“To us leaf peepers who get excited every year during fall, our visit to Letchworth State Park wasn’t just a coincidence. As we watched the 110-drop waterfall crash into the Genesee River Gorge leaving behind rich mist sprinkles in the air, the lush patches of fall foliage on the Archery Field Overlook, the convenience the park had laid out to everyone we were convinced that we made the right choice.”




Voted as #1 state park in the US and also known as Grand Canyon of the East, I felt that many may not have heard or known of Letchworth State Park, thanks to its big brother Niagara Falls (1.5 hours) in the vicinity. But boy, how wrong I was! The parking lot at the Middle and Upper Falls was almost full by the afternoon and visitors were in thousands.



We had gone on the weekend of 19-20 Oct. The drive from Newark, New Jersey is about 5 hours. We also stopped at Walmart Corning to stock up our road trip food. If you ask me whether the fall foliage was at its peak on the weekend that we had gone, I would say, our road trip to Letchworth State Park had plethora of places en route where we could view the peak fall foliage.





However, the foliage at Letchworth left me confused. There was enough white frost on the lush green grass to make it a perfect scenery especially in the morning however as the day cleared, the fall seemed mid peak. At places we felt that it was yet to come. At some others we felt that due to frost, the leaves were already shedding. I am writing this because, perhaps you can still take your chance this weekend to go and view it. If you are lucky enough, you might see fall at its peak (the colors look better on Fall Foliage on IloveNY) for this weekend. Going by the foliage map, this weekend seems to be a better viewing weekend in the region.




Fact: There is hardly any cellular network inside the state park but there are phones in the park.

Why we went there?

Prior to our visit, we had seen some amazing Instagram pictures online of the waterfall with the sight of Hot air balloon over the waterfall and lush fall foliage surrounding it, and we were inspired. Turns out those pictures were from the famous inspiration point in the park. “How could we miss such a beautiful place?” we thought to ourselves.

Whether you are a novice hiker or a laidback driver this park is all about choices you are given on the table. Do you wish to hike the Middle and Upper Falls? If yes, then take the rimmed trail. The trail is easy and more like an evening walk. If you still do not wish to hike, you do have an option to park nearest to the waterfall. The lower falls also gives you options – whether to take the easy trail route and a normal trail route that has steps. This park is all about choices, and each choice makes it so easy to see the prime spots in the park.


If you are hungry, there are eateries in the park including the Glen Iris Inn formally a country estate of William Letchworth overlooking Middle Falls that serves good food.

5 Things to do in Letchworth State Park

1. Visit the Visitor Center first: There are 5 entrances to the park - Mount Morris, Perry, Castile, Portageville, and the Parade Grounds. There is vehicle use fee of $10 per car. Your first visit in the park should be Visitor Center. The Visitor Center rangers give you adequate information and maps on where to go and what to see in your timeframe. If you want to save some time, and have just half a day, enter through Portageville entrance at the SW end of the park.
   
2. Visit the Middle and Upper Falls region: There are various vantage points from an easy paved road. You can drive from one fall to the next or walk on the trail. The view of Upper Fall with the bridge has the most photogenic view, whereas the Middle Falls looks wider and closer from the trail. You need to hike on a few stairs at the Upper Fall trail if you are on the trail.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   If you are hungry eat at Glen Iris Inn, we had French Onion soup and it was great!
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Visit the various vista points including the popular Inspiration point & Archery Field Overlook: The Archery Field Overlook is a wide overlook that gives us a wide view of the Canyons and the Genesee River flowing down below. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The Tea Table overlook provides visitors with a beautiful view of the valley and in the distance Wolf Creek Cascade. There are many overlooks on the road as you drive. Another popular spot is the Great Bend just north of Archery Field Overlook. The best place to photograph sunrise would be Archery Field Overlook and the best place to photograph sunset would be inspiration point
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Visit the Lower Falls: There are two hikes in the lower falls region (the easy route - i.e. the route with the view from the top) and 127 steps to the bottom of the falls. We did both. One thing to note about lower falls is though, that during our visit last weekend, the stone bridge was closed, and after a few steps hike from the 127 steps, we witnessed marshy wet mud land. The view was great of the Lower Falls but the hike after the steps necessarily isn’t.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Visit the Mount Morris Dam: We had entered through Mount Morris. In fact, our first stop while entering in the area was of the sunrise over Genesee River. We also got to see the view of the Dam. The Mount Morris Dam area also has the Giant Chair made mostly from cedar limbs, the chair is 9 ½ feet tall and about 4 ½ feet wide and deep. There are free guiding tours of the Dam that runs from April to Oct (Monday to Thursday - 2pm, Friday to Sunday - 11am and 2pm)

