Watkins Glen
Located in the Watkins Glen Village in the Finger Lakes region in North West New York, Watkins Glen State Park is a photographers dream with myriad waterfalls created by the Glen Creek stream cutting through rock. The gorge is over 400 feet deep, and in just a short 2 mile hike, you will go past 19 waterfalls and climb 800 steps. This beautiful park was privately owned until 1906 when it was bought by the New York State. It is open seasonally from Mid-May until Mid to late October. The amazing stonework, including bridges, stairs and trails in the park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps over a period of 6 years.
Although 800 stairs seems daunting, it actually is not that bad at all. The elevation gain is gradual, and the stairs are small and easy to climb. You’re also right in the middle of the town and all its conveniences making this an ideal day trip for any upstate New Yorkers.
How to get here
The Watkins Glen is in the Finger Lakes region in North West New York close to Cornell University. The nearest big cities are Syracuse to the North East, and Rochester to the North West. Our drive from Albany, NY is shown here:
