The most famous of the Finger Lake state parks lies south of Seneca, the largest of the lakes. It was rated third best state park in the country in 2015. There are three trails in the park which link up with the 800 mile Finger Lakes Trail. The Gorge trail follows the Glen creek which drops 400 feet in two miles, resulting in 19 waterfalls and 200 foot cliff faces. There is plenty to do in all seasons, including hiking, fishing, hunting and cross-country skiing. There are campsites and picnic facilities for day-trippers. Pets are allowed in certain areas, on leads.

Watkins Glen State Park, 1009 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891, Phone: 607-535-4511

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Step 4: Estimate your driving time using Google Maps (click the blue 'Directions' arrow in the search box).

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