In the Finger Lakes region of New York lies a gorgeous State Park scheduled to reopen it’s regionally famous Gorge Trail this month. Watkins Glen State Park is a breathtakingly beautiful place. In a 2 mi. span, 19 waterfalls cascade over, under, and around a trail that should be on everyone’s bucket list. The rock formations of the gorge and the stream running through it are an amazing site.
One of my favorite things about this trail is the opportunity to walk behind a waterfall. This happens twice on the trail.
Admission to the park is $10 per vehicle. Park hours are year-round dawn to dusk. There are other trails available when the Gorge Trail is closed. There is a pool, playgrounds, and if you are interested in activities besides chasing waterfalls- there’s bow hunting in the fall and snow shoeing in the winter. The area is also known for Spring Trout fishing. There are three entrances to the Park; the main entrance, the upper entrance, and the South entrance. In the Summer, a shuttle runs between entrances and costs $5.
You can visit the park for the day or campout over night. There are over 300 campsites for tents, small RVs, and a few rustic cabins.
My favorite restaurant in Syracuse was Eva’s European Sweets on Milton Ave. There’s a dessert case filled with impressive homemade cakes and pies that look like they are all fit for a special occasion. But, I fell in love with the restaurant food. Kielbasas, stews, and a whole menu of pierogi. Oh. my. goodness. I’ve never met Eva. But, I love her. She’s not afraid of carbs or butter. She’s my kind of people.
So, check out Watkins Glenn this summer, Conde Nast Traveler named it the Best State Park in New York. USA today readers had it in their top three of Best State Parks in America. It’s really a magical beautiful place.
