The First Day

2019-08-31
Watkins Glen, NY

Another Labor Day, and another trip begins. This year the route is different, but the goals are similar: See more country, hike, and take pictures. But the start is pretty much exactly like last year with me stuffing a Subaru full of gear and getting ready to head off.

The first stop this year is Watkins Glen, New York. This is only a five-hour drive from home, but I've never been to the Finger Lakes. Watkins Glen is known for both the Race Track and the State Park, but I will only have time for one of them. As it turns out, the Blancpain GT World Challenge America wasn't until Sunday, so that made my decision easier. Okay, I admit it, I like to work on cars but watching them race isn't as much fun.

I booked this trip maybe a month before leaving, but I knew the holiday weekend would be a problem. I didn't expect campgrounds to have a three-day minimum stay. I understand the point, but it meant that I was staying in a hotel. I was able to find one within walking distance of the State Park (the whole town is within walking distance). I give them credit for quaintness, and evidenced by this throwback mechanical gizmo.

The Finger Lakes are known for a large number of great hikes, most involving waterfalls and hills. In fact, as I once explained to a nice lady at Glen Onoko, most waterfall hikes involve substantial elevation changes. If climbs are a problem, I've found lakes to be notoriously flat.

The first hike was Excelsior Glen Falls, which is a really big name for a fairly small falls. Also, we couldn't find a decent way down to the bottom of the falls themselves, but at the top of the falls you could walk down into a nice gully.

Watkins Glen State Park is built around a trail that goes up through the gorge. There are a number of waterfalls along the length, and you get to cross bridges and go through tunnels in the rock on the way up 832 stairs. It's very scenic and well worth the climb. And, of course, it's really crowded on a holiday weekend, even around 4:00 when the crowds had thinned a bit.

A short walk along the jetty at Seneca Lake completed the day.

Hiking distance: 6.0 miles