If you’re planning to go hiking at Watkins Glen State Park, you should know some tips before you go. These include tips for getting to the gorge trail, how to park, and more. In addition to these, you should know what to bring along to the park, including the proper clothes to wear.
Getting to Watkins Glen State Park
The Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail offers scenic beauty and a great workout. It’s one mile in length and provides beautiful views of the Watkins Glen gorge. One of the highlights of the gorge is the Rainbow Falls, which you can view from the bridge at Mile Point. Continuing down the gorge, you’ll pass several pools, small waterfalls, and fern-covered canyon walls. At the end, you’ll reach the Mile Point Bridge, a must-stop point if you’re following the Gorge Trail One Way.
The Gorge Trail is one of the highlights of the park. Hikers can walk along the 1.5-mile-long gorge trail and admire 19 waterfalls. This path crosses bridges and climbs 832 stairs, as well as passes through tunnels in the 400-million-year-old sedimentary rock. A full day’s hike can take two hours. At the end of the day, the Gorge Trail provides stunning views of the gorge and surrounding area.
Getting to the gorge trail
If you’re visiting Watkins Glen State Park, you’ll need to find out how to get to the gorge trail. This 1.5-mile trail connects the parking lot at the lower end to the visitor center at the upper end. The hike is best enjoyed on foot, but if you’re in a car you can use the park’s shuttles. During the summer, the shuttles run between the two ends of the trail. It is recommended that you wear hiking boots or running shoes.
Once you’re at the gorge trail, you’ll notice that it’s dotted with surprises. One of these is the Cavern Cascade, a 30 to 40-foot-tall waterfall that flows out of a narrow, three-meter-wide gully. This waterfall was formed as a result of a process that eroded the sandstone layers beneath.
Getting to Cavern Cascade
If you’re visiting Watkins Glen State Park, you’ll want to know how to get to Cavern Cascade. This waterfall is the tallest waterfall in the state park, and is located on the Gorge Trail. This 1.5-mile trail takes you through tunnels and over bridges to view the 19 Glen Creek waterfalls. The hike takes two hours to complete.
The trail to the waterfall begins at the South Entrance and continues through the Gorge. It’s a gorge trail that’s full of surprises, and the hike to Cavern Cascade is no exception. This waterfall is accessible from the South Entrance via Couch’s Staircase, a manmade stone path. It’s an impressive sight to behold. A thin, 30 to 40-foot waterfall plunges into a narrow gully formed by erosion of the softer sandstone layers beneath the thicker ones.
Parking at the gorge trail
The gorge trail at Watkins Glen State park is free to hike but parking is not. Parking at the gorge trail is $8 per day. You can purchase a parking pass that is good for the day in most New York State Parks, which saves you money. You can also purchase an Empire Pass, which gives you unlimited admission to state parks in New York.
Watkins Glen State Park is located just south of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The region is filled with wineries and scenic views of the surrounding countryside. This state park is a great way to spend an afternoon enjoying the great outdoors.
Photographing the gorge trail
Photographing the gorge trail at Watkers Glen State Park presents many unique challenges for photographers. The trail is steep and dim, and waterfall sequences can require long depths of field. Many waterfall shots will take two seconds or longer. You’ll need a tripod for some shots, but you can avoid blocking the path with your tripod by setting it up on a stone wall along the trail. You may also want to use a neutral density filter for low light situations.
The gorge trail features a series of waterfalls and features, including Cavern Cascade. This massive waterfall spills out into a deep pool. The trail also passes behind another waterfall, which has an imposing roar.
