Watkins Glen, New York is famous for its auto racing heritage. In fact, NASCAR is racing there today as weather postponed yesterday’s attempt. Watkins Glen is also home to one of the most beautiful gorges in the southern tier of the state and the world in my opinion. Before tasting wine and beer, my family and I meet up with Dave and Gillian of FLX Photo as soon as the park opened and walked down the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park. Notice I said down. For $3US a person, we took a shuttle up to the top of the trail and walked down to the parking lot. We didn’t want to wipe ourselves out. 🙂
View from the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/16, ISO 1400, EV 0, 90mm. HDR Image.
Here are some of the sights we enjoyed in the middle of summer. The gorge is a popular tourist destination with tour buses making stops from May to October. It wasn’t long before the trail filled up with people. Most of them going up the trail and asking us how far it was to the top.
A woman reaches out to feel the water falling from an overhang along the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/5.6, ISO 6400, EV -0.3, 135mm focal length, polarizer filter.
I pulled out the tripod and put a 3-stop Neutral Density filter on the Nikon 28-300VR lens to add a little action to the scene.
Tourists climb the stone stairs past the Glen Cathedral on the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 2s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length, tripod, 3-stop ND filter.
It was hard not to stop every few feet to take a photo. The beauty of the gorge held a new delight around every bend and change in elevation.
Dave stops to photograph one of the beautiful sights along the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/15s, f/16, ISO 1000, EV 0, 28mm focal length.
Thanks to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and continued maintenance by the State of New York, stone stairs, walls and bridges allow people to enjoy the splendor of the Watkins Glen gorge.
People marvel at the Cavern Cascade on the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/8, ISO 6400, EV 0, 28mm focal length.
A tourist takes a break on one of several stone bridges along the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/15s, f/16, ISO 1100, EV 0, 48mm focal length.
I thought the water flow was pretty good considering the lack of rain in July. For a comparison, visit Debbie’s post from May. This was my first visit to Watkins Glen State Park and was more of an exploratory trip. I will be back!
Views Infinitum 
Very beautiful, especially the first photo. It is great to learn about all these (unknown) places in New York. Usually we mostly think of New York as an interesting busy city with a lot of skyscrapers.
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I am waiting for your visit at my blog, and a good technical advice about what to do with too many small bricks…you´ll understand when you see it.
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NYC may have the bulk of the population but very little area. New York State is full of wonders both natural and man-made or, as in the case of Watkins Glen and other state parks, a blend of both.
I know I have been lacking in my visitation to all my blogmates over the last month. I do apologize and I so miss you and all the rest. I so much appreciate everyone still coming by and commenting. Now, off to see your bricks.
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Oh Scott, THIS gorge is indeed a breathtaking and extraordinarily beautiful place. This place, Watkins Glen, should definitely be on my top list of places to visit in your region, and the first photo is superb!
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Watkins Glen is not far from Taughannock Falls and Treman State Parks, you could do a tour of all of them. Need a tour guide? 🙂
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Hi Scott
Are you trying to lure your blog visitors to New York? As You present Watkins Glen here with these beautiful pictures, one could easily get the suspicion.
Perhaps a group travel from Denmark?
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That would be so awesome to have all my Denmark blogmates come over here!
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Beautiful photos. It looks like such a lovely place. I’m glad I got to visit through your photos. 🙂
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Next time you and your husband take a drive east, turn north when you reach Route 81 and bare left at Binghamton to Ithaca where you’ll find waterfalls, gorges and other natural delights.
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When I was a pretty young child my family visited this place…and I have vague memories that were jogged by your photos. Really beautiful.
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Glad I could stir up some nostalgic memories for you, Dawn.
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Love that first photo. What an amazing location !
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It truly is, Sybil. This region is full gorges and waterfalls. Search for waterfalls to see more places like this in New York state.
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It’s a beautiful place! Great photos!
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Thanks, Terry! You have your mountains and I have my gorges. 🙂
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Wow. NOT a place you want to mis-step! The first photo is amazing! Almost makes one want to do a fancy swan dive into the water. Almost. 😉
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Ah, no, I would not want to trip down any stairs for fear of going over the edge or a wall. Now, about that swan dive, the water is about 2 to 3 feet this time of year in the pools. I would suggest doing it in the Spring. 😉
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What a gorge-ous ( 😉 ) place! I’d take that over NASCAR any day!
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😀 It must certainly is, Michaela! Very Middle-Earth-en.
NASCAR has it’s place. I have been to several races at the Watkins Glen track and it is very exciting.
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Scott, the place is gorgeous. I bet is a haven for hikers, but might be too much for a average person like us. 🙂
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