Gorgeous waterfalls, deep scenic gorge, roaring river, and a lush forest… what a majestic beauty the Letchworth State Park is! No wonder why Letchworth State Park is known as “Grand Canyon of the East”. Letchworth State Park is one of the most magnificent state parks in the Finger Lakes region in the state of New York, USA. Letchworth State park is roughly 17 miles long and spreads over 14,427 acres of beautiful lush landscape. The Genesee river roars and runs through the deep scenic gorge and cliffs as high as 600 feet. The park offers over 66 miles of excellent marked hiking trails with jaw dropping views of stunning waterfalls surrounded by lush forests. The picture perfect Upper Falls is 70 feet high and gives an impression of a picture framed by an active railroad. The largest and most spectacular among the three falls is the 107 feet high, about 285 feet wide curtain like Middle falls. Though the 50 feet Lower Falls is not easily accessible compared to other two astonishing waterfalls, the trail provides excellent views of deep scenic gorge along the hike to the viewpoint. The park looks amazing in every season, but the park turns into a colorful masterpiece in fall. The 17 mile road runs through the park making it easy to access the amazing vista points that offer different angles of impressive gorge and picturesque waterfalls.
These photos are from Fall 2014 and Summer 2010.
A deep view of the Genesee River winding through the rocky cliffs of the Letchworth State Park gorge. 
A wide, powerful waterfall known as Middle Falls at Letchworth State Park 
The Upper Falls at Letchworth State Park 
Upper Falls 
Upper Falls 
Upper Falls 
Upper Falls 
Upper Falls 
Gorge Trail 
Middle Falls 
Gorge Trail 
Middle Falls 
Gorge Trail 
Gorge Trail 
Middle Falls Overlook 
Middle Falls 
Lower Falls Trail 
View from Stone Bridge 
Lower Falls Trail 
Upper and Middle Falls, Inspiration Point Overlook 
Lower Falls 
Lower Falls Trail 
Great Bend Overlook 
Great Bend Overlook in Letchworth State Park 
Eddy’s Overlook 
Eddy’s Overlook
Quick Facts and Tips
- The park is open year round.
- Best time to Visit: Summer and Fall. Be prepared for the crowd in Summer to Fall.
- Check for road closure and trail condition at The Park’s Website.
- Lodging options are limited as the Letchworth State Park is located in a rural area. But, the park offers hundreds of campsites and cabins.
- There is a $10 entrance fee per vehicle.
- There are four entrances to the park. The Portageville and Castile entrances are closest and provide the best access to the waterfalls and the gorge views.
- The Upper Falls is easily accessed by the Falls Area parking lot and heading upstream a short distance.
- An easy, paved 7 mile Gorge Trail is the most popular and offers amazing views of Upper and Middle falls at the overlooks.
- A half mile descending 127 stone steps trail to a stone footbridge leads to the viewpoint of beautiful Lowe Falls. Take caution as the trail can get muddy and very slippery.
- Inspiration Point Overlook offers the breathtaking view of both the Upper and Middle Falls.
- There is very limited cellphone service in the park.
- There are amenities like a pool, playground, athletic fields, restaurant, gift shop and restrooms.
- The park hosts seasonal activities like festivals, cultural events, history and performing arts programs, guided walks, whitewater rafting, hot-air ballooning, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Leave a Reply