Watkins Glen Gorge Trail

Watkins Glen State Park
Schuyler Co, NY

Hiking Trails:
Glen Trail

Total Time: 1:00
Estimated Distance: 1.5 Miles

Pros: Very scenic natural canyon
Cons: Very busy area
Hike Type: One way hike with Shuttle
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TbmojcYfm9D2skmb8

I went on a family trip to Watkins Glen, and we camped at the state campground there. Watkins Glen is a beautiful natural formation with a well-engineered path going through the scenic canyon with waterfalls and steep cliffs on both sides. We parked at the upper falls parking area, and took the Gorge Trail down. As it was the peak of summer vacation season in August, the area was extremely busy with hundreds of people along the trail. We continued down the trail past all the scenic areas including Rainbow Falls, Glen Cathedral, and the Cavern Cascade. At the end of the gorge at the village of Watkins Glen, I took the shuttle back to the top back to my car.

Map of the Route

Descending "Jacob's Ladder" at the Beginning of the Trail. Note the Large Crowd.

View of Glen Creek While Descending

Glen Creek

Waterfalls Along the Trail

Behind the Waterfalls

Rainbow Falls

Behind Rainbow Falls

Narrow Waterfall

Cavern Cascade

Descending the Gorge Trail

The New Sentry Bridge

Last Waterfall in the Gorge

Near the End of the Trail

Sentry Bridge and Watefalls

Dunderberg Spiral Railway and Tunnels

Bear Mountain State Park
Orange Co, NY

Hiking Trails:
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red blaze
Jones Trail: Unblazed
Timp-Torne Trail: Blue blaze

Total Time: 3:00
Estimated Distance: 4.2 Miles

Pros: Good climb, great views, historic areas
Cons: None
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

Google Maps of Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPpvytjCsH9oq2r79

Hiking Partner:
Yehudah Koblick

It had been a while since I had been to Dunderberg. The weather was hot and humid, and with a good climb almost 1000 feet, the conditions on this hike were very difficult. We hike portions of the Dunderberg Spiral railway, a project that was never completed for a hotel that was never built on the top of the mountain. We parked at the beginning of the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail and took the trail steeply up the mountain, passing the first railway tunnel, and continuing up the incline to the view.

After the view, which faces directly to the Indian Point nuclear plant, we continued to the summit of Dunderberg, where there is a nice view facing north towards Bear Mountain and the Bear Mountain Bridge. We then continued off the trail on the railway trail, which we intended to take to the Jones Trail, but we went a bit too far and had to turn around back to the Jones Trail. We took the Jones Trail to the Timp-Torne Trail, which we took to the next tunnel and former railway path, and continued along the trail back down the mountain and down to our car. 

Map of the Route

Trailhead at Dunderberg

New Map Sign at the Trailhead

Dense Brush and Ivy

The First of the Dunderberg Railway Tunnels

First View Facing Indian Point

Second View Facing Peekskill

Third View at the Summit Facing the Bear Mountain Bridge

Large Glacial Rock Near the Summit

Partial Tunnel

Water in the Tunnel

Dense Vegetation Near the End of the Hike