Letchworth in mid-October shows why it’s “America’s #1 state park”

Letchworth State Park straddles the Genesee River about 50 or so miles southeast of Buffalo. The deep gorge and stunning waterfalls carved by the Genesee, as it wended its way northward to Lake Ontario, earned the park the nickname “Grand Canyon of the East.” It recently has been given another title, “America’s #1 State Park.”

I haven’t seen enough of the state parks gracing the rest of our nation to confirm such an honor. But I can unequivocally proclaim that Letchworth – the ancestral home of the Seneca – is my favorite New York park (and has held that place in my heart and mind since my early childhood days).

Anxious to see how well Letchworth has weathered the challenges of climate change, I ventured south today down Route 400 and then east on Route 20A through Warsaw and eventually to the Village of Perry to one of several entrances to the state park. To my untrained eye, the Grand Canyon of the East appears healthy, maintaining its vitality and natural beauty, while gently and tastefully displaying the many hues of autumn.

Here is a selection of the priceless views I was fortunate enough to experience this afternoon. [By the way, admission to the park was free, and if you’re a NYS resident 62 or older, the parking fee is waived.] The photos start at the Gardeau Overlook and follow the river gorge in a southerly direction. Enjoy.