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Ricketts Glen
Start early, hike only what you can do safely, and spend time with a few strong falls rather than trying to force every possible composition. Dark forest light and wet stone can be beautiful, but they slow everything down.
Why pair Ricketts Glen and Watkins Glen on one trip?
I like pairing these parks because they give you two very different versions of Northeast waterfall country. Ricketts Glen is darker, greener, and more forest-driven. The waterfalls appear one after another through rock-strewn clefts, and the best compositions often come from slowing down and watching how the trail, water, ferns, and ledges fit together.
Watkins Glen feels more sculpted and architectural. The gorge is tighter, the stonework is part of the experience, and the trail moves over, under, and alongside waterfalls in a way that feels almost designed for photography. On a spring trip, the fresh greens and steady water flow give both parks the atmosphere I look for in finished waterfall prints.
My recommendation: Do not try to rush both parks in one long day. They deserve separate mornings. If photography matters, give each park its own early start and leave room for wet trails, changing light, and slower compositions.
Best time to visit in spring
For this trip, late spring is usually the sweet spot. The forests have started to green up, waterfalls tend to have better flow than late summer, and crowds are often lighter than peak vacation season. It is also a good time for long-exposure waterfall photography because overcast light and filtered forest shade are common.
Watkins Glen requires extra planning because the Gorge Trail is seasonal. New York State Parks lists the Gorge Trail as opening for the 2026 season on May 9 and notes that it typically closes in mid-October, depending on weather and conditions. Always check the official park page before driving, especially early or late in the season.
Ricketts Glen State Park: what to know before you hike
Ricketts Glen State Park is in northeastern Pennsylvania near Benton. The official Pennsylvania DCNR page describes it as a 13,193-acre park with the Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark, and a Falls Trail System that explores wild, free-flowing waterfalls through ancient rock clefts. Ganoga Falls is the tallest at 94 feet.
The park is beautiful, but this is not a casual paved waterfall overlook experience. Expect stone steps, wet rock, elevation change, slippery sections, and uneven footing. I would not carry more photography gear than you are willing to hike with carefully. A small tripod, lens cloths, rain cover, and a polarizer are more useful here than a heavy bag full of options.
- Best light: overcast mornings, light rain, or soft forest shade.
- Best subjects: water curtains, stone ledges, moss, ferns, trail bends, and layered gorge walls.
- Biggest challenge: keeping gear dry and taking your time on wet stone.
- Important: download the official map before visiting. Pennsylvania DCNR notes that cell service can be unpredictable in and around many state parks.
Watkins Glen State Park: why it photographs differently
Watkins Glen State Park is in New York's Finger Lakes region. The official New York State Parks page describes a gorge where the stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, creating 19 waterfalls along its course. The Gorge Trail is the classic experience, with stone steps, bridges, tunnels, and views that move through the spray of Cavern Cascade.
Compared with Ricketts Glen, Watkins Glen often feels tighter and more dramatic. You are working with stone walls, staircases, curves in the trail, and water dropping through a narrow space. It rewards wide-angle compositions, but it also rewards patience because people, mist, and bright patches of sky can make clean frames difficult.
- Best light: early morning, overcast, or soft light before harsh contrast fills the gorge.
- Best subjects: Cavern Cascade, Rainbow Falls area, layered steps, narrow channels, and water movement through the gorge.
- Biggest challenge: people in the frame and high contrast between bright sky and dark gorge walls.
- Important: pets are not allowed on the Gorge Trail, according to New York State Parks.
A simple two or three day route
If I were planning this as a focused waterfall photography trip, I would keep it simple. Start with Ricketts Glen, spend the night somewhere that makes the drive to the Finger Lakes manageable, then photograph Watkins Glen the next morning. A third day gives you room for weather, rest, sunrise scouting, or returning to whichever park had the better conditions.
A two-day trip works if you are comfortable with a busy pace. A three-day trip is much better if photography is the priority. Waterfall photography is slow work. You stop, wipe spray off the lens, adjust exposure, wait for people to pass, and rethink compositions as light changes.