Watkins Glen
RAINBOW FALLS, WATKINS GLEN
Watkins Glens, NY
Image by Rick Berk @ www.rickberk.com
Watkins Glen State Park is located in New York State's Finger Lakes Region. The park's highlight feature is a 400-foot deep narrow gorge cut by Glen Creek. The park features three trails you can use to climb or descend the gorge.
The Southern Rim and Indian Trails lead along the wooded rim of the gorge. The trail you want though, is the Gorge Trail, which leads you over, under, and along the 19 waterfalls located in the park. The park opened as a private resort from 1863-1906, when it was purchased by the State of New York.
The Gorge Trail is only open from May through November, while the other trails are open year-round.
Photos and location summary by Rick Berk
Trail Difficulty - Moderate
The Gorge Trail is the trail you want to be on to get the best angles on the waterfalls. During the season, there is a shuttle bus that will take you from the parking area in the village of Watkins Glen to the top of the gorge, known as Mile Point. The shuttle bus runs on weekends from opening in May through July 4, daily from July 5th through Labor Day, and then weekends from Labor Day through the season closing in late October. Check with the park to ensure shuttle availability.
If the shuttle isn't running, you'll need to hike a round trip to return to your car. Your options are to park at the Lower Entrance in the village of Watkins Glen, and then walk up the gorge trail to the top, and then either make a second pass down the Gorge Trail, or return via The Indian Trail.
The Gorge Trail is a stone trail with a lot of steps. Hiking down is as easy as walking down the sidewalk. Hiking up is like doing a stairmaster in spots, which is why I listed the trail as moderate. The good news is there are plenty of spots to rest and just enjoy the view or the cool spray of the falls.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
42°22'28.2"N 76°52'29.6"W - Minnehaha Falls
42°22'22.1"N 76°52'57.3"W - Rainbow Falls
42°22'21.4"N 76°53'02.2"W - Spiral Gorge
795 Ft. Elevation
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Watkins Glen State Park
From Ithaca, NY - drive on NY-79 W for 20 miles until you get to Burdett, NY. In Burdett merge onto NY-414 and follow the signs to Watkins Glen State Park (3.8 miles).
Photography Tips
A polarizer works well to help bring out the color in the moss and foliage, and to reduce glare coming from wet rocks. For all three images here, a little adjustment a few feet either way can make a world of difference in terms of composition. There will be a lot of foot traffic around you so you'll want to stick close to your camera at all times.
Below are each of the three wonderful falls at Watkins Glen State Park
Best Time of Day to Shoot
The gorge runs east-west, so early morning or later in the afternoon is better, as late morning and midday finds many of the waterfalls in direct sun.
Best Time of Year
The best flow is in the spring as the spring runoff is flowing, and the trees above the gorge and moss on the gorge walls is a lush green. In the fall, the autumn colors and fallen leaves decorate the rocks and gorge walls in warm browns, oranges, and reds.
For the images below - Minnehaha Falls was taken on June 12th and Rainbow Falls & Spiral Gorge were taken on October 28th.
Lens(es) Needed
I found a 24-70mm lens worked well for me, specifically 40mm and above. The gorge is typically crowded with tourists and wide angles typically include too much of the trail. A telephoto lens is also useful for tighter photos of the falls.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
Entry fee for Watkins Glen State Park is $10 per vehicle.
Direction of the Shot
Depending on which set of falls you will be photographing, you will either be facing north, east or west.
Equipment Needed
Along with a sturdy tripod, you will need a polarizing filter to help bring out the color in the moss and foliage, and to reduce glare coming from wet rocks
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
As you can image, these beautiful falls attract many tourist and photographers.
Weather
Area Guides and Workshops
Rick Berk (25 years as a landscape photographer) - offers private group, 1 on 1 and group workshops (BlueHour Photo Ventures) for the Maine and other northeast US area. Rick lives Freeport, Maine and has traveled and photographed the NE for most of his adult life. His outstanding work can be found at www.rickberk.com