Watkins Glen

I wanted to say that this post is a milestone as far as previous entries go. I wanted to say that this was the farthest destination I've documented. But if I claimed that, I'd be lying. After all, I did briefly post some photos of New Orleans, which is significantly farther from me than Watkins Glen. (That post was rather lack-luster I will admit.)

What I can say though, is that this park was truly a destination. It was profound. I had never experienced a landscape like that before and I was totally blown away. First off, I don't doubt that walking through the trail astounds everyone, but I had the pleasure of taking the long way which made all the difference.

My friend and I somehow couldn't initially find the "official" entrance to the park, but found another parking area at least a mile away from the main trail. From the beginning it was gorgeous. The bluish water meandered down below us as we walked through groves of hemlock. Eventually the trail leveled out with the water and we were led to a wood and stone structure. Honestly, if I could live in a little house that looked like it, I'd be absolutely happy. There's something about the way the rough timbers fit together and the rugged, oversized stones of the fireplace that seemed inviting. It seemed like a relic of another time-- which realistically, it almost definitely was. Stuff like that gives me that odd sort of nostalgia for a time I've never actually experienced. It was also nice that it as right next to an exceptionally peaceful pond. There was quite a nice flock of red-winged blackbirds flitting in and out of the grasses (phragmites?) in the pond.

We continued on our path and eventually passed by a pretty cool bridge. (PSA: I'm kind of fascinated by bridges.)

As if the trail up to this point hadn't been glorious enough, when we reached the main trail I was blown away. It's almost a crime that not every person in the US, let alone even every resident of NY gets to experience this sort of beauty. To walk the trails and see the awesome way that water has carved its way through layers upon layers of rock was something so unique and so breath-taking, I'm tempted to call it a transcendental experience. God may or may not exist, but nature does and, wow, is she something to behold.

Mmm, strata

Sorry cute couple. Gotcha.

Sensual curves

For all of those interested in the history of Watkins Glen State Park, it's been open to the public since 1863. Initially it was run as tourist resort, until it was purchased by the State in 1906. You can thank Mr. Morvalden Ells for its success in becoming the destination it is today. He had moved to the village of Watkins (named after the Samuel Watkins, originally of New York City, who, along with his brothers, played in instrumental part in its establishment) from Elmira to purchase the local paper. He was a newpaper editor by trade who had a flair for marketing. I can't help but think that he must have felt the same special connection to the place that I did. After all, he did write a rather descriptive article on the place for the paper and was afterwards inspired to get the public to it. He formed a partnership with its owner at the time, George Freer.

Following the establishment of his partnership, Ells commissioned people to clear pathways, build stairs, and a gated entrance. Initially it was called Freer's Glen and was met with quite a bit of success. Within only two years of its opening, it became nationally recognized with articles across the country being published about it. The Glen then changed hands in 1869 to E.B. Parsons, a wealthy entrepreneur from Troy. It continued to grow as a tourist destination, particularly with the construction of The Swiss Chalet and the Watkins Sanitarium. The Watkins Sanitarium later became the Glens Springs Sanitarium, which drew international recognition for its healing waters.

The Glen ended up changing hands a few more times before being purchased by the State and it has evolved into what it is today.

What's pretty neat is that Mark Twain actually visited the gorge and wrote about it in "Roughing It:"

"In one place in the island of Hawaii, we saw a laced and ruffled cataract of limpid water leaping from a sheer precipice fifteen hundred feet high; but that sort of scenery finds its stanchest ally in the arithmetic rather than in spectacular effect. If one desires to be so stirred by a poem of Nature wrought in the happily commingled graces of picturesque rocks, glimpsed distances, foliage, color, shifting lights and shadows, and failing water, that the tears almost come into his eyes so potent is the charm exerted, he need not go away from America to enjoy such an experience. The Rainbow Fall, in Watkins Glen (N.Y.), on the Erie railway, is an example. It would recede into pitiable insignificance if the callous tourist drew on arithmetic on it; but left to compete for the honors simply on scenic grace and beauty–the grand, the august and the sublime being barred the contest–it could challenge the old world and the new to produce its peer."

If you're interested in more of the history of Watkins Glen, I highly suggest visiting this page and this page.

Also notable, are some pretty sick pictures of the meager remnants of Glen Springs Sanitarium. The main building was unfortunately torn down in the 90s. More can be found here.