Watkins Glen State Park
The most famous gorge in the Finger Lakes. A 3-km trail passes 19 waterfalls, tunnels and stone bridges, and you can walk behind Rainbow Falls.
Watkins Glen State Park lies in the town of Watkins Glen, at the southern end of Seneca Lake, about 35 km from Ithaca, a 40-minute drive. The Gorge Trail is about 2.4 km long, with 832 stone steps. It passes 19 waterfalls through a narrow gorge. Highlights include Spiral Gorge, Cavern Cascade, and Rainbow Falls, which you can walk behind. It's best to enter at the main entrance and climb up, then return either by the paid shuttle or along the Indian Trail. Vehicle entry costs about $10. The trail is usually open from May to early November. Summer weekends are busy, so arrive early in the morning.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset; Gorge Trail open approx. mid-May to early Nov
Nearby sights
- Seneca Lake & Watkins Glen Village
- Robert H. Treman State Park
- Corning Museum of Glass
- Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
- Taughannock Falls State Park
- Museum of the Earth
- Buttermilk Falls State Park
- Ithaca Farmers Market