sead to have killed
the Delawares' chief, Taughannock, and
thrown his body over the falls. In the
Algonquin language, the name
Taughannock means "full of trees."
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Taughannock Falls plunges 215 feet over the rocky cliffs that rise to 400 feet above a gorge cut by the flowing water. You can view the waterfall from below or above. A 0.75 mile hike over easy terrain along a wide. well maintained, trail that follows the stream at the bottom of the gorge takes you to the bottom view of the waterfall. A paved highway a short distance north of the entrance to the park will take you to a parking area with a viewing area to view the waterfall from above.
At 215 feet, Taughannock Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. The waterfall erodes the surrounding rock to create a hanging valley with a large amphitheater and basin downstream from the falls. The cliff over which the water falls is made of softer shale on the lower part and harder sandstone on the upper part. Water erodes the softer shale faster than the harder sandstone creating an overhanging cliff.