South Rim Trail

The South Rim Trail at Watkins Glen State Park offers the best elevated perspectives on the park's famous gorge without requiring hikers to navigate the wet stone steps of the Gorge Trail below. This 3-mile loop follows the canyon's southern rim, peering down through hemlock canopy into the 700-foot-deep slot where Glen Creek churns through sandstone bedrock. The rim sits 200 to 300 feet above the gorge floor, providing bird's-eye views of several waterfalls including the dramatic plunge of Cavern Cascade. Dogs are welcome on the South Rim Trail, making it the preferred route for hikers with pets. The trail surface is mostly compacted dirt with tree root steps, remaining accessible through winter when the gorge itself is closed due to ice hazards. At the upper end of the loop, hikers can descend via stone stairways to connect with the Gorge Trail and experience the canyon from both elevations. The South Rim also passes through mixed hardwood forest with exceptional fall foliage in mid-October when the maples and beeches turn golden against the evergreen hemlocks lining the gorge walls below.