The Eternal Flame at Chestnut Ridge Park, N.Y.

Geologists the world over are excited about the Eternal Flame in Chestnut Ridge Park (located in Western N.Y.). That's saying a lot, since rocks are typically a boring subject to everyone else.

It is speculated that Native Americans lit the natural gas up to thousands of years ago to create this rare eternal flame, located behind a waterfall. As if waterfalls were not spectacular enough!

Scientist Arndt Schimmelmann from Indiana University - Bloomington shared that he believes it is "fed by a new type of geological process that hasn't been recorded before in nature. Typically, this type of gas is thought to come from deeply submerged, ancient and extremely hot deposits of shale..."

The Science Behind Most Eternal Flames

The temperatures exerted from the ancient, submerged shale are hot enough to break down the carbon in shale and form even smaller molecules of natural gas resulting from the break down. The natural gas is then lit by a person or event, and the flame continues to burn without explosion.

The Theory Behind the Chestnut Ridge Park Eternal Flame

After observation (and touching), scientists found that the rocks from which the flame comes forth are warm, and not extremely hot. They also believe these rocks are younger than typically found with eternal flames. Arndt Schimmelmann believes that these findings indicate a different geological process feeding the eternal flame in Chestnut Ridge Park, N.Y.

Eternal flames burn continuously for unknown periods of time. They are ultimately limited by the amount of natural gas seeping from the ground.

Common Causes for Eternal Flames to Start Burning:

• lightning
• piezoelectricity (electric current igniting the gas)
• human activity

A Good Reason to Visit the Eternal Flame in Chestnut Ridge Park

It is unknown how long this eternal flame will burn, but if you are able to see it, it will be the only "natural flame behind a waterfall" that you will ever see.

It is a photo-worthy event, so don't forget your camera, and you might want to bring along the rain boots and an umbrella, because it does get wet around the bases of waterfalls.

Chestnut Ridge Park (circled in red on map below) is between 16 - 18 miles south of Buffalo, N.Y.

In this particular case the shortest distance route (#1 below) takes above 26 min. to drive from Buffalo. The next (#2) takes about 28 min. to drive from Buffalo. Route #3 below is the quickest in traffic (estimated 24 min.), despite being the longest drive in terms of mileage.

1. The shortest distance route is if you take U.S. 219 South from Buffalo, N.Y.
2. The next shortest distance is by taking the NY-5 W (also called the Buffalo Skyway)
3. The quickest driving route is by taking Interstate 190 South and US-219 South. The estimated driving time is: 24 min. in traffic.

1. Main, Douglas. World's Most Beautiful Eternal Flame Reveals New Gas Source. Yahoo! News.