Trifter

Watkins Glen State Park is located in New York State on the edge of the town of Watkins Glen at the southern end of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region. The park is in a narrow 400 foot deep gorge. The river that carved out the gorge since the last ice age still flows through and around the gorge and gradually drops the 400 feet in spectacular fashion creating 19 waterfalls and cascades.

The glen itself is only 2 miles long but quite a site to see. In the 1930’s during the Great Depression the Civilian Conservation Corps built stone walkways and bridges in the park and combined with the natural beauty of the glen the park has a fantasy land feel to it.

The trail through the gorge is more like a stone staircase that takes visitors high above the river and then suddenly down to the water’s edge and goes behind waterfalls, through tunnels and over bridges.

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The lighting in the gorge can vary dramatically and change very quickly sometimes giving one the feel of a cave and then the light dramatically hits you in the face.

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The rock formations in the park are fun and fascinating to see and the area used to by an ancient sea as witnessed by the fossils to be found in the glen.

The main waterfall in Watkins Glen is the Cavern Cascade.

Rainbow Falls is another lovely waterfall in Watkins Glen.

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In many places hot tub like pools have formed and look inviting to sit in but it’s against the park rules.

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In 2005, Watkins Glen State Park was named one of Reserve America’s Top Outdoor Locations and one of the Top 100 Campgrounds in the nation. The park is not affiliated with the nearby Watkins Glen International Motor Speedway.

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For more New York State Waterfalls see Beautiful Waterfalls of Letchworth State Park, Beautiful Taughannock Falls and Cohoes Falls: Hydroelectricity Gone Wrong or Right?

To see the largest man-made waterfalls in the world built by the Romans in 271 BC, see Marmore Falls: Rome’s Beautiful Gift to the World.