Letchworth: Western New York's Hidden Gorge

An hour southeast of Niagara Falls. Western New York stops being flat and drops 600 feet into a gorge carved by the Genesee River. Three waterfalls. Middle Falls is the showstopper — 107 feet, framed by a railroad bridge at exactly the angle a photographer would choose. Best after rain when the Genesee runs full.

The Gorge Trail: seven miles along the rim through hemlock and oak. Views change with every bend — gorge narrow and deep with water directly below, then widening with the river becoming a silver thread. The Portage Bridge — iron railroad viaduct 234 feet above the river — adds industrial drama to natural drama.

$10 per vehicle. Fall is peak — maples and oaks turn the gorge walls into a study in orange and red that justifies "Grand Canyon of the East" without exaggeration. Stairs to the lower trails are steep. Camera with wide-angle recommended.