Visiting Watkin’s Glen State Park with kids
Watkin’s Glen is the most famous State Park in New York’s Finger Lakes region. While planning our road trip from Toronto down to New York City, I stumbled upon a stunning photo of its most famous waterfall (Rainbow Falls pictured above) and immediately decided we had to stop along the way.
Watkin’s Glen main attraction – the Gorge Trail – is one of the most unique and magical trails we have ever hiked. If Rainbow Falls doesn’t sway you, one of the other *18* waterfalls along the trail surely will.
Everyone who has followed us on social media knows I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings. (For those not in the know, it may or may not be a coincidence our wedding date is the same as Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins’ birthday…) Hiking the Watkin’s Glen Gorge Trail, I felt like I was transported directly into Rivendell, the ethereal and mystical land of elves.
If you are driving through upstate New York, or are taking a road trip through the Finger Lakes area, Watkin’s Glen is a must-see stop. Be sure to read on for our tips on visiting Watkin’s Glen and making sure the kids have a great time (I promise to keep further LOTR references to a minimum…)
Watkin’s Glen fast facts
Location
Watkin’s Glen State Park located in Schuyler County is about 1.5 hours out from Rochester, NY. It’s approximately 3 hours away from Niagara Falls, and a 4 hour drive from New York City.
The village of Watkins Glen is tiny, with less than 2000 residents. Weirdly enough, it has the Watkins Glen International, the racetrack which is known as the home of the Formula One US Grand Prix. (Fun fact.)
Watkins Glen is situated at the tip of Seneca Lake, one of the most well known lakes in the Fingers Lakes region for boating and fishing. (Right next to it is a salt refinery you can tour, because apparently – Fun fact #2 – the Fingers Lakes area is rich in salt deposits. Previously Watkin’s Salt Company, now a part of Cargill Salt.)
Trails
Watkin’s Glen has 3 main trails: the famous Gorge Trail, and the North and South Rim trails on either side.
The Gorge Trail is a total of 1.5 miles long. If you start at the Main or South Entrances, there is a 1 mile bridge marker, where the South and North Rim trails intersect, allowing you to loop back to the entrance (another 1 mile-ish). The Gorge Trail has an impressive 832 stairs to climb.
Pets are NOT allowed along the Gorge Trail. (You will need to take the Rim Trails with your pet.)
Hours of operation
The park is open from sunrise to sunset all year round.
However, the Gorge Trail is only open from late May to late October. Be sure to check on the park’s official webpage and social media groups to confirm trail conditions before your trip. The Gorge Trail is extremely narrow and the stone can get slippery. It may not be safe following heavy rain, or in heavy fog.
Fees
Parking is $10 per vehicle, from around mid-May to mid-Oct.
Watkin’s Glen State Park is included if you have an Empress Card.
Planning your visit to Watkin’s Glen
When should I visit?
The highlight of Watkin’s Glen is undoubtedly the Gorge Trail, so we recommend visiting May – Oct, when the trail is accessible. We personally feel fall is the best time to visit, as it is somewhat less crowded, and you get upstate NY’s colourful fall foliage.
The Gorge Trail is narrow, and the trails can get crowded – like, bumper to bumper crowded. This is fine, but it makes a peaceful hike generally less enjoyable. To avoid the crowds, we recommend hiking as early in the morning as possible. When we visited, we arrived at around 9am (drove in from Rochester), on a fall weekday, and still found in fairly quiet. You can also try for right before sunset, but I feel this would be harder to predict.
Where do I park?
There are 3 parking areas for Watkin’s Glen State Park.
There is a “Main Entrance”. This is a fairly small parking lot right off the road. If you arrive early and there is parking space, we recommend starting here. This is where the Visitor Centre is, and it leads right to the mouth of the gorge. There are a number of plaques with interesting information on the park and geographical elements.
Then there are the South and North Entrances, which are in the park and have access to picnic areas and campsites. The South Entrance leads to the start of the Gorge Trail like the Main Entrance does, but you have to hike down the rim. The recommended route is to take the set of stairs known as the “Couch’s Staircase”, or else you’ll miss some of the waterfalls along the way.
The North Entrance is at the far end of the Gorge Trail, which means you will be hiking the trail in reverse.
There is a shuttle bus that runs between all 3 parking areas. (It runs daily in July and August and on weekends during the shoulder seasons.) If you hike the Gorge Trail – or any of the trails – from one end to the other and don’t want to loop back, you can take the shuttle back to your parking lot. The Shuttle costs $6 per person.
Route suggestions
When hiking Watkin’s Glen with kids, we recommend hiking from the Main Entrance (or South Entrance) along the Gorge Trail to the mile bridge marker. Then, we recommend looping back along the North Rim (back to the Main Entrance), or the South Rim (if you parked at the South Entrance). In total, this is about 2 miles, and is the perfect distance and combination of “sightseeing” – lots of pausing to admire the scenery along the Gorge Trail, much to the kids’ chagrin – and actual hiking along the Rim trails. If you can’t get enough of the Gorge Trail sights, you can also double back the way you came. However, backtracking can get cumbersome if the trail gets crowded during the day.
If you kids are up for more hiking or you’re looking for a bit of a challenge, you can always hike the full Gorge Trail to the North Entrance, and hike the North or South Rim trails back. This adds an extra mile to your hike.
Hiking with pets (and more than one adult), we recommend one adult take the Rim trails with your pet, and switching places at the mile marker for the way back so you can both enjoy the Gorge Trail.