3 More Things to Do Near Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park is a boon for outdoor enthusiasts and the places around it has plenty to enjoy as well. Here are some of the recommendations that I read about from the Visitor Center Guidebook:

1. Hot Air Ballooning over Letchworth: Soar over Letchworth State Park in a hot air balloon and be awe-stuck as you pass over the 600-foot rock wall up of the Genesee River Gorge and the Middle Falls. Letchworth State Park also hosts Red, White and Blue Balloon Rally on the Memorial Day weekend.
2. Whitewater rafting over Genesee River: Tame the 5.5 miles of whitewater in the Genesee River as you raft through the Grand Canyon of the east with Adventure Calls Outfitters.
3. The Arcade and Attica Railroad: The Arcade and Attica railroad is one of the only steam locomotive excursion trains in New York and it's an enjoyable 2-hour ride. This weekend they are also having Ale and Cider Tasters Special Train Ride (5pm) and next weekend they are having Haunted Halloween Train Rides (11 am and 2pm).

You can also enjoy drive in movie at Charcoal Corral & Silver Lake Twin, Rodeo at Attica Rodeo, Up close with exotic animals at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, Wyoming County Barn Quilt Trail ( a growing moment and the county is home to over 100 handprinted wooden quilt blocks), Letchworth Arts and Crafts Show in mid-October, AppleUmpkin Craft Festival,Agri Palooza (Spend the day on a working county farm in June),New York Maple Weekend’s (March) to name a few of the other things to do in the region.

We did not stay in Letchworth State Park. But you can. There are plenty of campsites (inside the state park and outside), cabins, motels and hotels in the area. We drove and stayed in Finger Lakes.

Everyone who visits the USA, goes once to Niagara Falls without knowing what could have shaped today’s Niagara. It was in the 1800s when Niagara became a mecca for the ordinary, and was a magnet for extraordinary daredevil act where Braveheart's would risk all for that one moment of Glory. Imagine what could have been running though the mind of daredevil woman Annie who crossed the Niagara Falls in a Barrell? We also learnt that Niagara Falls may not be there anymore in 10,000 years. 



While 10,000 years is a long time, today at Jet Boat Niagara 2 miles away from the base of the falls, we were screaming with excitement as our boat spinned 360 degrees in class VI rapids just before the red stone painted by the Coast Guard in a region bordering Canada. Our guide told us; this part is indeed Canada. How many of you knew that the massive power of Niagara Falls and the Niagara river is being utilized as a useful source of Hydroelectric Power? Did you know that the Old Fort Niagara was a fortification used as an active center for Beaver Fur Trade across Maritime waters and was also one of the main entrances of Niagara Falls and anyone entering/leaving will have to pay? Did you know we also had the deadliest battle – battle of Lundy’s Lane (also known as the battle of Niagara Falls) in the region?

“George Bird Grinnell, the father of the Glacier National Park called it the crown of the continent. The crown means jewel, right? And some of these Jewels from the park are – the Moose, the Glacial and Alpine lakes, the Glaciers, the Grizzlies, the Old Forests with Lichens, the Waterfalls etc. There are two Ranger led hikes from Many Glacier to the Grinnell Valley – The Grinnell Glacier Boat Tour and Hike (8.5 hours, strenuous 8 mile) & Grinnell Valley Boat Tour and Hike (4 hours, easy 2.5 mile). The hike to the Grinnell Lake and forward to Grinnell Glacier is a plethora of spectacular scenery of Valleys and Mountains and old forests that makes it all worthwhile. I love treading in the icy cold water of Grinnell Lake.”


