eternal flame falls

The hike to the eternal flame is a tough one in my opinion. I have back and knee issues and had to stop periodically. There is not a marked path for the trail. You will find some flame symbols along the way but you really have to look for them. I feel maps with clear trail markings should be made available in the casino of the park. One gentleman hiking was setting small flags to mark his way. Great idea. The hike was a bit slippery when i went. Its a lot of hilly terrain and rocks along the way. Once you get down there it is a pretty site, if its lit. On the day i went it was out. Hikers ahead of me had matches but couldnt light it. I suggest bringing a grill lighter with u in your pack in case its not lit that particular day. Im sure in shape people, experienced hikers and young people can make the hike a lot easier than i could.

My husband was an oil and gas geologist and loved, loved, loved this natural feature! It was truly amazing. It is all natural surrounded by water and rock formations. Just a delight to see with fire and water coexisting. My hope is that people will not trash this splendid natural beauty. New York please take care of this wonderful feature.

This was an incredible place to visit and share with family, a very beautiful and rewarding hike. We have visited this place many times and will visit it again in the future.

Absolutely best place to take the kids! So beautiful and south fun! We try to go as many times as possible during the spring summer and fall months. Great workout too!

Take a hike through the woods and end up in a creek bed where you can see a flame burning behind the waterfall. A couple things to keep in mind. The trail is not marked as well as it could be, especially for someone who has not been there. If you park in the lot surrounded by the picket fence, you will walk a bit on the trail before you start to see a few markers high on the trees that have a flame on them. Follow those. When you reach the creek bed, follow the creek to your left. (Markings for other trails in this area are sometimes hard to follow also if you decide to do more exploring.) Normally the creek bed is low enough that you can hike it without getting your feet wet. A tip would be to take a long lighter with you because the flame sometimes goes out, and you may need to relight it.

I read about this one on TA and then did some additional research on line. Outdoor and free things appeal to me, so we knew that we were going to try and do this one before we headed out for the day.The trail is fairly well marked if you follow the signs. The person who posted the GPS co-ordinates has provided a pretty good description of the path although if you have been to Chestnut Ridge Park you shouldn't need a GPS as the instructions are pretty simple. The parking lot was packed with about 20 cars, even after there had been a fair amount of rain.Yes, it is "just a flame" as other's have indicate but how often do you see something like this in nature? Natural gas is something we take for granted so to be able to see something like this is actually quite amazing. If you are in the area, I suggest you take the time out of your "busy schedule" and re-connect with nature. If you can avoid going after there rain it will make the path a little more accommodating. Although there were individuals wearing flip-flops, and other open toed shoes recommend wearing hiking boots or the like. Running shoes will work if they have good treads, but it can be a little slick especially if it has rained because you are walking on rocks, logs, and mud which can be a little slippery.There is a point as you are walking down the creek bed, where you will begin to wonder if you are ever going to get there but it does take about 1/2 and hour to get down and another 1/2 to get back depending on you level of ability and skill. Overall, we enjoyed it and you only need to spend about 5 or 10 minutes once you get there but the hike itself is quite enjoyable.

When we started out we had no idea of what to expect. The beginning of the trail is easy to walk. You just have to watch out for the tree roots. The trail is not well marked so you have to pay attention to where the trail is well worn and the occasional flame marker on a few trees. There are some very steep declines that you need to be aware of. You have to pick your way along the river bed climbing over fallen trees and jumping from rock to rock so you don't end up walking in the water. But oh.. when you get to the grotto where the flame is.. it is amazing...almost mystical. It was so worth the effort to get down there. Getting back up is tough on the legs though so be aware because there are no places to sit and rest.

Our family decided to visit this attraction. I have 2 boys (9 and 7). It was so much fun. Definately a hike and we got lost initially but soon found the trail. So worth the hike. It was a wonderful day and I highly recommend checking this out. But I agree it many of the other posts, make sure you wear the right shoes and bring water.

Eternal Flame is the most beautiful part of the park! My children and I go every year, never get tried of the views. Great walk for the dogs as well !!

Ummm I live in New York too around eternalFlame we went today ughhh it wasn't pretty that's all I gotta say .... Just follow the path towards the flame and don't go hiking up a mountain we went hiking and got attacked by bees and we almost died on a cliff ... Just be carefully and don't go on a adventure

This is an incredibly easy adventure that is well worth your time. Plug these coordinates (42.70203,- 078.74729) into your GPS and you'll find a very large parking lot. Ignore the maps put up by a well-meaning Eagle Scout at the edge of the parking lot and just follow the eternal flame signs into the woods. They will lead you to a stream. Turn left and head upstream. You'll round a bend and you'll spot the falls (and hopefully the eternal flame). We went in mid-August, so it was a pleasant walk up the stream. It was also easy to relight the flame when one of our boys snuffed it out with a stick. To depart (and assuming you are spry enough), simply climb up the falls on the right side using the roots as handholds. It looks hard, but was easily accomplished by the 11-year-olds in our group. At the top of the falls, turn left and the parking lot is just a short distance up the trail. The flame and the falls mesmerized the boys and adults in our group. It was a great semi-secret adventure!

Beautiful scenery and a lovely hike. We took our sons (ages 10 and 7) and we all had a great time. Bring a bottle of water. Its a hilly hike but lots of fun.

It is always nice to hike and have a destination in mind! A light at the end if the tunnel. And this is awesome. Once you get to the flame it is a nice area to just relax and listen to the falls and take pictures. The trail is very clearly markedThe only downside is that people do not respect the trail and there is trash laying around in places, but besides that it is a great little journey.It was a little tough for me to find and there wasnt too much parking but it is a back road with not much traffic so you can pull off the road and be fine.

Eternal Flame Falls is a wonderful place to visit if you don't mind getting a little dirty and a little wet. I've been there half a dozen times or more since arriving in Western New York several years ago. The hike isn't tough, but it IS a hike, not a paved stroll. Also keep in mind that in early springtime with snow melt and swift creeks, you may be unable to light the flame due to the water volume cascading over the shale. Make sure that young children do stay within your vision, as there is a section above the gorge with a precipitous drop, and no rails of any kind. Also no facilities of any kind, use the restrooms at the Casino area before you venture to the creek bed!

Chestnut Ridge Park is a wonderful place to visit. Its crowning glory, I think, is Eternal Flame Falls at the southernmost portion of the park. (You have to drive past the main entrance to Seufert Rd.)It is a long creekwalk but worth the effort. There is a lovely waterfall at the end of the hike with a natural gas jet behind the water. One can light the flame with a lighter. Chestnut Ridge Park, itself, is worth the visit. It has the usual county park amenities, picnic facilities, restrooms, hiking trails, disc golf, playgrounds, tennis courts, etc. There are several very small waterfalls in the park as well. Another activity one can enjoy there (as well as several other parks in the area) is orienteering. The Buffalo Orienteering Club puts up makers for you to find. You can purchase a map at Hyatt's locations. It's kind of like a treasure hunt in the woods.