“It’s pretty easy to put your own tour together,” says Roland Beck, park manager. “Ask for info on hikes at the visitor center. Maps are available free of charge.”
“The park is about nineteen miles long from north to south,” explains Burns. “The vistas of the canyon are breathtaking at the south end of the park—there are plenty of look-outs and trails.” She recommends Letchworth’s portions of the Genessee Valley Greenway Trail and the Finger Lakes Trail for sightseeing and wildlife. For those preferring an organized excursion, Burns highlights Wolcott Farms 4 Seasons of Fun horseback and sleigh ride tours.
“Trail one is the best walking trail as far as vistas [go],” says Beck. “And the Wolf Creek Area of the park is one of my favorite spots, with [its] stone walls dating back to the 1930s, a small creek and bridge, and the waterfalls. It’s a nice, quiet spot.”
History buffs, take note: The park is also filled with notable sites and monuments dedicated to the region’s influential Native Americans, pioneers, and philanthropists, particularly William Pryor Letchworth, the founder of the park, and Mary Jemison, known as the “White Woman of the Genessee.” I like to spend the night at Glen Iris Inn, Letchworth’s beloved estate nestled within the park grounds, and tour the William Pryor Letchworth Museum.
Where to Stay: Glen Iris Inn, Castile, New York; rates from $85/night, double occupancy. Make camping reservations at ReserveAmerica.com; sites start at $13/night.
Gulf Hagas Rim Trail, Maine
“[Visit in] winter for frozen falls and ice formations,” says Bob LeRoy, land stewardship manager for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). “Spring for big water. Summer for vistas, swimming, and fishing. And fall for colors.” Maine’s Gulf Hagas Rim Trail, part of the Appalachian Trail, offers a challenging hike for visitors wanting a day excursion that will test their outdoor and athletic skills.
A gorge stretching through Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness area, the Gulf Hagas region, like Letchworth, is also referred to as “the Grand Canyon of the East.” The closest town is Brownville Junction, about one hour north of Bangor, in the Moosehead/Katahdin region. Like Letchworth, a river (in this case, the Pleasant River) runs through it—except in this case, hikers have to cross the river in order to complete the trail.
