The Genesee River is the second longest north-flowing river on Earth. The gorge it has carved through the edge of the glacial plateau in southwestern New York is protected and preserved by Letchworth Park, stretching from Portageville at the south to Mount Morris in the north. Many stretches of the winding waterway bear a striking resemblance to the Grand Canyon of the Rio Grande, albeit with much more greenery because of the climatic differences.