Taughannock Falls State Park

One of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, Taughannock Falls plunges 215 feet down into a dramatic gorge that snakes out 3/4 of a mile to Cayuga Lake. Taughannock Falls State Park was founded in 1925 on land that was once known as Weyburn's Point and later as Goodwin's Point, named for early white settlers of the area. The word "Taughannock" is thought to be from the Indigenous Delaware or Lenape language, meaning "great falls in the woods." There are campsites and boat launches, as well as wonderful lake swimming, but one of the great attractions of Taughannock Falls State Park is the hiking trails. The Gorge Trail is a picturesque and flat 3/4 mile trail that leads to the base of the majestic falls. The Rim Trail is 3+ miles of hilly but not too challenging hiking that offers some spectacular views of Taughannock Creek below in the gorge.