Watkins Glen State Park

We've just returned home from spending three days down in Virginia visiting #3Son and daughter-in-law. We had a great visit with them.  The drive down and back is incredibly scenic, and with the weather still being so pleasant, the 10-plus-hour journey each way felt a bit more manageable.

Getting an early start for home, along with a perfect weather day, we were able to make a slight detour to Watkins Glen State Park for a hike through the gorge.

 

 



 

Watkins Glen is nestled in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The gorge features 19 waterfalls along a stunning 2-mile trail of man-made stone paths and steps. The gorge walls tower 200 feet alongside where the creek has carved its way through the rock for thousands of years. Though the hike can be a challenging at times with over 800 stairs, at every bend we were rewarded with a spectacular view of yet another waterfall.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 The first time we visited the park was on a July 4th weekend (I know, what were we thinking?) and the crowds made it difficult to enjoy our surroundings and get good pictures. On this occasion, however, there only a few other people on the trails which allowed us to fully enjoy the views.

 

 

 

 

There are several ways to enjoy this hike: you can park at the top, walk down the trail to the main parking lot, and take the shuttle back up; park at the bottom, hike to the top, and shuttle back to the main entrance; or hike the trail both ways. We chose to park at the main entrance, hiking up and then back down. Hiking uphill meant the waterfalls were always in front of us, offering spectacular views along the way. While there are a few other trails in the park, we didn’t explore them, so I won’t cover them here.

I'm sure that we will find ourselves at Watkins Glen in the future.  We'll plan for the same time of year when the crowds are down and the colours are popping. Its a hike that we would recommend to anyone who is traveling the area.

 

 


Comments

  1. What a lovely spot! We have some wonderful waterfalls in Oregon, these look similar to this along our Columbia River Gorge.
    Silver Falls State park has short and longer trails, so folks have lots of options (no shuttle!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've only been to Oregon for a few hours on a cruise. I loved it! I will have to check these out when we get back that way.

      Delete
    2. What wonderful pictures! So glad you were able to stop on the way back home. My husband and I trek from RI to Richmond VA very often to visit our granddaughter.

      Our trip is all the way down interstate 95 so not as picturesque as yours.

      Delete
    3. We don’t have the big hills and mountains here so it makes for a beautiful drive.

      Delete
  2. What gorgeous photos, Watkins Glen was our old stomping grounds years and years ago! My daughter lives in VA! Welcome to the challenge and looking forward to seeing more of your blogs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for the welcome. I'm sure you're very familiar with Watkins Glen since your grew up there. I only hope I did it some justice with my post.

      Delete
  3. Barbara, what a stunning and mystical place Watkins Glen is! All those waterfalls-- such amazing energy. Thank you for sharing this amazing experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very stunning indeed. I love waterfalls so this place didn't disappoint.

      Delete
  4. WOW, you got many great photos! Good idea to go during the low season. Watkins Glen is on my bucket list.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a beautiful recount of your visit to Watkins Glen! Your description of the hike through the gorge really captures the essence of why this spot is such a gem. The thought of taking in 19 waterfalls along a 2-mile path, with each bend offering a fresh, spectacular view, sounds like a nature lover's dream. It's great that you managed to time it so perfectly, with fewer crowds and the added beauty of early fall weather. I also love your tip about hiking uphill for the best views of the waterfalls—that’s a helpful piece of advice for anyone planning a trip. Watkins Glen definitely seems worth a detour!
    Nice meeting you, Barbara, keep posting!
    Tamara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow so beautiful! You are adventurous for sure hiking both ways. I’m sure I would only do one way. I’m loving your pictures again since I had forgotten about your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I fell in love with Watkin Glen when I first visited it when I was 13 on an RV trip with my family from Miami to Niagara Falls. It's such an amazing place! I think it's time to take another trip to see it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is so beautiful. It won’t be my last time there!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Palma de Mallorca

Guadalest, Spain

A Day in Cannes