My primary goal was to go here:
Name of Attraction: Watkins Glen State Park
Address: 1009 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY
Date and Time of Most Recent Visit: July 5, 2011; 2:00-4:00 p.m.
It took me just over three and a half hours to get to Watkins Glen from Clifton Park. However, I took the scenic route off of I-88, and managed to get stuck in about 35 minutes worth of traffic in Ithaca. My theory is that it should really only take just over three hours to get here from my house, with no bathroom breaks. As such, a visit to the park would make a fabulous day trip.
Watkins Glen State Park has to be seen to be believed. The breathtaking gorge, 19 waterfalls, and abundance of plant life speaks best about why I wanted to come here. Prepare yourself for lots of pictures!
Breathtaking, isn't it? And yet, so much more majestic in person. Upstate New Yorkers are doing themselves a disservice if they haven't yet been here. I went on a Tuesday afternoon in the height of summer, and did not feel that the trail was particularly crowded. I am told there are larger crowds on the weekends, which is to be expected.
I chose to hike up and down the Gorge Trail (which is the main attraction at the park). The Gorge Trail is 1.5 miles one way, so if you plan to hike up the gorge and back, it will be about a 3 mile hike. There are LOTS of stairs on the way up, and a very steep final set of stairs to get to the top of the gorge, so plan accordingly and assess your own fitness level as you see fit. With many breaks for picture taking, I completed the hike up and back in just about two hours. (And it was 89 degrees while I was there, but the gorge is shady, and has naturally low humidity.) The good news is, Watkins Glen State Park offers a $3 shuttle for a one way trip. So if you're concerned about your ability to hike up the gorge, take the shuttle up to the top, and opt for the less strenuous hike down.
And come on, you even get to walk BEHIND two of the waterfalls on the trail!
Parking lots exist at the top and bottom of the gorge. There are bathrooms and snack shops at both entrances. The parking fee was $8, which I had no qualms about paying--I want to support whoever I have to in order to keep this spectacular state park running smoothly! There is an Olympic-sized pool on site that I did not visit. Camping and picnic sites are also available. Note that this is not a particularly dog-friendly park, if you were considering bringing a furry friend: they are NOT allowed on the Gorge Trail. (Trust me, it would be a very bad idea to bring a dog to the Gorge Trail, anyway. This is a very understandable rule.) There are multiple other hiking trails aside from the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park, but I did not have time to hike them during this visit. That's okay though, because I KNOW I'll be back!
Overall review: 5 out of 5 Upstate!Stars
Learn more at their website: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/park-results.aspx?n=watkins%20glen&src=1
Ooooh, lovely! I love waterfalls, that's so cool that you get to walk behind them.
ReplyDeleteIt was especially nice to walk behind them on such a hot day! You don't get soaked, but you do get wet.
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