Comments on: Nature's Eternal Flame

Nature's Eternal Flame

empatterson — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:03:23 -0800

Just off the trail in Chestnut Ridge Park, New York, there is a small waterfall called the Eternal Flame Falls. Natural gas wells up from the earth and escapes just underneath the waterfall. Once in a while, it goes out and is re-lit by the next hiker that comes along.

By: empatterson

empatterson — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:06:29 -0800

Sorry that the links aren't very meaty.

By: Miko

Miko — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:11:56 -0800

Well that is cool. Thanks!

By: Bridymurphy

Bridymurphy — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:14:59 -0800

Neat! I forgot about this place. I grew up in West Seneca, the whole area has some fascinating features. My personal favorite place was Hunter's Creek.

By: maximum sensing

maximum sensing — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:17:06 -0800

a friend of mine lived next to hunter's creek park. he took me to the eternal flame too, and it was lit when we arrived there. beautiful area.

By: LarryC

LarryC — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:22:48 -0800

Wait--what? A natural flame inside a waterfall?! What? So cool--thanks for posting. How on earth did it get lit in the first place?

By: It's Raining Florence Henderson

It's Raining Florence Henderson — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:28:26 -0800

Here in Washington State, we have Flaming Geyser State Park. It's not in a waterfall, but it's next to a river. Oh, and the "geyser" is about the size of a cigarette lighter flame. You know those natural wonders that make you question your place in the universe? Yeah - it's not one of those.

By: rtha

rtha — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 21:22:33 -0800

I had no idea such things existed - now I want to go hiking there and relight the flame if need be. Thanks for the post!

By: Slarty Bartfast

Slarty Bartfast — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 21:45:38 -0800

You have got to be kidding me. Neat!

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 21:58:37 -0800

So, some dude comes along and ignites Mother Earth's farts. Who knew?

By: bottlebrushtree

bottlebrushtree — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:03:30 -0800

Crazy, I saw something like that in Turkey, the Chimera which is outside Olympos. A field of rocks with small flames coming out of them. Must have been amazing thousands of years ago when the gas pressure was higher.

By: rjc3000

rjc3000 — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:03:45 -0800

Wonder who was the first to light it? Hope they did it on a day that the breeze was blowing.. otherwise all that natural gas building up...

By: marsha56

marsha56 — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:17:03 -0800

Once in a while, it goes out ... So, not really eternal. I propose a name change to The Somewhat Intermittent Flame Falls.

By: pickinganameismuchharderthanihadanticipated

pickinganameismuchharderthanihadanticipated — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:37:49 -0800

I had no idea such things existed - now I want to go hiking there and relight the flame if need be. Thanks for the post! This is a nice sentiment, but trust me, I wouldn't plan any trips around the flame. I think you would be disappointed. On the other hand, Buffalo is a great town (really), and this could be one part of a fun trip.

By: three blind mice

three blind mice — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:19:56 -0800

now I want to go hiking there and relight the flame if need be. Considering methane's contribution to climate change is many times that of carbon dioxide keeping it burning is a good idea, but honestly things like this need to be capped and sequestered before the rising sea levels drown us all.

By: scruss

scruss — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:23:57 -0800

Say my name, sun shines through the rain ... (I'll get me coat)

By: troika

troika — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:36:26 -0800

I grew up like a mile from there! Chestnut Ridge Park also has one of the best toboggan runs in the area.

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:46:19 -0800

So it's a fire swamp?

By: oneironaut

oneironaut — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:51:07 -0800

I blame fracking.

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:55:12 -0800

At the end of this trail you can also climb up the "cliff" using the exposed tree roots, which is fun for kids (my kids doing this). It was strange this morning seeing a post about a place only a couple of miles from where I live, by an OP with the same last name. For a second I thought I had posted it myself, in my sleep.

By: oneironaut

oneironaut — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:57:26 -0800

Eyebeams, how high and how vertical is that?

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:57:31 -0800

And since someone mentioned Hunters Creek, here it is in fall and in winter.

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:00:04 -0800

Maybe 50-60 feet, and 75-80 degrees (?). (EDIT - No it's not that steep. I don't know how to measure that. Maybe 60 degrees.) I was terrified the first time I watched my kids do it (they were about 12 and 15).

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:02:15 -0800

Chestnut Ridge Park also has a very nice frisbee golf course. ;-) Thanks for this post.

By: laconic skeuomorph

laconic skeuomorph — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 06:02:42 -0800

"We were able to get it going with a cigarette lighter we carry for emergencies" Only paranoid sekrit tokers ever specify this. It's cool, Ruth, it's cool.

By: radiomayonnaise

radiomayonnaise — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 06:56:53 -0800

I remember some debate as to whether or not the flame is fueled by natural natural gas or piped natural gas since it has the smell of natural gas used in homes which is apparently an added odor. Anyone know? I grew up in the area and am visiting for Thanksgiving and had just been thinking this would be a great day-after-Thanksgiving hike as I haven't been in years, but it doesn't look like the weather will be cooperating. Sigh. Buffalo.

By: sfts2

sfts2 — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:28:10 -0800

Not having a light while sitting by this Falls is definitely an emergency...oh, and nthing the 'I grew up in this area' meme.

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:31:36 -0800

> but honestly things like this need to be capped and sequestered before the rising sea levels drown us all. That's the dumbest thing ever.

By: bongo_x

bongo_x — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:36:01 -0800

By: oneirodynia

oneirodynia — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:23:19 -0800

Wow, what a cool little thing! I wonder how it was first discovered that you could light it, because it seems just smelling gas and thinking, "hm, maybe I could set something 'round here aflame" would not be very wise.

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:05:12 -0800

radiomayonnaise - Too bad you can't go today or tomorrow, right now it's 61° F and sunny, and the forecast for tomorrow is similar.

By: scruss

scruss — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:29:13 -0800

the article said you could smell the gas as you approached. Could be sour gas — methane with hydrogen sulfide.