To continue with my subtopic of summer swimming and cliff jumping spots, I want to introduce a local favorite of mine, nicknamed “Unami.” Located about 20 minutes away from my hometown in Green Lane, PA, “Unami” is a discreet trio of jump spots along the Unami River in the woods adjacent to a Boy Scouts campsite.
Unami features three distinct vantage points, all with their own fun, defining characteristics. The most popular spot was the gigantic rope swing that catapulted adventurous teenagers into the refreshing creek below. The rope swing was about 10 feet up on a large tree, with a treehouse-like step ladder climbing up to it. The issue with this spot, though, is that it lies right along the road, enabling passing drivers to see all the fun (fingers crossed they don’t call the cops!). I still remember the first time I jumped off the rope swing; I felt such a rush of adrenaline right after letting go of the rope and right before I began to descend towards the water.
The other two spots are more tucked away behind dense woods. There is another rope swing here, but it’s a little more dangerous because there are many large rocks nearby. Adjacent to this rope swing lies the other spot, which is a huge rock outlined with graffiti telling nervous jumpers to “Just send it”!
What I like most about Unami is that it harbors a sense of community even though it is always less crowded than spots like Devils Pool. Every time I went here, I ran into someone I knew, and I made new friends. It’s located right down the road from a big high school, so kids would even come here after school on a nice warm day to cool off.
The dangers of cliff jumping always rush through my mind when I come to Unami, though. I will always remember a somewhat scarring experience at the main rope swing where a kid suffered a horrible injury right as we were unloading our car to begin our day. The kid did not let go of the rope, and he swung back and lost his grip in the process, falling and landing on a stump near the edge of the water. I’m not sure exactly what bone it was, but as he was being helped to the car by his friends, we clearly saw a bone sticking out of his arm near his elbow. Safe to say he was headed to the hospital!
Even though I witnessed a crazy and scarring injury at Unami, I will always love and appreciate cliff jumping and the easy thrill it grants me and my friends. We always take proper precautions, such as “depth checking” the water to ensure it’s deep enough to jump and doesn’t have any sharp rocks that could hurt us. Cliff jumping spots may face the occasional bad experience, but if proper techniques and precautions are taken, it can be a fun, thrilling, and relatively safe way to cool off during the summer.
Rating: 7.5/10 (not the biggest jumps, but still super fun)