Once I reached the goal of my group's first hike, I realized why people call Letchworth State Park "the Grand Canyon of the East." The Genesee River has cut through layers of rock known as the Genesee Gorge, creating a beautifully sculpted picture that's (in my opinion) prettier than touristy Niagara Falls and on par with faraway Dunns River Falls in Jamaica. What's best about Letchworth's falls is that they can be seen at the end of many a trail, of which there are 26 in all inside the park. I hiked along three of these trails today (the 26 compose over 67 miles of the land in the park) and went in some restricted areas. Don't tell!

I was able to see these fabulous views without paying an extra penny above the $5 entrance fee that my friends and I payed to park the car within the confines of the park. As far as I know, hikers must pay at certain spots (at the extreme northern and southern ends of the park) to get the best glimpses of the Genesee Gorge. I was able to climb up and walk along a railroad bridge that gave a terrific view of Upper Falls, wade in water (although signs read PUBLIC BARRED FROM RIVERBED - use your own discretion) and hike at Wolf Bridge, and hike along the Lower Falls. Even though it had rained this morning and the trails and rocks were wet, my friends and I all managed to stay on our feet - no trails were too tricky or involved in their climbs or descents.

All of the trails that I went on today contained a degree of climbing - stone steps are abundant at Letchworth. If you decide to travel here on a warm day, make sure you bring sunscreen, sunglasses and water as the shops/stands within the park are (as is to be expected) pricey. Today, my friends and I discovered that our biggest discomfort was caused by the many annoying little bugs that constantly swarmed around, despite frequent applications of bug spray. However, we still managed to enjoy ourselves tossing around a frisbee after eating a picnic lunch (there are a lot of picnic grounds at Letchworth - make sure you get a map at the entrance so that you know your options for this and all of the other places that interest you. The park is big, and the winding roads can eat up much of your day... Especially if you find yourself driving trapped behind a slow winnebago.)

There are two giant, sparkling blue pools (one is pretty close to the main entrance, and one is at the other end of the park) if you're not one to balk at the idea of ignoring the PUBLIC BARRED FROM RIVERBED signs and are willing to pay $2 per head for the pool and locker facilities. There are also numerous historical sites in the park, including William Letchworth's summer home, now an inn and restaurant (called Glen Iris) and a museum. Weddings and other events often take place in the less woodsy, more elegant parts of the park, often leading to crowds - today, this was hardly a problem, as my friends and I got around and found parking spots easily.

Letchworth offers a variety of entertainment options other than hiking, biking and swimming - horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, fishing and camping are also activities that the I-Love-New-Yorker can enjoy during their stay. Letchworth is a carry-in, carry-out state park.

If you need more information, check out these helpful websites:

www.wyomingcountyny.com (a website headlining Letchworth Park as a great place to visit in Wyoming County, NY.)

www.gorp.com (the guide to outdoor recreation and active travel.)



Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody