2020-06-24: Chimney Bluffs

On Day Two of my little trip around New York, I headed south from Barnhart Island to the shores of Lake Ontario. There's a spot in the town of Huron (near Rochester), the Chimney Bluffs State Park, that has always caught my attention on maps, and remained the last spot in my state I had long wanted to go to, but hadn't yet. After a meandering drive through the Thousand Islands region and the Lake Ontario shore, I headed arrived at the park and walked the short trail up the bluffs.

A young crow found at the hotel. The bird was likely injured, as it had difficulty flying and walking.

On the way down, I stopped in the historic town of Sackett's Harbor, site of a battle during the War of 1812.

The westernmost bluff overlooks the wide expanse of Lake Ontario.

A close-up of the bluff reveals that it is composed entirely of sand and dirt, yet somehow stays standing in the face of fierce winds.

Visitors stand atop the sandy cliff face to look at the surrounding formations.

A side view of one of the incredibly narrow sandy stalagmites.

A thunderstorm moves across Lake Ontario. This was my first time seeing any of the Great Lakes in person; it was odd to see such a large body of water without the salty smell of an ocean.

Looking back from the cliff from three pictures above.

A small sand formation stands precariously over the rough waters at the lake shore.

Looking past the bluffs to the bays along the shore.

Sand-muddied waves break along a dark shore. Ridge-like structures lined the cliffs for the bluff's entire length.

A small tree - or large bush - braves the powerful winds at a cliff's precipice.

A view of the main section of the bluffs, with rounded bays and harbors in the distance.

Closer view of the main formation.

A wider shot reveals more sand formations, and the distance between some of them.

Images of the main bluffs were difficult to acquire, as heavy winds blasted the trail with sand. Between sand getting in my eyes and the risk of scratching my camera lens, I had to take quick snapshots and then retreat into the woods along the cliff's edge.

Side shots of the impressive bluffs always reveal them to be paper-thin.

More stark ridges line the lower cliffs.

Close-up of one of the larger formations, showing the spires that gave the Chimney Bluffs their name.

On the east side of the trail, I found what I believe to be the most impressive of the sand formations.

Context only adds to the scene, showing a dry little valley and the darkening lake in the background.

This bluff and its sister stand guard at the far end of the extensive cliff face.

Viewed edge-on, these two seem substantially meatier than their western counterparts, although still impressively thin.

Smaller formations nearby are revealed from a different vantage point.

Small waves, driven by the approaching storm, cover Lake Ontario in the background of the mountain-shaped pinnacle.

The last flash of sunlight illuminates layer after layer of bluffs, seen from the westernmost viewpoint on the trail.

Limb darkening is apparent on the distant horizon of sLake Ontario.

Looking at these bluffs edge-on makes them all the more impressive. The fact that a thin structure made of hardened sand can hold up for centuries in constant wind is just incredible.

Although the road ends at the parking lot, its guard rail extends some distance, protruding out over the shore.