A trip to Watkins Glen State Park, NY

Are you planning a road trip to Finger lakes region in NY and wondering how to visit Watkins Glen state park?

Watkins Glen State Park is one of the popular places in Upstate New York and is mainly famous for its stunning Gorge Trail, which is about 2 miles and takes you to the series of beautiful waterfalls and gorges. There are 19 waterfalls and more than 800 stone steps along the trail. The Park is located in the South of Seneca Lake in New York State’s Finger Lakes region.

This place had been on our New York State bucket list for a long time, and we finally went on a road trip in the fall and later in the summer. The state park is stunning, and the autumn colors were made even more beautiful by the drizzling rain throughout the day.

Getting to Watkins Glen State Park New York

Watkins Glen State Park is in the Finger Lake Region of Upstate New York. Best way to visit this state park would be to rent a car and drive. It takes around 4 hours 30 mins drive to reach Watkins Glen from New York City.

There are three entrance – South Entrance, Main entrance (aka lower) & Upper entrance. The park entry is free, however if you visit by car you need to pay parking fee which cost $10 or you can take shuttle service from designated area for $6 person each way (as of 2024).

We parked at Main entrance and started the trail at 7.30 am which took us around 3 hours in a slow pace (clicking photos) and we finished it by 11.30 am.

Hiking in Watkins Glen State Park

There are three main trails in the park: the North Rim Trail, the South Rim Trail, and the most popular one, the Gorge Trail.

We hiked the Gorge Trail, which is about a 3-mile round trip from the Main Entrance. The entire trail is well marked, and you will find a myriad of waterfalls along the way. The most popular and photographed waterfall is the Rainbow Falls.

Best time to visit

We went on a road trip to the Finger Lakes region from New York City during both summer and autumn. During both visits, we stopped at Watkins Glen State Park. I highly recommend visiting during the fall when the leaves are changing and there are fewer crowds compared to summer. However, summer is also an amazing time to hike in the park; just make sure to visit as early as possible in the day.

The park is open year-round, but trail availability depends on weather conditions. To check the current trail status, please refer to the park’s website.

Where to stay

Watkins Glen State Park is situated just south of the Seneca Lake area. There are various lodging options available in the town of Watkins Glen, including budget-friendly and luxury hotels. If you prefer camping, you can stay at one of the campgrounds within Watkins Glen State Park.

Other places to visit in the area

Since, Watkins Glen state park is a part of Finger Lakes region, there are plenty of things to do in and around the area.

• Do the wine trail around Seneca Lake.
• Take a sunset boat tour in Seneca Lake.
• Visit near by waterfall – Hector Waterfall & She-Qua-Ga Falls
• Walk around the Seneca Lake Harbour

Know Before You Go

• If you are visiting in autumn keep in mind the temperature can drop anytime so bring layers.
• Since there are many small and large waterfalls so would recommend to bring rain jackets or umbrella.
• The trail is easy, however would recommend to wear steady hiking shoes.
• There are no restroom along the hike but at the entrances.

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