Watkins Glen Gorge Trail in Photos & Tips for Your Visit

Watkins Glen State Park is a breathtaking natural wonder located just outside the town of Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The highlight of the park is the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail, a stunning path leading through the heart of the gorge, passing 19 waterfalls and climbing over 800 stone steps. Along the way, visitors can take in the beauty of these rock formations and feel the spray of the falls up close.

Our hike through Watkins Glen was one of the highlights of our trip through the Finger Lakes region. It’s an easy hike that is perfect for families, featuring a mix of flat stone paths and some short stair climbs. Expect parts of the trail to be slippery, and your shoes may get wet. The Watkins Glen Gorge Trail is not wheelchair accessible.

Our visit was on a hot summer day in July 2025.

In this guide, journey through the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail in photos and get tips to make the most of your visit.

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Watkins Glen Gorge Trail

ENTRANCES: There are three entrances to Watkins Glen State Park: one to the north, east, and south, each of which has its own parking area. We parked at the eastern entrance (labeled Watkins Glen State Park Parking on Google Maps), which is where you’ll find the visitor center, gift shop, and restrooms. You will have to pay for parking, but it is free to enter the gorge.

East Entrance

If You Do This Hike Before August 2026

TRAIL RENOVATIONS (UNTIL SUMMER 2026): When we visited in July of 2025, renovation was being done at the base of the Gorge Trail. We had to re-route along the North Rim Trail and later reconnect back down into the gorge. The staff member at the visitor center told us that due to the renovation, we missed out on seeing the first 2 of the 19 waterfalls along the trail. We didn’t feel we missed anything important. The falls seem to get better and more impressive as you hike deeper into the gorge, so missing the first few was not a letdown for us. Renovation is expected to finish by July 2026.

NORTH RIM TRAIL DETOUR: The North Rim Trail we took as a temporary detour does consist of extra stair climbing. The three of us had just competed in the IRONMAN 70.3 Musselman race two days prior, so our legs were still utterly sore. These stairs did not help! Lucky for us, it was only a short climb through the woods and this made up the majority of our stair climbing for the hike. We spent less than 10 minutes on this trail before reconnecting onto the Gorge Trail, where it flattens out.

Gorge Trail Hiking Stats

Gorge Trail to Mile Point Bridge Roundtrip

Below are the hiking stats for the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail, starting at the east entrance, turning around at One Mile Bridge, and walking back through the gorge. These stats are for the Gorge Trail, and they do not include the short detour for the construction at the start of the gorge. If you hike the North Rim Trail to detour around the construction project, this adds minimal additional hiking distance and elevation.

Distance: 2 miles out-and-back
Total Ascent: 400 feet
Time: 1 to 2 hours

Gorge Trail to Mile Point Bridge and returning on the North Rim Trail

Below are the hiking stats starting at the east entrance, turning around at One Mile Bridge, and returning to the east entrance on the North Rim Trail.

Distance: 2 mile loop
Total Ascent: 450 feet

Optional Add-on: Between Mile Point Bridge and Jacob’s Ladder

There is the option to continue past One Mile Bridge to Jacob’s Ladder. Here are the stats.

Distance: 0.5 miles roundtrip
Total Ascent: Flat

Our Experience & Trail Description

We arrived at Watkins Glen a bit before 9:00 am, parking at the larger auxiliary lot across the street from the visitor center. There is a smaller parking lot at the visitor center which was full when we arrived.

It was a hot and sunny summer’s day, so we arrived early to beat the heat and the crowds. Watkins Glen is a highly popular attraction in New York, so do expect large groups of visitors.

The Gorge Trail does not change much physically throughout the hike. You’ll walk along stone pathways that are well-maintained, which run along Glen Creek. There’s a nice mix of flat segments with short stair climbs which slowly wind higher through the gorge as you pass dozens of miniature waterfalls.

We really enjoyed walking deeper into the gorge, where it seemed that the falls got more dramatic. The gorge would narrow, the stone cliffs would get steeper, and the waterfalls became more impressive to view.

