The Finger Lakes are what the South imagines when it imagines New York State — rolling green hills, long blue lakes, small towns with good coffee, and wineries on every hillside. Watkins Glen is the surprise: a gorge trail through a state park where you walk on stone steps carved into the gorge walls while 19 waterfalls cascade around and over you in 1.5 miles. It's free. Almost nobody outside the Northeast knows it exists.
Eleven long, narrow lakes carved by glaciers dominate this region of central New York. The Finger Lakes wine region produces some of the finest Riesling in the world — the climate, moderated by the lakes, is nearly identical to Germany's Mosel Valley. Watkins Glen State Park's gorge trail passes under waterfalls, through a tunnel carved from the gorge wall, and across stone bridges over the creek. It is one of the great short walks in the eastern United States.
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The moment
Walking the Watkins Glen gorge trail from the bottom entrance, where the gorge walls close to 20 feet apart above you and the sound of the first waterfall fills the narrow stone canyon. The light goes green and the spray catches it.
The classic mistake
Skipping the gorge trail because it sounds like hiking. It is not hiking. It is a 1.5-mile walk on stone stairs and flat paths. The elevation gain is modest and the payoff is 19 waterfalls. The entire loop takes 90 minutes.
The photograph
The 'Spiral Gorge' section of the Watkins Glen trail — where the stone path spirals upward through the gorge wall and you can photograph down through the spiral with water visible below and the gorge walls framing everything.
Skip it if
Watkins Glen gorge trail is closed for winter (typically November through April).
Don’t skip it if
You want one more extraordinary natural thing before you head home. This is it.
How long do you need?
90 minutes: Watkins Glen gorge trail. Half day: gorge trail + two or three winery visits. Full day: add Ithaca (Cornell campus gorges, Ithaca Falls, exceptional restaurants).
What to ask
At any Finger Lakes winery tasting room, ask the pourers why the region produces such exceptional Riesling. The answer — the deep, narrow lakes act as heat sinks, moderating temperature extremes, mimicking exactly the conditions of the Mosel Valley — will make every sip of the wine mean more.
🌸 This season · Spring / Summer
May and June: gorge wildflowers + wine trail opening. Ithaca Saturday Farmers Market is one of the best in New York.
Entry fee
Watkins Glen State Park: ~$8/vehicle. Wineries vary, typically $5–15 for tasting.
Gas
Abundant throughout the region.
Don't miss eating
A Riesling tasting flight at any Finger Lakes winery — this is one of the great white wine regions in the world and a tasting here costs $10–15 and will surprise you. For food, the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca has been one of America's most celebrated vegetarian restaurants since 1973. It is not a detour. It is the meal.
Websitefingerlakes.com
Average weather, all twelve months
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 31° | 34° | 44° | 57° | 68° | 77° | 82° | 80° | 72° | 60° | 47° | 35° |
| Low | 16° | 18° | 26° | 37° | 47° | 57° | 62° | 61° | 53° | 42° | 33° | 21° |
| Rain/Snow | 2.2" | 2.0" | 2.5" | 3.0" | 3.3" | 3.5" | 3.5" | 3.3" | 3.5" | 3.0" | 3.0" | 2.5" |