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Thinking which Upstate New York state park to visit? Of the many excellent New York state parks, two of the best are Watkins Glen State Park and Letchworth State Park. These state parks are two of the many hidden gems of Upstate New York. These parks can also be great stop-offs while driving up from NYC to Toronto through Buffalo.

New York State has some really stunning landscapes and gorges. No one needs to go out West to see spectacular canyons and dramatic landscapes. Both Letchworth and Watkins Glen State Parks are two of the most historic and stunning of New York's state parks and should be on anyone's bucket list.

Letchworth Vs Watkins Glen Size & Their Gorges

Letchworth State Park is a much larger 14,427-acre state park in Livingston County and Wyoming County in Upstate New York. Like the smaller Watkins State Spark, the Letchworth State Park flows along a deep gorge with (larger) waterfalls.

  • Size: 14,427 acres
  • Letchworth Hours: Open Year-Round 6.00 am to 11.00 pm
  • Entrance Fee: $10 per vehicle

The gorge has been dubbed "the Grand Canyon of the East," - although visitors to the actual Grand Canyon may beg to differ. Nevertheless, the rock walls of the gorge are dramatic and rise up to 550 feet in places.

Watkins Glen State Park is a small state park located in the village of Watkins Glen in Schuyler County. The lower part of the park is near the village, and the upper part is open woodland. The park is centered around a 400 feet deep narrow gorge that dramatically cuts through the rock by the stream Glen Creek. It has long been a tourist destination, having attracted visits since 1863 (it was privately run as a tourist resort until 1906).

  • Size: 778 Acres
  • Watkins Glen Hours: Open Year-Round Dawn to Dusk
  • Entrance Fee: $10 per vehicle (includes pool)

Related: The Upstate Eats Trail Now Invites You To Eat Your Way Through Upstate New York's Best Cities

Letchworth Vs. Watkins Glen Hiking Trails

Hiking in the Letchworth State Park is far more substantial than in Watkins Glen. It has 66 miles of hiking trails (and the trails are also available for biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding).

  • Trails: 66 Miles
  • Season: Year-Round (Inc. Winter Activities)

One of the most notable features of Watkins Glen park is Jacob's Ladder, with its 180 stone steps.

Watkins Glen has a series of waterfalls and a two-mile hike past 19 waterfalls and up over 800 stone steps. In addition, there are a number of other small trails leading off the main Gorge Trail. The trails connect to the much larger Finger Lakes Trail - an 800-mile-long system of trails.

  • Main Trail: Gorge Trail - 2 Miles Long
  • Open: Mid-May to Early November
  • Other Trails: Southern Rim and Indian Trails

Related: A Day At New York’s Smallest State Park: State Park At The Fair

Letchworth Vs. Watkins Glen Facilities & Things To Do

There are also plenty more activities to enjoy in Letchworth, like hot air ballooning, kayaking, guided walks, and whitewater rafting. This makes Letchworth a winter sports destination as well.

Other attractions in the Letchworth State Park include three large waterfalls located along the Genesee River - namely the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls. The swimming season in Letchworth is from late June to Labor Day from 11:00 am to 5:45 pm Mon-Fri and 11:00 am to 6:45 pm on weekends/holidays.

If one does choose to visit Letchworth, consider calling in at the historic and completely restored Glen Iris Inn and overnight there. Or, if one can't spend the night in the inn, at least enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner there. It is mostly open year-round.

Facilities in the Watkins Glen State Park include tent and trailer campsites, swimming pools, and picnic facilities. The swimming pool season is from July 1 to September 5 (daily 12.00 pm to 6.00 pm on weekdays and 11.30 am to 7.00 pm on weekends).

While the park itself is open year-round, the main trails are open seasonally. Cross-country skiing is also an option in Watkins Glen.

Given how close the two parks are to each other and how small Watkins Glen is, perhaps folks don't need to choose between them. Most people should be able to find the time to visit both of them. Learn the current information about visiting the parks on New York's parks website.