Location: Southern Ontario County, Vine Street, Naples. Starting from the intersection of Routes 21 and 245, proceed south on Route 21, entering the Village of Naples. At 1 mile south of Route 245 turn right (west) onto Vine Street, passing the village fire station. Follow Vine Street to its end, roughly 0.5 of a mile, and turn right (northwest), going up a small hill to a parking area for Grimes Glen.

      In 2005 the Finger Lakes Land Trust had raised funds to purchase Grimes Glen. After three years of complicated legal transactions, the 32 acres of land containing Grimes Glen were donated by the owner to Ontario County for a park. The funds raised by FLLT were used to pay the owner to place a conservation easement on the lands prior to the transfer to the county. Grimes Glen is now permanently protected from future development.


     The trail for entering Grimes Glen starts at the western side of the parking area. There are a few picnic tables here and an interesting sign about the discovery of a fossil tree found in the glen. Discovered in 1882 by Naples biologist D. Dana Luther, the tree dates from the Devonian Period and is believed to be about 390 million years old. The "Naples Tree" is currently on display in Albany at the New York State Museum.

     You have two choices as to how to enter the glen. But no matter which you choose, you will end up walking in the waters of Grimes Creek. You can follow a short trail to the west. When it reaches the creek, simply continue upstream by walking in the creek bed. Or you can cross the creek via a bridge to the southwest. The trail then follows along the western bank of the creek for roughly 0.2 of a mile and then ends at the creek.

     Continue going upstream by walking in the creek bed and in roughly 600 feet you will encounter a waterfall tumbling down the western wall of the glen. The falls has no official name, and is sometimes called First Falls. It is found on a tributary called Springstead Creek. The falls is nearly vertical, 59 feet high, has a crest that is 15 feet wide and faces to the east.

     Continue going upstream and in roughly 1,000 feet you will come to the second falls in the glen. Like the first falls you encountered, it has no official name, but it is usually called Second Falls or sometimes Middle Falls. The falls, which faces to the south, has a total height of 62 feet.














     It is comprised of two leaps with a short, 20 foot break between them. The first leap, which can’t be seen from the base of the falls, is 16 feet high and has a curving 48 foot wide crest. It is nearly vertical on the eastern flank and moderately steep on the western flank. The second leap is 46 feet high and has a 32 foot wide crest. The western flank of this leap is nearly vertical, while the eastern flank is an extremely steep cascade. A small natural grotto, found at the base of this leap on the eastern side, is known as the “Devil’s Bedroom.”

     Park land ends at the crest of this falls. Do not attempet to venture above this falls as the land above it is private property. The success of the park depends in large part on your respect for the surrounding private property owners.

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

Recreation on private property is a privilege, NOT A RIGHT.

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