AKA: Chestnut Ridge Falls (but you are lame if you call it that!)

Chestnut Ridge Park is situated on 1213 acres of the northern face of a series of hills sandwiched between the Eighteenmile Creek and West Branch Cazenovia Creek valleys in Erie County. This sloping terrain of glacial sand, shale, and limestone rock has a complex, natural drainage system that is comprised of several immature creeks. The most notable being Shale Creek, the host to Eternal Flame Falls.

The park itself is a superb summer family destination; containing miles of hiking trails, cycling paths, several playing fields, tennis courts, and a wealth of picnic facilities and shelters. In winter, the hilly terrain draws crowds in for skiing, sledding and snowshoeing. Eternal Flame Falls, despite being located within the park boundaries, is off on the fringe, away from the crowds, and most directly accessible from a trail that begins on the southern edge of the park.

The path leading down to Shale Creek and Eternal Flame Falls snakes through mixed hardwood forest on a sandy glacial terrain, and passes a beautiful Hemlock grove as it winds around to the bottom. The descent can get a bit muddy and filled with obstacles, as erosion has exposed the sandy earth as well as a large quantity of exposed roots. Once at the creek, visitors must walk upstream to get to the falls. A few downed trees can get in the way, and if the falls are flowing, you will most likely get your feet wet, but overall the hike upstream is uneventful.

As you approach the falls, the smell of rotten-egg-like natural gas fills the air within the ravine. This is the result of seepage from layers of organically-rich Hanover Shale. This roughly 90 ft-thick rock layer consists of alternating strata of brittle, gray and black shale that was deposited during the Devonian Period, 416 to 359 million years ago. The gasses produced during the decomposition of the organics within the rock deposits are under pressure and push out through cracks and loose layers within the rock. One large fissure is located right within Eternal Flame Falls, in a small grotto that protects the gas seepage from the falling water and any wind, enabling it to sustain a flame when lit. Two other, smaller seepages within the grotto can be lit, although they can’t hold a flame as large or as long as the primary flame. There are several other gas seepages, or springs, around the falls, but locating them can be tricky and lighting them often impossible. Some are located underneath the pool below the falls, and can be seen as bubbles rising up from the bedrock below.

Eternal Flame Falls is highly dependent on rainfall and melt water. It is usually only flowing in early spring, or after long bouts of heavy rain. It reaches 30 ft high, cascading over sloping shale in two segments. The top is a narrow cascade over limestone, nearly 8 ft high. The second tier spreads out more than twice the width as it cascades over shale. A small grotto, 5 ft up from the creek bed, to the right houses the natural gas spring that can be ignited to create a flame of 4-8 inches in height. When flow is high, the water pours over the grotto, covering the flame and diffusing the light like a lampshade.

Eternal Flame Falls is truly one of the most unique waterfalls in the state, possibly the country, but the muddy landscape, unpredictable flow, and significant amount of trash within the ravine detract from the experience. Overall if you are in western New York, during the wet season, and have an hour to spare, be sure to check this one out.