Eternal Flame Falls: Why do people love fire?

Tucked into a small grotto, hidden behind a waterfall and rich in history is a flickering flame. The Eternal Flame Falls gets its name from this unique fire fueled by natural gases within the grotto.

Located about a half-hour drive from Buffalo, New York, you can view this unique occurrence in Chestnut Ridge Park. Here, the flame sits within a small grotto emitting natural gas, which produces this everlasting flame.

My video of the Eternal Flame Falls is linked here.

To get to the grotto you’ll need a pair of hiking boots or secure sandals. Be careful on the hike as the trail was slippery. When I visited many people slipped and fell on the rocky along the riverbed. The hike is about 1.2 miles round trip.

Photo by Jordan | Sunriser Club | The flame is situated within this small grotto. In early July 2023, when I took this photo, the waterfall was more of a trickle down the rocks.

Now, here’s a surprising fact: The flame does occasionally go out.

So this eternal flame isn’t so eternal after all.

If the wind blows a little strong or water from the falls sprays into the grotto, the light will go out. Hikers can relight the flame with some matches or a lighter if it goes out.

So why are people so fascinated with this flame, and flames in general?

Humankind has a primal attraction to fire. Maybe it’s the way that if can captive our senses or perhaps the deep-rooted…