Watkin’s Glen New York
Last Labor Day weekend, we headed north to the Finger Lakes region of New York. Growing up, my step-father’s family owned land overlooking Keuka Lake and I have always looked back on our time spent there with a special fondness. We played flashlight tag in the fields of their property, chased lightning bugs as the sun set and visited the beach at Keuka Lake. (Full disclosure, we also used the bathhouse at the state park because the water on the property smelled so terribly of sulfur…But, lets just forget about that for now).
As an adult, I more recently visited Ithaca, NY for a wedding and fell in love with the laid back yet sophisticated town. This is also where I experienced my first and most delicious Moscow Mule, and got terribly lost due to GPS taking us to an empty field rather than the more wedding-appropriate Ithaca Farmers Market.
No matter, I knew that I wanted to return to explore more of the natural scenery.
What specifically drew me back was a desire to relive a part of my childhood, wandering through the wide open fields and wooded areas that surrounded the namesake finger shaped lakes in the area. I was especially intrigued by the number of natural waterfalls and gorges that exist in the region.
We camped in Watkins Glen State Park for the duration of our trip. This was a perfect location as it was close to town and the main trails in the park.
Once we set up camp, we headed into town to check out the shops and find a local eatery. We decided to try the food at Nickel’s Pit BBQ, and while we waited for our take out, we stopped into Rooster Fish Brewing. We sat outside in a small beer garden and watched as people played yard games and enjoyed our cold beers. The food and beers were great and I would highly recommend both establishments on a trip to Watkin’s Glen.
The following day, we spent the morning walking around Watkin’s Glen Harbor. The lake was calm and relaxing as we strolled along the rocky edges.
In search of a less populated afternoon, we took off for Taughannock Falls State Park to hike down to the base of a waterfall thats drop is 3 stories taller than Niagra Falls.
The afternoon was hazy and hot so we decided to check out Falls Overlook before we planned to descend along South Rim Trail for an up-close look at the waterfall.
This was a fortunate decision on our part because as we came to the upper viewing deck, we realized that the waterfall was almost completely dried up. The small trickle that fell from the top of the gorge was beautiful, but not enough incentive to hike down to the base in that heat.
After a drink at Seneca Lodge, which was conveniently located on the edge of the park and is worth a trip just for the unique decor behind the bar, we returned to our campsite and spent the evening listening to music and the sounds of the woods.
The following morning we woke early to get a head start on any crowds left in town wanting to explore Gorge Trail in Watkin’s Glen State Park.
One thing that always makes me happy is to have a trail or a park to ourselves. We enjoyed the waterfalls throughout the gorge with very few other people thanks to our early arrival.
The sun was still too low in the sky to illuminate both sides of the massive walls surrounding us, leaving us caught between warm sunbathed rocks and damp dark ledges. The distinction created a deeply contrasted environment for us to wander through. This only added to the enjoyment of our solitude.
The walls of the gorge were alive with bright green foliage and the sounds of rushing waterfalls perfectly harmonized with the dripping springs scattered throughout our hike. Water streamed down into the tranquil pools from deep rivets in the rocks and through thick patches of undergrowth with equal intensity.
Stone staircases gave way to natural tunnels of overhangs and ledges, where a gentle rain fell from the earth rather than the sky.
The forest stood strong and resilient above us, exposed roots hung in collective expression of the trees resistance to the ground giving way around it.
As we hiked back to the parking lot, the sun was cresting the gorge and with it came clusters of people breaking up our private tour. I couldn’t help but feel happy that we arrived when we did.
The final portion of our hike came to a suspension bridge which crossed the gap between the highest edges of the gorge. It was a perfect place to stop and take a final look at the falls and rocks below.
Watkin’s Glen was a perfect long weekend trip that I would love to experience again.
