5 National & State Parks In New York You Have To Visit
Need an excuse to leave the city? New York’s state and national parks protect deep gorges and solitary lakes that stretch from the Hudson Valley to the Southern Tier. Many now undisturbed places were once private estates or commercial resorts, but have been opened to the public. What gives them their status as parks is the preservation of the landscape in a way that does not overwhelm it. Trails run on the cliffs, in the river valleys, and past the historic structures where their homes once stood. These five parks are not merely dots on a map. They are habitable landscapes where natural history and human presence continue to shape one another.
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Situated on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain Ridge, more than 2,000 feet above sea level, this preserve blends height with horizon. Begin your visit at the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center, which offers scenic overlooks, a geology exhibit, and maps to help you plan your route. Then, walk the Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road Loop, a gravel path circling the lake with views of cliffs, pine barrens, and open sky. From the loop, take a short path to Awosting Falls, where water plunges 60 feet from a rock shelf into a wide pool.
In the afternoon, follow the trail up to Sam’s Point, a high plateau with rare pitch pine and dwarf pine ecosystems. It is one of the most dramatic overlooks in the Shawangunks. If you are staying overnight, the Minnewaska Lodge, located on the edge of the park, offers easy access to trailheads and a quiet forest setting.
Watkins Glen State Park
Did you know the gorge was once considered a hassle by early settlers? Once thought to be an obstacle to farming, Watkins Glen became the site of a sawmill and a gristmill, essentially where the parking lot is today. Start your visit at the Watkins Glen Visitor Center, where you will learn how the gorge formed and how it came to be one of New York’s most popular parks. Then, follow the Gorge Trail, where water has carved out 19 waterfalls and left behind stone walkways.
At Cavern Cascade, the path slips behind a thin curtain of water within a narrow gorge chamber. A few minutes later, Rainbow Falls sparkles in the afternoon sun, with water running down the path. Climb the 180 steps of Jacob’s Ladder to the Central Pavilion and Picnic Area to rest, eat, and enjoy the expansive views looking down from above the gorge.
Letchworth State Park
This park follows the Genesee River through a deep gorge, earning it the name “Grand Canyon of the East.” Begin your day at Middle Falls, where spray rises from the gorge at sunrise. Walk to Upper Falls, then take the Gorge Trail, which passes all three waterfalls and leads to overlooks such as Inspiration Point, where the river cuts through a canyon of layered rock.
Next, visit the William Pryor Letchworth Museum, followed by the Council Grounds, where a Seneca Council House and log cabin preserve early life in the region. Stop at the Autism Nature Trail, an accessible path for visitors of all abilities. For something unforgettable, Balloons Over Letchworth offers hot air balloon rides above the gorge, launching at sunrise and sunset. End your day at the historic Glen Iris Inn, once Letchworth’s home, now a quiet place for dinner or a night’s stay next to Middle Falls.
Allegany State Park
Located on the western edge of New York near the Pennsylvania border, this park protects more than 64,000 acres of forest, streams, and ridges. Begin at the Old Quaker Store Museum, which tells the story of the park’s Civilian Conservation Corps beginnings and early wilderness planning. Then, walk the Bear Caves Trail, where you will pass between moss-covered boulders and find air pockets left by glacial ice.
In the Red House District, visit Thunder Rocks, a field of massive boulders scattered across a wooded slope. Then, explore the Allegany Bird Conservation Area, where patient watchers may spot barred owls, scarlet tanagers, and wood thrushes. Wrap up your trip on the Art Roscoe Trail System, which includes segments lined with old-growth trees and hilltop views of the park’s rolling valleys.
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls drops 215 feet, making it one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls east of the Rockies. Begin at the Taughannock Falls Overlook Visitors Center, where you can see the falls from above and pick up a trail map or join a ranger-led program. Ready yourself and hike the Taughannock Falls via Gorge Trail, a flat riverside path that brings you to the waterfall’s base, framed by cliffs nearly 400 feet high. For a more challenging route, loop back using parts of the South Rim or North Rim Trails for elevated views.
End the day along Cayuga Lake, where Paddle-N-More at Taughannock Falls State Park rents paddleboards and kayaks. You can relax at the lakeside picnic area, swim at the beach, or watch the sun go down from the marina’s quiet dock.
The Land As It Is
These parks preserve more than a view. Watkins Glen protects the gorge that early settlers tried to tame. Letchworth guards its Native American sites and the bluffs that fed generations of visitors. Minnewaska combines altitude with access. Its cliffs offer paths with quiet water below. Allegany protects its interior wilderness with boulders, trails, and seasonal birds. Taughannock Falls keeps its dramatic gorge open to both hikers and paddlers. These places remain clear in design and purpose, shaped carefully by both nature and history. This is far from being wilderness forgotten. It is land that still captures the heart and soul of visitors.
