Highbanks Recreation Loop

The Highbanks Recreation Loop explores the northern sector of Letchworth State Park where the Genesee River gorge reaches its most imposing depth, with canyon walls rising 600 feet from the river far below. This 4-mile circuit departs from the Highbanks Campground area and traces the east rim through mature maple and beech forest interrupted by dramatic rim overlooks that plunge vertically to the Genesee River. Unlike the popular southern gorge trails crowded around the famous falls, Highbanks attracts a fraction of the visitor traffic, providing a more meditative experience of the canyon's scale. The loop passes through a section of old-growth hemlock protected by the park since the early 1900s, with trees exceeding 200 years old and trunks four feet in diameter shading a dense carpet of wood sorrel and fern. Several unsigned side paths lead to unofficial rim viewpoints where the full sweep of the northern gorge becomes visible on clear days. Hot air balloons frequently drift over the gorge in summer mornings, launching from the meadow adjacent to the Glen Iris Inn to the south. The trail is well-marked with yellow blazes and remains passable year-round, though icy rim sections require caution in January and February.