~ Watkins Glen State Park ~
FIRST OFF if you don't want to see some AWESOME PICTURES turn back now!
First I will let you in on some SUPER fun facts...
Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. Campers and day-visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, scheduled summer tours through the gorge, tent and trailer campsites, picnic facilities and excellent fishing in nearby Seneca Lake or Catherine Creek, which is renowned for its annual spring run of rainbow trout.Awesome huh !
This was so, so, so, fun! Perfect FREE activity to do with the kids and EVERYONE who comes to visit us!
Again I can't help but think of the fun my sister in-laws would have with their fancy cameras. (and we would love to see them)
There were so many waterfalls, I don't dare count and miss some of them! It is amazing that there are these "Gorges" all over New York, and how pretty they are to walk through.
Kory and the kids at the beginning of the hike! DRY the waterfalls and random streams make for a little bit of a wet hike but nothing to crazy.
It was amazing how high up you were sometimes.
I love to see how the water has carved the rock.
you can see the people in the picture ABOVE: up to the left and see how small they look and it gives you an idea of how big of a "gorge" we are in.
"The Family"
A wider waterfall.
This waterfall you got to go underneath ! Maddi thought this only happened in MOVIES!
Going under!
Me and the kiddos.
Oh my, I wish I had a camera that could capture the sun rays coming through the top of the mountain and down onto the rock and water... It was the perfect time of day and the weather!
It was amazing how simple the stream of water looks and the closer you get you see all the elevation changes and the zig and zags!
Liam trying really hard to CHEESE!
Look @ the LIGHT coming in!
what the hiking path looked like...
Went through a few caves that were carved out of the Mountain, the kids thought it was cool to be in a Mt.
The different elevations were to die for!
Love the coloring in this one!
blurry but another waterfall...
COULD BE MY FAVORITE... AHHH I THINK THAT IS HEAVEN ABOVE PEAKING IN!!!
WALKING under ANOTHER waterfall...
This is the waterfall we just walked under, had another picture of how high this fall started up but it was super blurry :o(
Another good one!
Super cool bridge with super cool people on it!
OK, need to make a post card out of this one!!!
it was so pretty I could have spent all day there, but Poor Maddi had to piddle a little over half way through so the entire last part we BOOKED it through, it's not bad enough you have to go to the bathroom but to have to listen to the sound of trickling water the whole time makes it hard. But I will be go back some day and get to see it all again!
Through out the whole hike if you looked up you could see this!
and this...
This picture shows a little bit of the over hang of the mountain that at some points scared me, but figured it was safe enough!
It is amazing how nothing looked the same, it was all so new and exciting you just wanted to stop every five steps to take pictures!!
Loved the sun coming through the top of the mountains!
This was to cute! After the immediate POTTY BREAK, we had packed a sack lunch (we were super hungry) so why Kory rode a shuttle down to our van we played on the toys! Again super fun NEW TOYS and some new friends!
Kael is so comfortable about making friends sometimes she gets a little in their beaks... bless her heart!
Both the girls have really learned and loved the FIREMAN POLE, so we look and gravitate towards them @ every park.
Liam is alot like Kael free spirited and open minded just don't say hi or wave cause then he melts and becomes SUPER SHY!
Kory pulled the camera out to take a picture of the picnic and the battery died, we weren't even sure we got this last picture, I am glad we did! As we were sitting eating Kory's ears perked up and he could hear bull elk bugling and HE LOVED IT! He said that 3 weeks out of the year the males (bull) elk do this to see who gets to mate with the females around... we found out there was an elk farm sharing the forest with the "gorge" and as we were driving out we saw them through a fence, we stopped and watched and listened. It was amazing to see them SO CLOSE and the sounds they were making was crazy, then 2 of the biggest bulls started to brawl and fight hitting their horns together... needless to say an EXCITING end to an AMAZING DAY! I know I will always remember these little trips and I hope the kids do too!