                                The view of the Grinnell Lake from Grinnell Glacier Trail

Grinnell Lake Hike - Easy

To shorten the hiking effort, one can also take Boat tours by Glacier Park Boat Company from Many Glacier Hotel that is a 2-lake cruise with a 0.25 mile walk over moderate hills between the Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes.

We took the reservation of the boat ($28 – 8:30 am, 9:00am, 11:00, 1:00,2:00,3:00,4:30) a day before. The ranger led valley boat tour and hike requires you to take tickets.

                                View of Swiftcurrent Lake from Many Glacier Hotel


                                                   0.25 mile hike between the lakes 




You can also start hiking from the Many Glacier hotel itself, however since cruises are more convenient plus those are active bear habitat we chose not to add onto extra on our hike. But there are many people who were seen hiking from the Many Glacier hotel.

Also, keep in mind that the last boat is at 5:15 especially if you plan to hike further onto the trail to Grinnell Glacier post the lake. We luckily could catch the last cruise, but we could have had been easily late should the trail was open till the Grinnell Glacier Overlook.

“Saint Mary Lake is the second-largest lake in Glacier National Park. The Wildlife conservations would say that GNP is a wildlife park. The Geologists would say it is a Geology Park. But it is neither a Wildlife park nor a Geology park, Glacier National Park in Montana is mainly a water park. Without water, this park would not be what it is today. Today we were hiking to the St. Mary’s Falls, where when on reaching there, we paused for a moment closing our eyes, and assimilating and finding meaning in all the sounds that we heard. I have had never felt a waterfall like that before with my eyes closed. It sounded like a thunderstorm sound with heavy downpour of rain with sounds of water gushing in like how water gushes in floods everywhere. It was intense”



St. Mary Lake is located on the east side of Glacier National Park. It was a walk away from the Rising Sun Campground. We took the 3.5-hour ranger led guided hike “Boat Tour and Hike to St. Mary Falls". We cruised St. Mary Lake and heard stories about how Glacial forces sculpted the landscape. We also did the optional 3-mile hike to St. Mary Fall. You have to get into a boat by Glacier Park Boat Company from the boat dock at Rising Sun (10:00,12:00,2:00,4:00,6:30).

Other Posts I really liked on St. Mary Falls:
HikinginGlacier

My Previous Posts on Glacier National Park:
Iceberg Lake Trail
Logan Pass and Hidden Lake Trail
Glacier National Park First Come First Serve Camping
A week in Glacier National Park: 20 Tips to get you started!

“Just as I was staring at the handful of clouds above that created beautiful time lapse over floating icebergs on an aquamarine lake, I felt the deep air of fresh crisp air and nostalgia combined. Iceberg Lake trail is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful & pleasant hikes in the park and as our ranger said, no two days are the same here. Few folks were so excited that they jumped into the icy cold water right away! We however thoroughly enjoyed the soundscape and the smell-scape and the visual retreat the trail to Iceberg lake awakened in us”.



Date Visited: 4th July 2018

The whole hike is astoundingly stunning – I may run out of words to describe how pristine I felt there. The hike takes you through plenty of Spring Flowers and Shrubs and Bear Grass in early July, through Wild Thimbleberry shrubs, through Wildfire areas, through views of Mountain Goats on the cliffs, through Colorful rocks, through several trickles beneath your feet, through Pink Snow due to growth of Pink Algae in the Snow that smells like Watermelon, through several views of Valleys and Mountains, through insights on Snowfields and receding Glaciers, through vegetation that needs no trampling on, through waterfalls. If any hike has a final and an all-embracing motive it surely would be to hike here with an intent to soak on all the senses (visual and the smell and the feel of it) and let wild be!

“We loved that there were two flags – US & Canadian at the Logan Pass. Logan Pass is the highest point at Going to the Sun road and sits on the continental divide. This is the most popular area in the park where several hikes start including Hidden Lake trail (begins behind the Visitor Center) and Highline Trail (Runs across the road from the Visitor Center). 

Tip1: Always check the current condition in the park. Due to plenty of wildlife, some campsites could be closed for soft tents. Also, some trails could be closed.  You can find current condition here.




                      

Previous Posts on Glacier National Park
25 Tips to drive the iconic Going to the Sun Road
Glacier National Park | First Come First Serve Camping
A week in Glacier National Park | 20 Tips to get you started