Lover's Leap facts for kids
Lover's Leap (or Lovers' Leap) is the name given to many high places, often cliffs or tall rocks. These spots are usually isolated and have a risk of a long fall. Many of these places have sad stories or legends about romantic tragedies. People often imagine young lovers jumping from these spots.
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Where are these places?
Many places around the world are called Lover's Leap. They are often beautiful natural spots like cliffs, mountains, or high points overlooking rivers or valleys.
In the United States
There are many Lover's Leaps across the United States. Here are just a few examples:
- Lovers' Leap Bridge and State Park in New Milford, Connecticut
- Two Lovers Point (Puntan dos Amantes) in Dededo, Guam
- Lover's Leap in Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois
- Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
- Lover's Leap in Hannibal, Missouri
- Blowing Rock, North Carolina
- Lover's Leap Trail in Custer State Park, Custer, South Dakota
- Lovers' Leap in Cameron Park, Waco, Texas
- Lovers' Leap in Hawks Nest State Park, Fayette, West Virginia
Elsewhere in the World
Lover's Leaps are found in many other countries too:
- Fonte dos Amores in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Elora Gorge in Elora, Ontario, Canada
- Lovers' Leap / Diarmuid and Gráinne's Rock, Loop Head, County Clare, Ireland
- Lovers' Leap in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica
- Lovers' Leap in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
- Lovers' Leap in Dovedale, Peak District, England, United Kingdom
Famous Legends
Many Lover's Leap locations have interesting and often sad stories connected to them. These stories are usually about young lovers who faced challenges.
United States Legends
The Lover's Leap at Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted, West Virginia, is a high cliff overlooking the New River Gorge. It is about 585 feet (178 meters) high. A local legend tells of two young Native Americans from different tribes. They were said to have jumped from the cliff together.
Another well-known Native American legend comes from Lookout Mountain, Georgia. This story is about a Chickasaw warrior and a Cherokee maiden.
Blowing Rock Mountain in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, has a unique legend. In this story, a young lover jumps from the cliff. But instead of falling, a strong wind blows him back up into the arms of his sweetheart.
Wills Mountain in Cumberland, Maryland, also has a Lover's Leap. It is about 1,652 feet (503 meters) above sea level. From this spot, you can see the city of Cumberland and parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The famous writer Mark Twain wrote about many Lover's Leaps along the Mississippi River. He mentioned that many stories involved disappointed Native American girls. One such legend is about Princess Winona. She was the daughter of a Dakota chief. The story says she jumped to avoid marrying someone she did not love. Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, is one place where this legend is told.
Other Legends
In Dovedale in the Peak District of the United Kingdom, there is a limestone rock called Lovers' Leap. A local legend says a young woman jumped from there. She believed her lover had died in the Napoleonic Wars. Later, her family found out he was alive and well.
On the south coast of Jamaica, in Saint Elizabeth Parish, there is a Lovers' Leap about 1,700 feet (518 meters) above the Caribbean Sea. This spot is named after two enslaved lovers from the 18th century, Mizzy and Tunkey. The story says their master wanted Mizzy for himself. To keep them apart, he planned to sell Tunkey. Mizzy and Tunkey ran away but were chased to the edge of the cliff. Rather than be caught and separated, they held each other and jumped. This sad story was even used as the basis for a romantic novel.
Images for kids
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A scenic view of the New River Gorge from Lovers' Leap at Hawks Nest State Park, Ansted, West Virginia
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Two Lovers Point is a major tourist attraction on Guam
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Diarmuid and Gráinne's Rock / Lovers's Leap - Loop Head, Clare, Ireland
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A couple approaching a boat after swimming near the Lover's Leap spot in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
