Finger Lakes - Watkins Glen at Seneca Lake

Watkins Glen is the stunningly beautiful gorge among the 4 gorges we visited during our trip to Finger lakes, most likely the best in the finger lakes region. It is near the southern tip of Seneca Lake.

The gorge is narrow, the rock formations are impressive with vegetations and small tress on them, the water currents are strong, and water falls are thunderous. 

our trail at Watkins Glen

We started at south entrance to Watkins Glen, which is above the main entrance. To cover the full gorge, we started downhill first to the pool at the lower falls, and then turned back to go uphill, We essentially hiked the gorge twice, downhill once, uphill once, total of 8 km. It is a different sensory feel when looking at the gorge in downhill direction and uphill direction.

The elevation change during our hiking at Watkins Glen

layers of rocks like tree rings, tell the natural history

There are numerous water falls at Watkins Glen, and many stone pedestrian bridges. The cavern cascade falls, is a large water falls, where one can walk under it! and listen to the sound of water flow, feel the mist the current generated. 

Another water falls one can walk under is the rainbow falls, which is smaller in flow volume, and it is formed from flows from the cliff of the gorge, not from the creek. This is the most photographed vista. We did not see the rainbow. The rainbow can only be seen at certain time of a day at certain season, when Sun can shine on the water falls, and behind hikers on the trail.

A more obvious geological feature of the gorge, and other gorges in the area, is that many cliffs are overhang cliffs, i.e. top of the cliff hang over the lower portion of the cliff, such as the frowning cliff in a following photo.

After our hike at Watkins Glen, we felt the urge to see Seneca Lake close up, we went to Clute Park at the narrow southern shore of Seneca, sitting by the water, in the breeze, looking north horizon of the lake.

Cavern Cascade

Stone bridge over the gorge

Rainbow Falls on the side, central cascade in the middle

Another view of Rainbow fall

frowning cliff

Seneca Lake - view from southern shore