Fire & Ice: Even Mother Nature Can’t Stop Mysterious Eternal Flame in Western New York

How can a flame stay lit under a waterfall? That's a question many have been asking about the mysterious 'eternal flame' in Western New York for years.

Eternal Flame Falls is in Shale Creek Preserve at Chestnut Ridge Park. In a small cave at the bottom of a 35-foot waterfall, there's an 8-inch flame that defies all scientific explanation. Despite water all around it, the flame stays lit 'almost' year round.

Gas Pockets?

Many believe the flame was lit thousands of years ago by Native Americans but how it stays lit is anyone's guess.

Scientists say the fire burns because of gas pockets that rise from the old, extremely hot bedrock made of shale, according to Discovery.com. However, Professor Arndt Schimmelmann says he and a group of scientists at Indiana University found the shale under the waterfall isn't hot enough or old enough.

“This flame and these seepages have occurred for millions of years in those areas and we know that the source rock, about 400 meters deep, is not very warm. It should not even be able to produce much gas at this temperature, yet the gas is coming and it’s not being depleted. So our hypothesis is that a different mechanism is responsible for continuous gas generation at depth.

So what IS keeping the flame lit? No one knows for sure. It even burns during the winter months when it's surrounded by ice.

Respect the Trail

Eternal Flame Falls was one of Western New York's best-kept secrets. That was before media attention and improvements to the access trail led to an increased number of visitors. More visitors more litter, more vandalism, more pollution.

If you plan on making a trip to see the Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park, New York, remember to respect the trails that can be slippery and dangerous, especially in the winter months. You'll need to wear proper hiking shoes. And don't forget a lighter. The flame sometimes goes out if it gets too windy. But hikers always have a lighter on hand to keep it going.