Western New York hides some of the most unique geology in the Northeast. Crawl through 60-foot rock cities at Panama Rocks, watch a natural gas flame burn behind Eternal Flame Falls, and descend 103 stairs to a 100-foot underground waterfall at Secret Caverns.
In winter, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario transform. Sub-zero winds force waves through shelf ice, building hollow ice cones that erupt like volcanoes up to 30 feet high. From Letchworth’s frozen fountain to the shores of Oswego, these locations are must-visits for hikers and photographers year-round.
Hidden Grotto Trails & Shale Caves
Eternal Flame Falls
Address: Orchard Park, NY 14127Phone: (716) 858-8355
Website: Eternal Flame Falls
Hidden inside a forested ravine in Orchard Park, the trail leads into a deep shale grotto. At the base of the waterfall is a small shale cave where a natural gas spring vents. When lit, it produces a 4-to-8-inch flame burning directly behind the curtain of water.
Cavern Cascade
Address: 1009 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891Website: Cavern Cascade
The Gorge Trail tunnels directly through shale cliffs behind this 52-foot waterfall. You’ll walk a carved stone path into a dark, misty grotto with the creek roaring overhead. Open late May to October.
Bear Caves/Mt. Seneca Trailhead
Address: Salamanca, NY 14779A short hike from Salamanca leads to massive sandstone crevices and block caves formed by glacial shifting. No fees, but trails are rugged and unmarked. Bring a flashlight.
Chautauqua Gorge State Forest
Address: Mayville, NY 14757Phone: (716) 363-2052
Website: Chautauqua Gorge State Forest
This 500-acre state forest follows Chautauqua Creek through steep shale walls. Scramble off-trail along the gorge floor to find natural rock shelters and mossy grottos. Free entry, no facilities.
Panama Rocks Scenic Park
Address: 11 Rock Hill Rd, Panama, NY 14767Phone: (716) 703-0021
Website: Panama Rocks Scenic Park
A half-mile trail winds through towering 60-foot rock formations, hidden caves, and narrow crevices. Self-guided and kid-friendly. $15 adults, open May–October.
Regional Cave Excursions (Further East)
Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride
Address: 5 Gooding St, Lockport, NY 14094A 70-minute guided tour through a 1,600-foot Erie Canal tunnel dug in the 1800s. Includes an underground boat ride and views of stalactites and flowstone. 70 stairs required.
Secret Caverns
Address: 671 Caverns Rd, Howes Cave, NY 12092Phone: (518) 296-8558
Website: Secret Caverns
A quirky roadside stop near Howe Caverns. Descend 103 wet stairs into limestone passages that end at a thundering 100-foot underground waterfall. Cash only, tours run rain or shine.
Ice Volcanoes
During severe winter deep-freezes, natural ice volcanoes form at the water's edge. Waves push water up through cracks in the lakeside shelf ice, bursting toward the sky and freezing on contact to build small, hollow volcanic-like peaks. When freezing winter winds churn across the open waters of Lake Erie, spray and slush accumulate into massive, cone-shaped ice shelves on the shoreline. Incoming waves channel under the ice and erupt out of weak vertical vents up to 30 feet in the air, instantly freezing and stacking into highly dangerous, active "volcano" cones.
Letchworth State Park
Address: 1 Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427Phone: (585) 493-3600
Website: Letchworth State Park
In deep winter, this gravity-fed fountain builds a 20–50 foot ice cone as water sprays and freezes mid-air. Best viewed January–February during sustained single-digit temps.
Lake Ontario Shoreline Volcanoes
Oswego: Ice volcanoes frequently build up along the waterfront parks and the Oswego West Pierhead
Lighthouse area when north winds blow.
Fair Haven Beach State Park: This park's towering bluffs and
sandy shores are a prime New York State Parks location for winter ice formations.
Sodus Point: Roughly 45 miles west of you, the shoreline and piers here often produce impressive
cones.
Webster Park: Located at Lake Road in Webster, NY, this is a highly active spot for lake-effect
ice formations and erupting ice volcanoes.
Ontario Beach Park: Located on Rochester's northern edge where the Genesee River meets the lake,
the extensive shoreline allows for scenic views of winter ice formations.
Chimney Bluffs State Park: Located about an hour east in Huron, NY, the impressive clay cliffs and
shoreline regularly feature spectacular "pancake ice" and ice cones during cold snaps.
Evangola State Park: Located about 35 miles southwest of Buffalo in Irving, NY. This Lake Erie spot
is renowned for its ice volcanoes.
Wilson-Tuscarora State Park: If you head north from Buffalo toward Lake Ontario, you can often find
these formations when conditions are right.
Golden Hill State Park: If you head north from Buffalo toward Lake Ontario, you can often find
these formations when conditions are right.