Watkins Glen State Park
Follow Glen Creek past thin waterfalls, rock tunnels, and bridges through a deeply layered Finger Lakes gorge.
Artwork inspired by Henry Walton
Watkins Glen’s signature walk follows the stream rather than viewing a gorge from above. The Gorge Trail climbs through layered shale, crossing stone bridges and slipping past Rainbow Falls, where a slender cascade reaches across the path. Photographs show only part of the route; stair flights and wet stone separate viewpoints. Notice how the creek has cut different chambers and ledges.
The grounds and rim trails can be visited beyond the main hiking season, but the Gorge Trail normally closes for winter and can shut for weather or maintenance. Check its status before driving for Rainbow Falls. Vehicle entry is generally $10, and a seasonal shuttle may help with a one-way route. The central walk is not wheelchair accessible; rim viewpoints offer a different experience.
- Watercourse
- Glen Creek
- Famous stop
- Rainbow Falls
- Main challenge
- Stone stairs
Quick guide
- Check the gorge
- Confirm that the Gorge Trail is open before expecting waterfall access.
- Plan the return
- A one-way walk may require the seasonal shuttle or a rim-trail return.
Know before you go
- Enter low
- Start at the main entrance for the gorge’s lower dramatic narrows.
- Watch your footing
- Spray and rain make the stone tread slick.
- Look upward
- Bridges and strata reveal the gorge’s changing scale.
- Choose a return
- Verify shuttle operations or plan a rim walk before climbing far.
Good to know
Do not confuse an open park with an open Gorge Trail; the central route closes seasonally and after hazardous weather.
Notice these
- Rainbow Falls
- Gorge Trail
- Stone bridges