Guide · Finger Lakes
Things to Do in Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen is about twenty minutes east of us, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. Most people come for one of two things: a gorge with nineteen waterfalls in a single mile, or a racetrack that shaped American motorsport. You can do both in a day and still have the afternoon free.
We get asked about it constantly, because it is the one name every visitor to the Finger Lakes has already heard. Here is what is actually there, when to go, and how to build the rest of the day around it.
What is Watkins Glen State Park?
Watkins Glen State Park is at 1009 N Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY. Its Gorge Trail runs one mile past nineteen waterfalls, following a stream that drops 400 feet between 200-foot cliffs. Parking is $10 per vehicle, which also covers the park's Olympic-size swimming pool.
The scale of it is hard to convey until you are inside. The path cuts through the rock, sometimes behind the water, and the temperature drops as you descend. It is a mile, so it is walkable for most people, but it is a mile of stone steps, which is worth knowing before you set out with small children or a bad knee.
Timing matters more here than anywhere else in the region. The Gorge Trail opens for the 2026 season on May 9 and typically closes in mid-October. Outside those months the gorge itself is shut, though the north and south rim trails stay open year round and still give you the shape of the place. Current conditions are on the New York State Parks site, and the park can be reached at (607) 535-4511.
Before you go to the gorge
- Gorge Trail: May 9 to mid-October in 2026. Rim trails open year round.
- $10 per vehicle, and it includes the pool.
- One mile of stone steps, often wet. Shoes with grip.
- Go early. By late morning in July the lots are full.
- The park also has camping, rustic cabins, fishing and a gift shop.
What about the racetrack?
Watkins Glen International sits in the hills above the village. Racing here began on public roads through the town in 1948 before moving to the permanent circuit, and it remains one of the best-known road courses in the United States. Race weekends fill the whole area, so check the calendar before booking a room.
That last point is the practical one. On a big race weekend, every bed between Watkins Glen and Corning is taken and the roads move slowly. If you are planning a quiet weekend of walking and tasting, look at the schedule first. If you are coming for the racing, do the same, and book early.
How do you spend the rest of the day?
The village of Watkins Glen sits between the gorge and the water, with a main street and a harbour at the foot of Seneca Lake. From there it is roughly twenty minutes west to Keuka Lake, where the wineries sit closer to the shore and the pace slows down.
Our honest advice: do the gorge in the morning, eat in the village, and then drive west. Seneca is the bigger, busier lake. Keuka is quieter, and after a mile of stone steps a seated afternoon by the water is the right ending. Our guide to Keuka Lake wineries covers how to plan that side.
If you have a second day, Corning is twenty minutes south of us and works well in poor weather. And our guide to the Finger Lakes sets out the wider region if you are staying longer.
Where do we fit in?
We are Céline and Sébastien LeSeurre, French winemakers above Keuka Lake, about twenty minutes west of Watkins Glen. Sébastien is the sixth generation of a winemaking family from Champagne; Céline grew up in a family vineyard in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We settled on this slope in 2012. French roots, Finger Lakes soul.
Guests arrive from the gorge with wet shoes and a lot to say. We pour slowly and let them talk.
Twenty minutes west, and the afternoon slows down.
Common questions about Watkins Glen
How long does the Watkins Glen gorge trail take?
The Gorge Trail is one mile each way and most visitors take one to two hours, depending on how often they stop. It is a mile of stone steps, so allow more time than the distance suggests.
How much does Watkins Glen State Park cost?
Parking is $10 per vehicle, which also includes access to the park's Olympic-size swimming pool. The park additionally offers camping, rustic cabins, fishing access and pavilion rentals.
When is the Watkins Glen gorge trail open?
The Gorge Trail opens for the 2026 season on May 9 and typically closes in mid-October. The north and south rim trails stay open year round, so there is still a walk to be had in winter.
How far is Watkins Glen from Keuka Lake?
Roughly twenty minutes by car. Watkins Glen sits at the southern tip of Seneca Lake and Keuka is the next lake west, where our winery stands on the hills outside Hammondsport.
Written by
The Domaine LeSeurre Team
Céline & Sébastien LeSeurre and the team at Domaine LeSeurre — a family winery on Keuka Lake, in Hammondsport, New York. French roots, Finger Lakes soul.
