Watkins Glen State Park features 19 waterfalls packed into a 1.5-mile stretch along the Gorge Trail. These waterfalls were carved by Glen Creek, which drops 400 feet through a rocky, 200-foot-deep gorge. It is a photographer’s dream, offering lovely compositions around every bend. Jeanine and I were last here ten years ago in the fall. I remember thinking at the time that it would be wonderful to return in spring when the falls are fuller. That instinct was correct, and this morning we were first into the gorge for another series of wonderful photos. Regretably, construction of a new bridge in the park left one of the most beautiful sections of the gorge off limits. Even more irritating (to a photographer), park management has allowed vegetation to grow unchecked, blocking some of the most ideal views of the falls. Had I thought to pack loppers, I would have put them to good use. Even with these limitations, our visit was magical.

After we toured the park, we had breakfast in town before exploring more waterfalls in the immediate area. First up was Aunt Sarah’s Falls.

Eagle Cliff Falls normally attracts a horde of people frolicking in the basin. It was still early enough in the day that we had the place to ourselves.

Hector Falls can be easily photographed from a pullout on the bridge that traverses it. I was all too happy to do so, given that my knees were starting to complain about all the climbing of the past few days. If not for Jeanine’s observation, I would not have realized that three-quarters of the cascade was on the other side of the bridge, visible only from Seneca Lake or by drone.