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| Stony Brook State Park |
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Location -
Dansville, Steuben County Maps - Google Map, Google Earth, Topo GPS - N 42.61588/ W 77.41920 Directions - Take I-390 to Rt. 36 (exit 4) Dansville/Hornell. Turn right onto Rt. 36 and follow the signs. |
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Information Number of falls: 9 (3 large falls) Size/Types: Ranging from 1 to 40 feet high. Including classic cascades, narrow channels, staircases, chutes, overhanging and newborn falls. Best time to visit: Spring, summer, fall. Gets crowded on hot weekends and holidays. Flow: Consistent medium to high flow. Waterway: Stony Brook Time: 2 hours |
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| Accessibility Seasons/Hours: Park open all year. Gorge trail open spring through mid-November. Parking: Parking lots for over 50 cars. Admission: $7 vehicle fee. Handicap accessibility: not for the gorge trail. Pets: Allowed on leash. Accommodations: Restrooms, changing rooms, showers, snack bar, gift shop, swimming, life guards, picnic tables, playground, activity fields, grills. 125 tent and trailer sites. |
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| Description
Although often crowded and loud, Stony Brook State Park is a gem of a park. With a history of private resorts and a natural playground for many generations, its current incarnation is an adventurous creek walk with towering waterfalls, refreshingly cool water and remnants of its historic past. The Civilian Conservation Corps build the stone trails and bridges that carry you over the creek and up the falls, but you'll find most visitors leave the trail to wade in the cool waters. Unfortunately this isn't very healthy for the natural state of the creek. Often you will find floating trash, and the constant activity disrupts the natural fauna, as well as kicking up sediment that is then carried downstream. The main attractions are three falls, Lower, Middle and Upper Falls, each with notable plunge pools. Lower falls, the first large fall you will come across, is a picturesque 40' sparkling cascade that seems to fan out as it falls. The Middle Falls drops only 20', but is large at the crest and drops in more gradual steps. The Upper Falls is the largest cascade, at 45', and seems to have the deepest plunge pool. Speaking of pools, bring your suit. The park sports a natural swimming area created by damming the creek in two areas. The pools are filled every morning and are constantly fed by the creek. The water is cool, sparkling and a great way to end a hike. Along the way you'll see plenty more small falls, as well as many people. Get there early to beat the crowds. |
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| Trails
Difficulty: Medium (lots of steps). Markings: Dirt and stone trails with steps. Brown wooden posts with yellow numbers. The official gorge trails are clearly defined as a dirt and stone trail with steps and bridges, but most wet their shoes and walk the creek using the trail steps to get above the falls. The trails ends just short of the campground area.
The East Rim
trail is 1 1/4 miles |
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| Do not
miss... The pools at the base of the larger falls are deep enough for a refreshing dip. If you can fit, some of the narrow channels can be slid down. Stone pillars mark the location of an old railroad that brought tourists into the park during the late 1800s. The station was located where the campground office is today. In the lower park bubbles can often be seen coming up from the water. These are natural gas bubbles. The gas was used for lighting and cooking. The park offers a swimming area by damming off the creek bed near the snack bar and changing rooms. This is the site of a colonial saw mill. Thank the great depression for the masonry work and a seemingly endless stairs you climb on the trail. During the 1930's The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration took hundreds of unemployed men to work building the park facilities, bridges and trails. |
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| Photography Tips ▪ Bring a dry bag to keep your camera from getting wet, since you have to creek walk in order to get to most of the falls. ▪ Plan on getting wet as some of the best shots to be taken from the plunge pools of the falls. ▪ In order to get photos without park visitors, get there early. The Upper Falls sports a small ledge on the right side. A perfect spot for someone to stand for an intimate portrait in front of the falls. ▪ ▪ See the Articles section for more waterfall photography tips. |
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Click the thumbnails below to order prints. |
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| Area Attractions New York State Festival of Balloons A great time to visit Dansville is Labor Day weekend for the New York State Festival of Balloons. Other Waterfalls Letchworth State Park, Livingston County Sugar Creek Glen Campground, Dansville, NY Bed & Breakfast The Allegiance - Mount Morris, NY Ambroselli's Villa Serendip - Naples, NY Eastlake Bed and Breakfast - Conesus, NY Camping Skybrook Campground - Dansville, NY Wineries Eagle Crest Vineyards, Inc. - Conesus, NY Shops Dogwood Trading Company - Naples, NY |
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| Links Book a campsite at this park State Park Brochure |
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| Contact Stony Brook State Park 10820 State Route 36 Dansville, NY 14437 (585) 335-8111 |
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