Please join us on October 5th for an afternoon hike at Watkins Glen State Park, followed by a dish-to-pass social at Clute Park, on Seneca Lake. Watkins Glen is one of the most popular of our State Parks, with 778 acres of woodlands and a 400 foot deep gorge sliced into the hills to the southwest of Seneca Lake, complete with 19 waterfalls, rapids, potholes and plunge pools and architectural enhancements. Watkins Glen has been a public park since 1911 and a State Park since 1924. In the 1930s the CCC created the distinctive stone paths, stairs, walls, bridges and arches along the sides of the gorge.Watkins Glen is a busy place, and the east end of the main trail is currently closed for a bridge upgrade, so we will gather at nearby Clute Park and carpool over to South Entrance of the State Park, returning to the meeting point afterwards for our dish-to-pass social by the lake. 
Meet No Later Than 1:45 PM at Clute Park, 586 East 4th Street, Watkins Glen. At Clute Park we will sort ourselves into the Climber and Naturalist groups, and each group will stuff itself into a limited number of cars for transport to the South Entrance. The parking fee at the State Park is $10 per vehicle, to be shared by the vehicle occupants (or free with Empire State Pass).
HIKING ROUTES: From the South Entrance, Climbers will hike to the Suspension Bridge, crossing to the North Rim Trail and heading up to the Mile Point Bridge, returning on the South Rim Trail. This route has many steps! Naturalists will take the gentler route to Mile Point Bridge via the South Rim Trail and Glen Cathedral, returning past Lily Pond if time permits. At about 4PM, all hikers will return to the South Entrance Pavilion for the carpool back to Clute Park.
Social: For our optional post-hike social at Clute Park, please bring a dish to share, as well as a folding chair and your own beverage. Or make a $5 donation to our social fund and dig in!
Car-pooling to Watkins Glen: Please make your own arrangements for ride-sharing with folks from your neck of the woods.
DIRECTIONS to CLUTE PARK:
From Springwater: Route 15 south to I-390 South and I-86 East to NY-226 (Savona, Exit 40). Continue on NY-226 N, then 14A East to 14, and south on 14 to Watkins Glen. Once in Watkins Glen, continue on Route 14 to East 4th Street, also called Route 414N. Pass the Cargill Salt Plant on your left and WalMart on your right. Go over the bridge, and Clute Park will be on your left. Take the first park entrance, opposite Boat Launch Road.
From Naples: Take Route 245 N to Route 364E toward Penn Yan. Then take Route 14A and 14 South to Watkins Glen. Once in Watkins Glen, continue on Route 14 to East 4th Street, also called Route 414N. Pass the Cargill Salt Plant on your left and WalMart on your right. Go over the bridge, and Clute Park will be on your left. Take the first park entrance, opposite Boat Launch Road.
From Rochester/Canandaigua: Take the Thruway or Routes 5&20 to Geneva, then Route 14 down the west side of Seneca Lake to Watkins Glen. Once in Watkins Glen, continue on Route 14 to East 4th Street, also called Route 414N. Pass the Cargill Salt Plant on your left and WalMart on your right. Go over the bridge, and Clute Park will be on your left. Take the first park entrance, opposite Boat Launch Road.
FROM CLUTE PARK TO THE SOUTH ENTRANCE: Car pool departs at 2:00 from Clute Park. If you are late, proceed directly to the South Entrance. Head west on E. 4th Street to Franklin Street (Rte 14S) and make a left. Go past the main park entrance. Turn right just before the Sinclair gas station. Follow Old Corning Road, then left on Walnut Road. Bear right into park entrance.