Watkins Glen New York

We drove to Watkins Glen NY on 7 June 2026.  We stayed at Watkins Glen State Park, and it was a little scary getting to the campground with having to drive through downtown in lots of traffic.  We finally made it and then had to wiggle our camper into our campsite.  I say “wiggle”, because there was no room to maneuver with a narrow street and trees to avoid.  We got settled in and set up then went out to see the town.  Watkins Glen seems to be a touristy place for Seneca Lake and car racing.  We had Internet and a phone signal here so that was good. 

On Monday 8 June, we did the Gorge Trail (inside Watkins Glen State Park) with 19 waterfalls in a 1-mile stretch.  The whole trail is 1.5 miles to Jacob's Ladder and 1.5 miles back, so we got three miles there.  We had our lunch at a picnic table at the end of the hike.  We had gotten a late start with having to try for a reservation at Acadia National Park in Maine at 10am before we could leave.  After the Gorge Trail, we drove the 6.6 mile road course around town and then we checked out Watkins Glen International Speedway. We could hear the cars from the state park. After a few minutes at the race track watching drivers fine tuning their racecars, we left for a waterfall hunt. We ventured out to Buttermilk Falls State Park in Ithaca NY to see the waterfall there, then to Taughannock Falls State Park to see that one. A volunteer at the information desk there told us about a waterfall not listed in the literature.    Next we went to Robert H. Treman State Park, also in Ithaca, to see the Enfield Waterfall.  Lastly we went to Havana Glen Park in Montour Falls NY to see the waterfall not listed in the literature.  Eagle Falls was certainly worth the visit!  In this county park where locals frolic there is this gorge in miniature with a beautiful waterfall.  By this time it was after 4pm, so we decided to head home.  A creamery (Glen Dairy Bar) caught our eyes so we had to stop for ice cream.  It was a great day!

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

With schools being on summer break, there were lots of people on the trail...

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Gorge Trail - Watkins Glen State Park - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Track is 3.377 miles long with 11 turns...

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

Watkins Glen New York - 8 June 2026

This map shows the 11 finger lakes...

Buttermilk Falls State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Buttermilk Falls State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Buttermilk Falls State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Taughannock Falls State Park - Trumansburg New York - 8 June 2026

Taughannock Falls State Park - Trumansburg New York - 8 June 2026

Taughannock Falls State Park - Trumansburg New York - 8 June 2026

Taughannock Falls

Taughannock Falls State Park - Trumansburg New York - 8 June 2026

Taughannock Falls

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Enfield Falls

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Enfield Falls

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Enfield Falls

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Enfield Falls

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Robert H. Treman State Park - Ithaca New York - 8 June 2026

Phlox

Havana Glen Park - Montour Falls New York - 8 June 2026

Havana Glen Park - Montour Falls New York - 8 June 2026

Havana Glen Park - Montour Falls New York - 8 June 2026

Eagle Cliff Falls

Havana Glen Park - Montour Falls New York - 8 June 2026

Eagle Cliff Falls\

Havana Glen Park - Montour Falls New York - 8 June 2026

Eagle Cliff Falls

On Tuesday (9 June) Anita tried again to get a campsite reservation at Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park...to no avail. The campsite went from "not released" to "unavailable/reserved" in one second. After the 10am disappointment, we drove about 70 miles to see the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. We got there close to lunch time, but we checked out the visitor center and the view points from there before having our lunch. There were two hiking trails to take from the visitor center, but both are difficult, so we opted to not hike there. We ended up driving back to Watkins Glen to grocery shop at the Walmart there. We don't expect to have a Walmart available for the next few stops.

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon - Wellsboro PA - 9 June 2026

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon - Wellsboro PA - 9 June 2026

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon - Wellsboro PA - 9 June 2026

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon - Wellsboro PA - 9 June 2026

Rhododendron blooming

Tomorrow (10 June) we're heading for North Hudson New York in the Adirondack Mountains for two nights.