From Watkins Glen State Park to Taughannock Falls, here are 5 notable Northeast landmarks
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Towering waterfalls, rugged terrain and iconic gorge trails are a major reason millions of people visit the New York state parks in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes region each year.
The stunning natural formations to explore within the parks also include hidden treasures such as small gullies to investigate, cascading waterfalls to climb and creeks to hike.
New York tourist attractions: Massive Seneca Park Zoo expansion outlined in Adam Bello's state of the county address
Summer vacation 2022: New York Road Trip Suggestions
Like most of the area’s topography, the parks are the result of the comings and goings of glaciers during the Ice Age. Whether on vacation for a week or only have an afternoon off from work, state parks are a low-cost form of entertainment that get you on your feet and in the open air.
Several state parks in the region have risen to iconic status, and here is a look at two hidden gems:
1. Taughannock Falls State Park
What: At 215 feet, Taughannock Falls is the highest vertical waterfall in the eastern United States.
Where: About 65 miles from Syracuse. 2227 Taughannock Park Rd, Ulysses, NY 14886
Why it’s a hidden gem: Most locals know about Taughannock Falls, but a second waterfall at the park is lesser known. A trail extends from the park office by the lake shore through a gorge to the base of the falls. The constant pouring of water has gradually eaten away at rock supporting it, which in 10,000 years has sculpted the gorge you must walk through to reach its base.
What to know: Native American legends played a role in the naming of the park. One says that Chief Taughannock, a Delaware Indian, was slain in battle against the Cayugas and the Senecas, and his body was thrown over the falls.
2. Westchester’s Rockefeller Preserve
What: The Rockefeller State Park Preserve encompasses more than 1,400 acres of land in central Westchester County and has long been a favorite spot for local walkers and hikers.
Where: About 35 miles from New York City. 125 Phelps Way, Pleasantville, NY 10570
Context: The Rockefeller family donated the original park land beginning in 1983 with a donation of 900 acres, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. In May, thousands of people visit the park to see its magnificent collection of tree peonies in full bloom.
Most important thing to know: Many of the carriage roads are accessible. One road passes by the foundation of Rockwood Hall, once the 220-room home of William Rockefeller. Its Olmsted-designed landscape, with its panoramic view of the Hudson River, is one of the prettiest areas of the park.
3. Plymouth Notch President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site
What: After the death of President Warren G. Harding, Vice President Calvin Coolidge was sworn into office in his father’s sitting room while visiting his family homestead in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.
Where: About 100 miles from Burlington. 136 Coolidge Memorial Rd, Plymouth, VT 05056
Why it’s a hidden gem: The town lay hidden in Windsor County, often overlooked for the town of Plymouth. Coolidge’s father, a notary public, stood by a kerosene lamp in the sitting room at 2:47 a.m. Aug. 3, 1923, and administered the oath of office to his son, the 30th president of the United States. This put this sleepy hamlet on the map.
Most important thing to know: The still-functioning Plymouth Notch post office, cheese factory and, most significantly, the homes where Coolidge was born and sworn in are among more than two dozen buildings on the grounds of the historic site east of Rutland.
4. Watkins Glen State Park
What: Watkins Glen State Park is a two-mile glen with 19 waterfalls cascading 400 feet and provides visitors campsites, tours, fishing and an Olympic-sized pool.
Where: About 90 miles from Syracuse. 1001 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Why it’s a hidden gem: Unlike most state parks in the area, the main entrance to Watkins Glen State Park is on a busy street in the village and has ice cream shops, restaurants and bed-and-breakfast resorts surrounding it.
Most important thing to know: Almost 200-foot shale walls surround visitors on three sides as they arrive. Glen Creek spits out the bottom of the wall in the center of the horseshoe and flows parallel to the lot.
5. Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
What: Take a docent-led tour of this amazing landmark of women’s suffrage. Nestled at 17 Madison St., the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House was the suffragette’s home for 40 years until she died at age 86 in 1906.
Where: About 70 miles from Buffalo. 18 Madison St, Susan B. Anthony, NY 14608
What to know: Many rooms in the house doubled as worksites and meeting places. In the guest room formerly belonging to her mother, Anthony penned resolutions and countless letters. In the attic study, she conveyed her life’s story to her biographer.
The house has gorgeous architecture and became the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s headquarters when she was its president.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Watkins Glen State Park among top places to visit in New York
