Fri Jun 23, 2017 @ 11:53

The highlight of our camping trip was visiting the Watkins Glen Gorge. It's actually a very short hike, only about 1.5 miles, though it is not one you want to rush through. For starters, the waterfall makes for slippery conditions. I'm not going to lie-- hiking it with three kids under the age of 9 was a little nerve-wracking for me, with constant reminders to not run, to not climb the rail, etc etc. But I think the kids were duly impressed with the awesomeness of the gorge and Henry, the geology nerd, was able to explain all the natural phenomena that shaped the gorge.

Some trail notes:

1. Like I said, the trail is quite short. You'll want to take your time because of the wet conditions, but also because it is just so amazing to look at and be in. We were there on a weekday, before many schools were out for summer break, so it was not too crowded. I've heard there can be throngs of people on the weekends. Plan accordingly. There is currently construction going on at the bottom of the Gorge and some areas have restricted access.

2. There are two main ways to enter the gorge. If you are not staying in the park, you enter at street level and pay an admission fee ($8, I think, but don't quote me on that) and walk up to the start of the Gorge trail. If you are inside the park, you enter just past the swimming pool. (If you are camping or swimming, admission is included in the fee.) From there, you can walk down to the bottom and start from there, or you can take Couch's Staircase. I did not see the point in walking down to the street level, especially since Couch's Staircase gets you right in the Gorge immediately.

3. You will get wet. How wet you get depends on how wet you want to get. :) There is an opportunity to walk behind a waterfall, which was exciting and scary for the kids.

4. The Gorge is mostly steps for the first mile. The last half mile stretches out flat until Jacob's Ladder. Our three year old walked the last half mile without a problem. We kept him in the backpack for the first mile because of all the stairs and slippery conditions.

5. Don't miss the heart shaped pool! <3

6. After you climb Jacob's Ladder, you can reward yourself with ice cream or a drink at the gift shop. There is a playground and bathrooms there as well. (There are no bathrooms or water fountains on the trail!)

7. At this point, you can walk back down or, if it is a weekend, you can take the shuttle back down. The kids were in no mood to walk back down, so Henry went down to enjoy a leisurely, kid-free hike and drive back up to get us. We hung out on the playground while waiting for him.

8. There are also two rim trails, on which dogs are allowed. Dogs are not allowed on the Gorge trail, though there is a woman in town who will walk your dogs while you hike the Gorge. Her name is Donna and her phone number is 607-228-7301. (Not an endorsement, I haven't used her services-- I just saw her sign in a restroom in the park.)

For more information about Watkins Glen, visit the NYS Parks page: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/