The Beauty of Watkins Glen State Park

Homeland Series – Post One

I’ve decided to do a little series of posts about my hometown and surrounding areas.  Why?  Because I am not traveling as much right now as I was in the beginning of the year, but I still want to give you all something to read from me.  Plus, I actually don’t really mind writing for my blog.  In general, I’ve always hated writing.  But there’s something calming and almost therapeutic about writing for my own venture; writing about my experiences for anyone and everyone to enjoy through my writing.   I figured if I was going to keep posting somewhat regularly on Living My Adventures, then doing a series on my own beautiful homeland was a logical step.  This series is meant for picture eye candy, for learning a little more about me, and for inspiring your own travels- hopefully even to my area that I will talk about!  I don’t know right now how long it will be- it could be just a few posts, or it could be a dozen.  I’m going to write when the mood and inspiration strikes on this one, and I’m hoping you’ll enjoy my adventures along the way!

My first area of focus in this series is going to one of my favorite little towns in the world- Watkins Glen, and more specifically, the internationally famous gorge it boasts.  Just a small little town of about 10,000 people, Watkins Glen certainly leaves a mark on the world that not many towns of its size do.  I’ve already mentioned one of the things it’s known for, the race track, so I won’t go into detail about that, but you can read about it here.  The other main thing is it’s beautiful gorge and waterfalls, carved by the river thousands of years ago, which is what I’ll be focusing on today.  Every time I walk up the gorge, the beauty and glory of it never fails to amaze me.

The entrance to the trail takes you through a natural stone tunnel.  Below, the trail winds behind this waterfall, making for a neat (and wet!) experience up close with the river.

If you walk all the way to the top and back down to the bottom on the gorge trail, you’ll be hiking for a total of around 2.6 miles.

I like to say that this gorge is like New York’s own little rainforest.  There are a lot of little drips and streams of water falling down from above you while you’re on the trail, and there are parts of the trail that are never dry, ever, so be sure to wear good hiking shoes or sneakers.  It’s a very well maintained trail of rock, but it does get slippery in places.

There are lots and lots of stairs.  Lots.  You’re going to need to accept it.  But trust me, the beauty of the place is worth it, and it’s a good workout!

We (almost) always make it a point to take a drink out of this pipe whenever we hike up to the top.  We haven’t died yet, so it must be safe to drink!

Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, this was just a river.  It had a normal riverbed and the gorge was non-existent- just layers and layers of bedrock.  Over those thousands of years, the river carved away at its riverbed, creating a gorge.  Every winter, when most of the water freezes, the gorge gets a little bit wider, thanks to the extending and contracting of the ice.

There are 19 waterfalls along this trail.  Be sure to look over the edge every chance you get while walking up into the gorge, there’s a lot to see.  And if you go on a day when there are less hikers and tourists, it’s quite the peaceful walk- with the only noise being the sounds of nature, including lots of rushing water.

The river formed lots of curved pools like this one, and they look so smooth.  I wish I could swim in them!

What visit to Watkins Glen would be complete without a quick stop at the lake?  After you’re done walking the beautiful gorge, hop over to the tip of Seneca Lake and enjoy the view and cool breeze before heading home.  It makes your day complete!

I hope you enjoyed this little journey through Watkins Glen State Park with my photos, and hope you get a chance to come visit someday!