I was set on visiting Watkins Glen State Park on my way to Niagara Falls. Located in the Finger Lakes Region, this beautiful natural wonder is a must-see. On the day we traveled to Niagara Falls, it was raining, but I decided to go anyway, because we were not planning to go home the same way. As we got closer and I saw that the rain was not letting up. I stopped in a dollar store and purchased ponchos.

We were told that all the waterfalls are within the first mile and a half, it didn’t sound too bad. There was also an option of taking a shuttle to the top of the 2 mile path and walk down. Since I didn’t want to wait we started hiking immediately. The entrance to the Gorge Trail is through a cave-like opening. The pathway takes you past the glen’s stream which descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs.  There are 19 waterfalls in total. We made our way to the path right near the water. We were spellbound! Because of all the rain the waterfalls seemed more like explosions than like waterfalls. It was breathtaking and scary at the same time. I was afraid to go too far because the stone steps and walkways were very slippery from the rain, but on the other hand I couldn’t tear myself away from that beauty too soon. The most amazing thing for us was taking the path behind and practically under one of the waterfalls. If you stuck out your hand you can touch the water. I was afraid of the sheer force of the falls. We didn’t stay for too long and made our way back to the car just as the rain stopped.

Amazingly, there is no entrance fee to this unbelievable park. There is, however, a parking fee.

Posted: August 22, 2018

Information, prices and hours posted here are current as of the posted or updated date. It is advisable to call ahead or check online to confirm hours and prices.