Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail now open

Gillian Friebis
·2 min read

UPDATE, 5/27: The Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail has reopened, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. The trail was closed to the public for one day after a landslide.

Hikers rescued from Watkins Glen State Park after landslide

UPDATE, 5/26: Watkins Glen State Park’s Gorge Trail is closed until further notice as of May 26, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. No further information has been released at this time.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WETM) — The Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail is open for the 2024 season.

According to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, all of Watkins Glen State Park’s trails are open for the season. The North Trim Rail and the South Rim Trail stay open all year, but the iconic Gorge Trail is only open for less than half of the year due to the danger of falling rocks in the winter.

The Gorge Trail features views of 19 waterfalls, three bridges, a walk through a cavern and behind a waterfall, a lookout, and more. This trail is 1.5 miles long one way and has a lot of stairs, so hikers are advised to wear proper footwear. Hikers must stay on the marked trails and are not allowed to swim or enter the gorge for safety reasons. Alcohol and pets are not allowed on the Gorge Trail.

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All of the park’s trails are open from dawn until dusk each day, and the Gorge Trail is expected to be open through mid to late October, depending on the weather.

Watkins State Park has three entrances: Main (1009 N. Franklin St.), South (3530 Route 419), and Upper (3310 Route 409). During the summer, the park offers a shuttle service between its entrances for a $6 fee each way. The shuttle will run only on the weekends from May 25 through June 28 and from Sept. 3 through the end of the season (which is scheduled for Oct. 21). Visitors can catch the shuttle daily from July 1 through Sept. 2.

More information about Watkins Glen State Park and the Gorge Trail is available on the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation’s website.

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