Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park in Livingston County, western New York, encompasses a 17-mile gorge of the Genesee River through which the river has carved walls up to 600 feet high — a landscape sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the East. The park's centerpiece is the stretch between Portage Bridge and the Mount Morris Dam where the river drops over three major waterfalls in quick succession: Upper Falls (70 feet), Middle Falls (107 feet — the widest and most photographed), and Lower Falls (70 feet, partially obscured by the terrain). The 66-mile trail system connects all three falls overlooks and the gorge rim, ranging from flat rim walks to descents into the gorge. The William Pryor Letchworth Museum at the center of the park interprets the geological, ecological, and human history of the gorge. The Glen Iris Inn, a Victorian mansion overlooking Middle Falls, operates as a hotel and restaurant within the park — one of very few opportunities to stay overnight in a New York State park with this quality of setting and view. Camping is available at multiple campgrounds, with the Highbanks and Pinewood sites closest to the falls overlooks. Hot air balloon rides launch from the park's southern meadows in summer and early autumn, with the gorge providing a dramatic backdrop for passengers looking down. The park is particularly celebrated for its October foliage, when the gorge walls are covered in the full spectrum of hardwood autumn colors framing the waterfalls in combinations that fill social media feeds every season.