One of our favorites was Rainbow Falls, a light waterfall that hangs directly over the trail. Feeling the cool water from the falls splash us on our walk felt so refreshing on our hot summer day.

You’ll also pass over the creek several times on some neat stone bridges. These offer great viewpoints to look both down and up through the gorge.

Watkins Glen Gorge Trail Photos

Here are photos of the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail, starting at the eastern entrance and ending at One Mile Bridge.

If you visit Watkins Glen before the construction project is finished, you will take the detour (the path to the right). The path to the left will be closed until July 2026.

Here are the stairs leading up to the North Rim

First view of the gorge

Rainbow Falls

More great views continue past Rainbow Falls

So do the stairs

This is the view from One Mile Bridge. At this point, the gorge becomes much less dramatic, but also a lot flatter. This is a great turn around point, as you’ve seen the best of the gorge.

Finishing the Walk

The trail splits at One Mile Bridge. At this point, you have seen the best parts of the gorge. From here, you have several options on how to continue your hike.

JACOB’S LADDER & THE NORTH ENTRANCE: Visitors can follow the trail straight and continue along the creek up until Jacob’s Ladder, a large staircase that leads to the park’s upper entrance. This area of the gorge is much calmer and more peaceful and is worth adding on the extra half mile if you are enjoying your time. The climb up Jacob’s Ladder is not worth it unless you’ve parked at the upper entrance, so turn around once you get to the long staircase.

The Gorge Trail beyond One Mile Bridge

RETURN THROUGH THE GORGE: Retrace your steps through the gorge, back to the east entrance. Just be aware that this could be slow going, especially if the gorge is busy, with two-way traffic on the narrow trail.

SOUTH RIM TRAIL: Alternatively, you can cross One Mile Bridge and return to the visitor center via the South Rim Trail and Finger Lakes Trail. We don’t recommend this option as it does not lead directly to the visitor center, but instead onto Old Corning Road a few blocks away.

NORTH RIM TRAIL: Finally, you can ascend to the North Rim Trail, which is what we did. You’ll head directly back to the visitor center and get a few overlooks of the gorge from the trail. We recommend this option, especially if the Gorge Trail is crowded.

The return along the North Rim Trail is less scenic, but it does go by fast. You’ll work your way down to the base of the gorge, hiking along a dirt trail that slopes down the hill, along with staircase sections. Do be mindful that there can be poison ivy along the edges of this trail.

If you take the North Rim Trail, it’s easy to walk out on to a bridge that spans the gorge, getting the view above.

Overall, we highly enjoyed our time hiking through Watkins Glen, and this was one of our top experiences we had while visiting the Finger Lakes area. We strongly recommend getting here early in the morning to avoid the crowds, as this site can get crowded fast.

It’s important to note that there are no restrooms along the Gorge Trail, only at the visitor center at the base of the gorge. There are however a few campgrounds with restrooms on the south side of Glen Creek, accessible only via the South Rim Trail.

Best Time to Visit Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen is one of the most popular attractions in the Finger Lakes region, getting over 1 million visitors in 2024. Due to this, it’s best to visit Watkins Glen in the morning to beat the crowds. The closer to sunrise you arrive, the fewer visitors you may encounter.

The most popular time of year to visit Watkins Glen is from late spring into early fall. The entire gorge will appear lush with plenty of flowing water, along with pleasant temperatures for hiking.

We visited in mid-July when the average high temperature was about 90°F (32°C). We hiked through Watkins Glen in the morning, starting around 9:00 am, so we had slightly cooler temperatures and could enjoy the trail with fewer crowds. Even at 9:00 however, visitors were beginning to pour into the state park.

Note that the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail may be closed in the winter due to icy conditions. You may, however, still be able to hike both the North and South Rim Trails.

As you plan your trip and just before you visit Watkins Glen, get updates about trail closures or park closures on the official website.

If you have any questions about how to visit Watkins Glen or walk the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to New York

Detailed guide to the stunning Watkins Glen Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, New York. Photos, trail stats, and expert tips.