We just got back from a few days in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. One of the reasons we wanted to end our road trip in this area was to experience Watkins Glen State Park. Known for the natural beauty of the gorge and many waterfalls this is a must see state park. Sharing the things to do at Watkins Glen State park.
We got to Watkins Glen State park around 9 am and already there were quite a few parking spots taken. The park is open from dawn until dusk year round. Parking costs $10 for the day at the lot at the base of the park. If you have parking in town you can easily access the park without parking directly at the state park. The main park entrance is right on the main road (HWY 14) in Watkins Glen.
Things to Do at Watkins Glen State Park
The main pull of Watkins Glen State Park is hiking the Gorge Trail. Before you even officially start the hike you already get to see why this is such a must see state park.
There are 19 waterfalls created by the stream descending 400 feet past 200 foot cliffs. It makes you feel like you are walking through a fairy tale or some sort of magical realm.
There is also 832 stone steps so be prepared for a workout. The difficulty level of the Gorge Trail is considered moderate. The trail itself is quite easy to follow however the steps definitely make the difficulty level increase especially if you aren’t super fit (raises hand). The trail is also wet due to all the waterfalls so be prepared to walk through water and mud. It isn’t deep but it can be a bit slippery and it puddles in spots.
I would recommend hiking the Gorge trail on the way in. This way you are viewing the waterfalls and everything head on and not having to turn around to see everything. It will definitely add to the magic of the hike.
If you are taking the Gorge trail up towards the upper entrance, the best entrance to start at would be the main entrance.
There are other trails that you can hike as part of the things to do at Watkins Glen State Park. We took the Indian trail back down from the top of the hike. It appears that they are in the process of renaming this the North Rim Trail but all the signs on the hike were still labeled Indian Trail. There is also the South Rim Trail.
We seemed to lose many of the people we were hiking with around the 1 mile mark. The full length of the Gorge Trail is 1.5 miles. So round trip there and back is 3 miles. Which doesn’t seem that bad except that you have to factor in those 832 steps! We hiked the full 1.5 miles to the top of the park and had a picnic lunch at the upper entrance. The Indian Trail is dog friendly (the Gorge Trail is not) and is a wide dirt trail. There are considerably fewer stairs on the Indian Trail, although the last part getting down to the main entrance does have stairs.
Taking the Gorge Trail on the way up and the Indian Trail on the way down, plus taking some time to rest and eat took us about 3 hours. But the hiking itself was an hour each way.
Many people turned around at the 1 mile mark taking the Mile Point bridge to the South Rim Trail. If I was going to do the hike again I would take this option for a few reasons. The first being you have seen most of the waterfalls at that point. There are some small ones but really you have seen the really wow parts of the hike. The second reason is the last part of the hike to the upper entrance is steeper. That beings said it was a great place to use the washroom and have lunch before heading back down.
Other Things to Do at Watkins Glen State Park
In addition to the pull of the Gorge Trail waterfalls, Watkins Glen State Park has campsites and pavilions that you can rent. There is biking trails and playgrounds.
You can also explore the town which has a cottage town vibe. Plus you are right on Seneca Lake which is one of the Finger Lakes.
If you want to see more waterfalls head down to Montour Falls. This was a must visit for us as the town of Montour Falls is infamous for being used in Aurora Teagarden Hallmark series. The show isn’t filmed there they just use the picturesque look of the town for the opening credits and some scenes.
I found the Gorge Trail challenging but so beautiful. I did twist my ankle in the last .5 miles on the way up the Gorge Trail so I would say pay close attention to where you are walking. Don’t spend too much time daydreaming about the waterfalls! I am still so glad we included this as part of our road trip. It is one of those places that you can’t believe exists in real life.
After reading about all the things to do at Watkins Glen State Park is this spot on your radar to visit?