An Unexpected View of Watkins Glen State Park

New York State

November 2025

Our Off-Season Visit to Watkins Glen

We knew that Watkins Glen State Park’s most popular trail, the Gorge Trail, with its steps, tunnels, and waterfalls, was closed for the season. Since the Rim Trails were still accessible and only a half hour away from our Airbnb, we went there for a hike and to get an impression of the park. The good news was that we did not have to pay an admission fee. Some other visitors seemed less prepared and were visibly disappointed they couldn’t go into the gorge.

However, many visitors headed for the Rim Trails like us. After an initial steep climb on the stairs, we could almost immediately look down into the deep canyon. Even from above, the view of the gorge was stunning. We recognized the timeless 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) style stone stairways in the canyon. After nearly one hundred years, their craftsmanship, integrated with nature, remains beautifully robust.

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Since it was crowded close to the stairs, we can only assume that it must be even worse when everything is open. And, as always, when hiking in nature, we also appreciate the silence and solitude of a park. So, though we missed the famous falls, our time exploring the quiet paths deeper into the park made Watkins Glen still worth the visit.