One
of the must visit state parks in the vicinity of New York state is Watkins Glen
State Park. It has the reputation of leaving the visitors spellbound by its
beauty and this is absolutely true. The day I visited the park, was a bit
cloudy and rainy. The weather added to the beauty of the park and the
waterfalls which were present all the way along the trail, made me fell in love
with them. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot
cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course.
The experience at Watkins
Glen State Park is truly unforgettable. Winding path and steps will lead you
over to stone bridges and beautiful waterfalls, leaving you in the lap of the Mother
Nature.
Watkins Glen state park is
the most famous of the Finger Lake state parks, located at South of Seneca Lake,
in the village of Watkins Glen.
Read our guide to find out
the best time to visit the Watkins Glen State park and enjoy the beautiful
trails there.
There are three trails here,
which are listed below:
George trail:
The Gorge Trail is what
defines the park. People come here year after year and seasons after season to
visit this trail, and this is one of the most photogenic spots in the New York
State.
The George trail offers
stunning views of the waterfalls and caves. The trail is open from mid-May
until late October. Its closed from the beginning of November but depending on
the weather, it can be a little earlier or later.
You can start at either the
bottom, or the top of the gorge, and there are shuttles available to take you
back to your start point, but I would recommend to start at the main entrance
Franklin Street in Watkins Glen.
The highest waterfall at
Watkins Glen is cascade central which is 60 feet high. The most photographed
waterfall in the park is the Rainbow fall where you can walk underneath the
fall.
The Gorge Trail hugs the
gorge much more closely, allowing for better view of the river, waterfalls,
cascading pools, and rock formations within the gorge.
Indian trail:
The Indian Trail follows the
river at somewhat of a distance, so that it is more a gradual ramp. We
recommend the Indian Trail as a way to get back to the entrance rather than
taking the Gorge Trail in reverse.
South Rim trail:
This trail is 4.5 mile one
way. It runs along the south rim of the glen. It is a nice hike to do but you won’t
be able to see the gorge from it.
Tickets and Fees
There is no entrance fee for
the park but there is a parking fee of $8 per car.
Food
There is snack bar offering
ice cream and beer at the top and bottom of the trails. You can have beer only
in certain areas. Best option is to carry your own food along with you which
you can have along the way.
Connectivity
There are three entrances
(Main, South and North) to the park, each with its own parking lot, restrooms and
additional facilities. We recommend to start with the main entrance, traversing
the gorge trail all the way up to the Jacob’s ladder and then using the Indian
trail as your way back down. You can also use shuttle service which runs
between all the three entrances, if available at a nominal fee of $5.
Stay
You can stay at their camp
grounds and enjoy the hike as early as possible.
Explorerlens gyan:
1.) Try to avoid peak
holiday season like summers weekends when it can become highly crowded and you will
not be able to enjoy the view properly.
2.) Use a good hiking and
non-slippery shoes for the hike since the path can be watery.
3.) Start your hike in the
morning as early as possible to avoid crowd and get the complete views with
peace.
4.) All the three parking
lots have flat fee and hence you can use any one of them. But do remember your
entrance to get back to it. If you exit out at the wrong entrance and shuttle
service is not working, it may become difficult to get back to your car.
Here are some of the pics from out visit to the State Park :)
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