Location: Western Chautauqua County, Chautauqua Creek Gorge, 5.5 miles south of
                   Westfield.

     From the intersection of Routes 394 and 20, follow Route 20 westwards for 0.3 of a mile to Chestnut Street (County Road 21) and turn left (south). Chestnut Street will turn into Sherman Road once you leave Westfield. In a little over 3.3 miles from Route 20 bear to the left (south) onto Ogden Road. In 1.5 miles turn left onto Taylor Road. In a little under 0.6 of a mile there is a parking area on the right (north) side of the road. Do not drive down the road any farther and please do not block it as it provides access to privately owned land past the parking area.

     The trail leading down into the gorge can be used only by hikers to access the Chautauqua Gorge and Skinny Dip Falls. Some areas of the Chautauqua Gorge are privately owned. Please do not trespass on the land adjacent to the trail. The falls is located in a designated nudist area of the Chautauqua Gorge.

     From the parking area at the end of Taylor Road follow the hiking trail to the east. Keep to the left passing the road to the Cabin at the Gorge, a private cabin that is available for rent. The trail starts it 280 foot vertical decent into the gorge in a short distance. The trail is steep in spots, rutted and there may be muddy areas. Use caution and take your time and you'll be fine. Roughly 0.2 of a mile from the parking area the trail levels out and comes to a Y. The trail passes on either side of an old abutment for a bridge that once spanned Chautauqua Creek. Follow the trail to the left and you will quickly reach the creek. Take note of the landmarks in this area as you will need to find the trail on your return trip.

     When you reach the creek turn left heading downstream (northwards) with the flow of the creek. You will find ATV trails paralleling the creek. They provide an alternative to walking in the creek and avoiding the small waterfalls encountered on the creek. Roughly 200 feet past the point where you entered the creek keep an eye out for a trail on the right (eastern) side of the creek. Follow this trail a short distance into the woods and you will come to a 30 foot high waterfall. The falls is known as First Falls or Dark Falls. It has a crest that is about seven feet wide and faces to the west.

Two views of First Falls.

     After viewing First Falls return to Chautauqua Creek and continue heading downstream. Soon you will see a boulder on the western creek bank with "Nudist Area Next One Mile" painted on it in yellow. This marks the start of the official nudist area in the Chautauqua Gorge. A second red painted boulder is found on the eastern creek bank in a short distance.

     Be prepared to possibly see naked people sunning themselves or swimming in pools below one of the small waterfalls encountered before reaching Skinny Dip Falls. Feel free to join in if the spirt so moves you. Nudism in the Chautauqua Gorge is limited to this one mile section of the gorge.


     From the second painted boulder it is about 0.6 of a mile to Skinny Dip Falls. The hike is a fairly easy creekwalk. Along the way you'll encounter two small waterfalls (three to four feet in height), a few small cascades and some stunning views of the gorge.

     A short distance downstream of the two foot drop and flume in the last photo is the crest of Skinny Dip Falls. To get to the bottom of the falls you have two options. You can climb down either side of the falls or follow an ATV trail on the eastern side of the creek that starts a short distance upstream of the falls. The ATV trail bypasses the falls and returns to the creek in a short distance. If you chose the ATV trail turn left and head upstream when you reach Chautauqua Creek to get to falls.

     Skinny Dip Falls is seven feet high, has a crest that is 45 feet wide and faces to the north. The falls is developed in the Northeast Shale Member of the Canadaway Formation. Northeast Shale consists mainly of beds of medium gray shales with a few beds of light gray siltstone. The shale dates from the Upper Devonian Period giving it an age of around 372,000,000 years.

     The large tree on the left side of the falls was removed by the spring floods of 2011. A large and deep swimming hole is now found at the base of the falls.

     You may want to continue your hike downstream for roughly 0.5 mile to New Falls. It is a small falls that is a little under 3 feet in height and roughly 35 feet wide. A swimming hole is found at the base of the falls. New Falls began to form around 2009. The four views below are of New Falls and were taken in August of 2011.

     Just beyond New Falls is an area that was once known as the Camel's Back. It was a steep sided ridge that Chautauqua Creek once made a large horseshoe shaped bend around. A deep notch appeared in the Camel's Back in early 2005. Over the next few years Chautauqua Creek broke through the notch and quickly eroded the clay and gravel that made up the Camel's Back. The creek bed has been lowered by about 5 feet. The area is now called New Falls and marks the end of the official one mile long nudist area in the Chautauqua Gorge.

     The photo of the Camel's Back above and to the left was taken by William P. Mitchell in 2005. The photo the right was taken from the same general area in August of 2011. Note the tall tree just left of center in the 2005 Mitchell photo. This tree now appears dead in the 2011 photo. You can click on either photo to enlarge it.

Copyright © 2011 by Scott A. Ensminger.
This information may not be reproduced without written permission.

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