Watkins Glen State Park

We visited Watkins Glen State Park for a spectacular waterfall hiking trail while visiting New York Finger Lakes. About a 40-minute drive from Ithaca, Watkins Glen sits on the southern banks of Seneca Lake. If you can only do one state park for waterfalls in New York, Watkins Glen is the one! The 1.5-mile Gorge Trail incorporates 19 waterfalls, so you get a lot of bang for a relatively short hike.

Because it’s one of the state’s most visited parks, you’ll want to arrive at Watkins Glen State Park early in the day, especially in the summer and on weekends. Afterward, explore the town of Watkins Glen and hang out on Seneca Lake.

The best way to experience Watkins Glen’s splendor is to hike the 1.5-mile Gorge Trail starting at the Main Entrance. While short, the trail includes over 800 concrete steps one way, making it a moderate hike.

The Sentry Bridge – built by the CCC in the 1930s

First Half of the Gorge Trail

The trail begins from the parking lot and restroom area along a flat area. Signs display the history of Watkins Glen, which opened to tourists in 1863. As you approach the first set of stairs, you’ll see the Sentry Bridge built by the CCC in the 1930s and the first of 19 waterfalls.

Once you exit the tunnel and cross over the bridge, the trail immediately showcases the beauty of Wakins Glen. You’ll see Couch’s Staircase, a set of 120 stairs leading to the Southern Entrance and the South Rim Trail. Stay on the Gorge Trail and let the 200-foot cliffs, waterfalls, plunge pools, bridges, and tunnels mesmerize you.

I can’t explain how Watkins Glen formed, but it had something to do with glaciers melting years ago. Read this blog located on the New York State Parks website for an accurate description of the geological factors at work. Regardless of how Watkins Glen began, erosion is evident on the distinct horizontal ridges on the cliff walls.

After Minnehaha Falls, you’ll begin to think the views can’t get any better. Just wait until Cascade Cavern appears. It’s one of two waterfalls visitors can walk behind. On a hot summer day, the cool mist feels great!

About halfway on the trail, you’ll cross a stone bridge across Central Cascade, the tallest waterfall in the park. Despite the 60-foot plunge, this waterfall plummets down a narrow 2-foot slot.

Rainbow Falls and the Second Half of the Gorge Trail

The iconic Rainbow Falls (shown at the beginning of this post) comes into view around another bend. This is the second waterfall you can walk behind. Although many people stop here and turn around, you won’t want to miss the rest of the trail.

After Spiral Gorge, the Mile Point Bridge appears. You can turn around here to make the total hike only 2.0 miles, cross the bridge to take the South Rim Trail, or continue straight to the Upper Entrance.

Smaller waterfalls rush past you on the trail

Not all the waterfalls are huge. Many roll gently by as you wind along the trails. As this part of the trail flattens, the waterfalls become much smaller. At the end of the trail, climb Jacob’s ladder. The set of 180 stone steps leads to the Upper Entrance, restrooms, shuttle, and Indian Trail along the North Rim. If you don’t need any of those amenities, skip the stairs and return the way you came.

View of the Main Entrance from the Sentry Bridge

We noticed many more people on the trail on the way back. In many cases, we couldn’t have gotten many of the pictures we did. I found the spiral tunnel, a dark tunnel with a spiral staircase, uncomfortably packed. After reaching the Sentry Bridge, we took a glimpse of the Main Entrance and exhaled a huge sigh of relief.

Town of Watkins Glen

The village of Watkins Glen boasts numerous shops, restaurants, and other attractions. After lunch, we boarded the True Love Schooner for a relaxing three-hour sail around Seneca Lake.

The village of Watkins Glen sits on the southern shore of Seneca Lake

Although we didn’t have time to visit, the International Motor Racing Research Center is another popular tourist spot. Additionally, the original course of the Watkins Glen Grand Prix circuit, which began in 1948, is available to drive at any time.

Detour to Montour Falls

Before hiking Watkins Glen, we took a detour to She-Qua-Ga Falls, which translates to Tumbling Waters. The 156-foot waterfall spills down a cliff behind At the Falls Bed & Breakfast to the main business district of Montour Falls. Most recently, the waterfalls are featured in the Hallmark Channel’s popular Aurora Teagarden series.

She-Qua-Ga Falls looks like it flows into the 1845-built house (now a B&B)!

While a bit dry on our visit, the falls were worth the fifteen-minute detour. Parking is easy along the main street near the Village Hall and the public library. At the base of the falls, a small park offers picnic tables, informative plaques, and more free parking.

In Conclusion

We arrived around 10 am on a summer weekday and found ample parking at the main (lower) entrance in downtown Watkins Glen. An overflow lot sits across from the street. The cost is $10 per vehicle. A shuttle runs between the Main and Upper Entrances (mostly on weekends in the summer) for a small fee. You can find a map of the park and more information here.

The state purchased the property in 1906. Click here for a historical timeline found on NYFalls.com. The beautiful stone bridges, tunnels, and steps that you see today were built by CCC workers in the 1930s. Click the Flack’s Scenic Guide: Watkins Glen State Park travel brochure from the 1930s (also posted on NYFalls.com). You’ll gain an appreciation of the CCC’s upgrades when you see the rickety wooden staircases in the travel pictures.

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