We do not generally recommend hiking from the North Entrance. The waterfalls grow more and more impressive as you hike the Gorge Trail, and hiking it in reverse doesn’t have the same “wow” factor. Furthermore, it’s always easier to hike up on your way in and down on your way out, as opposed to the other way around.
How much time do I need to hike the trails?
Plan to spend at least 3 hours here, especially if you are hiking with kids. Between slowing down to admire the scenery and snack breaks, it’s good to build in some generous buffer time.
Overnight accommodations
If you’re going to be hiking at sunrise, or plan to hike late afternoon, it’s not a bad idea to spend the night at Watkin’s Glen. There are plenty of accommodations for such a tiny town, from the swankier Watkin’s Glen Harbor Hotel with a gorgeous view of Seneca Lake, to any number of quaint inns, motels, and B&Bs. We stayed at the Colonial Inn and Creamery, which was not only a stone’s throw away from the Watkin’s Glen Main Entrance, but they make their own ice cream!
Not-to-be-missed photo ops
The main sights along the Gorge Trail are marked out – but to be honest, these landmarks aside, I don’t think there was any one part of the Gorge Trail where I wasn’t completely floored. Nonetheless, we want to make sure you don’t miss these absolutely breathtaking gems of views.
Sentry Bridge
This is the first waterfall you see along the Gorge Trail. Water from these falls was once diverted to power a mill that stood where the Visitor’s Centre is now. The steel bridge spans the length of the gorge.
Be sure to look out and admire the view from the mouth of the gorge!
Cavern Cascade
The waterfall here funnels through the gorge surrounded by walls of sandstone on either side. You can walk *behind* the falls, which takes you to the spiral staircase carved into the gorge wall. Don’t forget to look back from the mouth of the cave entrance for a unique waterfall shot.
The plunge pools just upstream Central cascade
The Central Cascade is the tallest waterfall of the bunch, at 60 feet, but it falls through a narrow part of the gorge and is hard to capture on camera.
One of my favourite spots of the entire hike was a series of plunge pools just upstream of the Central waterfall. The colours are spectacular and you get a great view from the bridge crossing Central Cascade.
Rainbow Falls
These falls are the highlight of the hike. A three tier waterfall plunging into a turquoise basin. A stone bridge. A waterfall “curtain”. It doesn’t get any more mystical than this.
Frowning Cliffs
This is the stretch of dramatic, narrow pathway just beyond the Rainbow Falls. There are more waterfall “curtains” here, and another series of plunge pools.
Tips on visiting Watkin’s Glen with kids
Honestly, hiking the Watkin’s Glen Gorge Trail was probably one of the easiest hikes we’ve ever done with the kids. While physically a bit of a workout, the narrow stone trails and twisting paths kept Big S and Lil S occupied the entire time. There was a different view and new adventure around every corner.
1. Bring a hiking backpack carrier for toddlers
832 is a lot of stairs for little legs. I would recommend bringing a back up hiking backpack for kids 3 and under. There is no easy exit once you start the trail, and all those wet, slippery stairs make carrying a child in your arms quite dangerous.
2. Waterproof hiking shoes, splash pants and raincoat
With all those waterfalls, it’s almost a guarantee your kiddos are going to be jumping into puddles at some point. It also makes the steps and stone trail incredibly slippery. Waterproof hiking shoes or boots with good grip is a must for both adults and kids. Even in the summer (and if you don’t mind hiking with wet feet), we recommend closed toe hiking sandals.
Hiking Watkin’s Glen with kids, we definitely recommend splash pants. They’ll be getting on their hands and knees, or climbing something at some point, and they’ll appreciate not having to finish the hike wearing wet and muddy pants.
You can probably get by without a raincoat in the summer if you don’t mind some mist. In the cooler months, you do need a waterproof jacket to keep you warm and dry.
3. Pack snacks
This is a no brainer to parents everywhere who’ve dealt with a hangry child (or bored one).
Big S and Lil S loved the trail, but having extra snacks went a long way while they were waiting for mom to finish ogling, taking photos, and catch up.
Hiking snacks we usually pack include granola bars, bananas, small bags of crackers or trail mix, and beef jerky. There are garbage cans along the trail to dispose of any waste.
4. Use the bathrooms at the entrances
There is a bathroom at every entrance, but no bathrooms or port-o-potties along the trails.
5. Stop at the South Entrance for the playground
We do recommend parking at the Main Entrance for the full experience. The visitor’s centre is there, and that is where you enter the mouth of the gorge.
After your hike, we recommend you drive up to the South Entrance (the same ticket will allow you to enter the gates). There is a great playground at that site for the littles, plus lots of trees and green space. There are a ton of barbecues and picnic tables available in the warmer months. The outdoor pool is open in the summer (July and August), and would be a great way to spend a few hours after your hike.
6. Stop for ice cream at the creamery
The Colonial Inn and Creamery is a short 5 minute walk from Watkin Glen’s Main Entrance. Their homemade ice cream makes a great post-hike treat, and was probably one of the kids’ favourite things about Watkin’s Glen. (Colonial Inn also offers motel-style rooms for very reasonable prices if you plan to stay at Watkin’s Glen overnight.)
7. Bonus: drop by Seneca Lake
Seneca Lake is one of the most popular Finger Lakes. It’s about a 15 minute walk from the trails, or you can stop by on your way in or out of town. It’s a fun little add-on when visiting Watkin’s Glen with kids. Big and Lil S enjoyed the short walk along the pier, which offers beautiful views of the lake and town. If you have a little more time, there are hiking trails and wine tours in the area.
