This western New York gorge beat over 6,000 state parks to win best in America

It’s won best state park in America

Letchworth State Park stretches 14,427 acres across western New York, about 35 miles south of Rochester.

The Genesee River carved a gorge through it with cliffs that rise 600 feet, and three major waterfalls line up along the water like steps.

In 2015, readers of USA Today picked it as the best state park in the country out of more than 6,000 parks. It took the Best New York Attraction award two years later.

The park runs from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day of the year, and most people don’t know it exists.

A buffalo businessman saved the falls from a dam

The Seneca people called this land Sehgahunda, meaning “Vale of Three Falls.” They believed Middle Falls was so beautiful that it made the sun pause at midday.

In 1859, a Buffalo businessman named William Pryor Letchworth bought land near the falls and built the Glen Iris Estate, named for the Greek goddess of rainbows.

When developers came up with plans for a hydroelectric dam, he fought them off. In 1906, he donated 1,000 acres to New York State.

He lived on the property until he died in 1910.

Walk between three waterfalls in under two miles

Upper Falls drops 70 feet near the Portageville entrance, framed by the Genesee Arch Bridge overhead.

Middle Falls is the big one at 107 feet, and you can stand at the Glen Iris Inn just steps away and watch it pound the rocks below. Lower Falls takes a short hike down stone steps toward the river, another 70-foot drop.

From May through October, the park lights up Middle Falls after dark. You can see all three in a 1.8-mile walk.

One trail gives you every waterfall and the bridge

The Gorge Trail runs seven miles along the canyon rim and passes all three waterfalls. It’s well-marked, well-maintained, and open year-round.

The highlight is Inspiration Point, where you can see Middle Falls, Upper Falls, and the railroad bridge all in one look. If seven miles sounds like a lot, you can drive between parking areas and tackle shorter sections.

Most people start at Upper Falls and walk to Lower Falls, which covers about 1.8 miles one way.

Bald eagles fly over 66 miles of trails

Beyond the Gorge Trail, the park has 66 miles of paths in total. The Finger Lakes Trail runs 24 miles along the entire east side, from Portageville to Mount Morris.

On the north end, the Highbanks Trail passes the Dam Overlook and Hogsback Overlook, where the gorge opens up below you.

Trails here also work for horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing when winter comes.

The National Audubon Society named the park an Important Bird Area, so keep your eyes up for bald eagles and great blue herons.

Float over the gorge in a hot air balloon

Balloons Over Letchworth launches right next to Middle Falls. You lift off and the gorge, the waterfalls, and the farmland beyond all spread out beneath you.

The company is family-owned with FAA-certified commercial pilots, and flights run mornings and evenings, Monday through Saturday, from May through mid-October. The weather has the final say on whether you go up.

Book ahead if you can, because evening and weekend flights fill up fast. There’s no other way to see the park from this angle.

A hidden 225-foot waterfall you can only see from the river

The Genesee River runs through Class I and II rapids through the gorge, which makes it a good fit for beginners and families. Adventure Calls Outfitters runs guided rafting, kayaking, and canoeing trips between the canyon walls.

The real payoff comes when you reach Wolf Creek Falls, which drops 225 feet into the gorge. That’s taller than any of the park’s three main waterfalls.

You can’t see the full thing from any trail. The only way to take it in is from the water.

Sleep in a 110-year-old inn above Middle Falls

William Pryor Letchworth’s old home has been a country inn since 1914, one of the oldest lodgings inside any New York state park. The Glen Iris Inn sits on a cliff directly over Middle Falls.

It has 15 guest rooms in period style, including four luxury suites, and some rooms look straight out at the water.

Caroline’s Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with outdoor seating on a veranda where the sound of the falls carries up to you. The inn stays open from April through October.

The country’s first autism nature trail starts here

On October 1, 2021, the park opened the Autism Nature Trail, the first trail in the United States designed for visitors on the autism spectrum.

The one-mile loop near the Humphrey Nature Center has eight sensory stations built into the path. One is a Music Circle with nature-inspired instruments.

Another, the Sunshine Slope, has cuddle swings and an “Alone Zone.” The Meadow Run area gives kids room to climb and jump.

The trail is ADA-compliant and wheelchair accessible, and it cost more than $3.3 million in private funds to build and maintain.

A captured colonist chose to stay with the Seneca forever

Behind the Glen Iris Inn, the Council Grounds hold a Revolutionary War-era Seneca Council House and a cabin that belonged to Mary Jemison’s daughter Nancy.

Jemison was captured as a child during the French and Indian War, adopted by the Seneca, and chose to live among them for the rest of her life.

Her grave sits on a bluff above Middle Falls, marked by a bronze statue on a granite pedestal.

Across from the inn, the William Pryor Letchworth Museum displays Seneca artifacts and pioneer history at no extra charge.

Hike into the gorge to the top of a 250-foot dam

The Mount Morris Dam stands at the park’s north end, 250 feet tall and 1,028 feet across. The Army Corps of Engineers finished it in 1954, and it’s the largest dam of its kind east of the Mississippi.

From April through October, rangers lead free walking tours that take you on a steep one-mile hike into the gorge and up to the top of the dam.

From there, you get a view of the canyon that most visitors never see. It’s worth the climb.

Frozen waterfalls and an ice volcano in winter

When snow hits, the gorge turns white and ice formations wrap around the waterfalls. A fountain near the Glen Iris sometimes builds into a large “ice volcano” as layers freeze on top of each other.

You can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile on marked trails, or try snow tubing.

The crowds that pack the park in summer thin out fast once the temperature drops, so you’ll have long stretches of trail to yourself.

The park stays open year-round, and winter might be its quietest and most dramatic season.

Explore Letchworth State Park in New York

You can reach Letchworth from six different entrances, with Mount Morris, Perry, Castile, and Portageville getting the most traffic. The park sits about 35 miles south of Rochester and 60 miles southeast of Buffalo.

From Memorial Day through Columbus Day, you’ll pay a vehicle entrance fee. If you’re a New York resident aged 62 or older, you get in free on weekdays.

Check the official website before you go for current hours and seasonal details.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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