the upper portions of the gorge. Annual freeze and thaw cycles also act upon small faults in the rock, causing large sections to occasionally break away, further expanding the gorge. The gorge supports a "Shale Cliff and Talus" community of plants, including three regionally rare species classified as threatened in New York State: Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), birds-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica) and yellow mountain saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides). See also List of New York state parks List of waterfalls of New York References Further reading External links New York State Parks: Taughannock Falls State Park taughannock.us: Taughannock Falls State Park Taughannock Falls State Park map Video about the Taughannock House Hotel State parks of New York (state) Parks in Tompkins County, New York Protected areas established in 1925 1925 establishments in New York (state) Glens of the United States Waterfalls of New York (state)