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Hoyt II Visitor Center located on the east bank of the Genesee Gorge for a free guided tour of the Mt.
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Interested guests may want to exit the park and drive to the William B. The viewing area for the dam inside the park features interpretive panels and a giant chair for photo ops. Known as a dry dam, the primary purpose of the project is flood control, protecting downstream areas, including the city of Rochester, as the Genesee River winds its way north to Lake Ontario. Army Corps of Engineers completed construction on the Mt.
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The first stop on our drive through the park was to observe the largest concrete dam east of the Mississippi River from inside Letchworth. Travel planners should note that the Letchworth Visitor Center is located near the south end of the park, closer to the Portageville and Castile entrances. The visitor center is typically my first stop when visiting state and national parks, but since we would be accompanied by a park naturalist, we got on with our tour.
#GENESEE ARCH BRIDGE PDF#
In this post, I will share highlights from our visit and conclude with a list of additional park features, activities, and lodging options to consider when planning a visit of your own.Ĭlick the map image above to download a PDF copy you can enlarge for a closer look at select regions of the park. There are more things to do in Letchworth State Park than there is time in a single day.
#GENESEE ARCH BRIDGE FULL#
Morris entrance situated at the north end, and ultimately drove the full length of the west side of the park and back. There are six main entrances to the park. Located 40 miles south of Rochester and 60 miles west of Buffalo, Letchworth State Park is home to a natural wonder voted the Best New York State Attraction.ĭubbed the “Grand Canyon of the East,” this 17-mile stretch of the Genesee River flows over three major waterfalls and through a rocky gorge with steep walls nearly 600 feet high. Our packed itinerary only allowed us a full morning and part of the afternoon to explore America’s #1 State Park, but we were determined to experience as much outdoor adventure as we could fit into our allotted time. Melody and I were joined by our colleagues Elaine Warner and Vanessa Orr for select segments of our road journey, including our visit to Letchworth. Along the route, we sampled the Finger Lakes wine country, toured Civil Rights historical sites, explored haunted trails, encountered spirits at Lily Dale Assembly, drove the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway, and visited the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival. The opportunity to experience Letchworth was part of a two-week upstate New York road trip with my frequent sidekick Melody Pittman. Letchworth State Park has been one of my bucket list destinations for many years, and as a confirmed waterfall-chaser, that should come as no surprise.
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