Often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the East”, Letchworth State Park is a 17 mile stretch of natural beauty. The park is located 35 miles southwest of Rochester, and has recently been named the #1 state park in the U.S. We spent four days camping, hiking, and enjoying all that Letchworth has to offer.

Highlights:

• Scenic Views: The first glimpse into the gorge is shockingly beautiful. There’s nothing about the surrounding landscape to suggest that such a remarkable natural formation is hidden in the midst. And you don’t need to be an avid hiker to enjoy the views. The most impressive areas can be seen from parking areas right off of the park roads!

• Waterfalls: Letchworth State Park boasts three gorgeous waterfalls, appropriately named Upper Falls, Middle Falls, and Lower Falls. Each can be seen as part of the scenic drive or from the popular Gorge Trail. Just don’t forget your camera!

• Hiking: There are few things that I find more relaxing and enjoyable than a walk in the woods, and with over 66 miles of hiking trails, Letchworth provides plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the area. We spend much of our time hiking different areas of the park – even in the rain!

• Family!: After spending a month on the road, it was awesome to have two of my sisters join us for the weekend at Letchworth! The boys especially enjoyed games of Old Maid, trips to the playground, and making smores with Aunt Ashley and Aunt Amanda. They drove almost three hours to see us, and we loved every minute of the time we spent together!

Travel Tip: Although the hiking and nature walks are some of the best activities that Letchworth has to offer, their trail system can be confusing. The gift shop at the visitors center sells a $7 book that gives a detailed description of each trail, provides suggestions for connecting trails to make loops, and contains a laminated trail  map, which was especially handy during our morning walk in the rain.

For Kids: Just a month before our visit, in June 2016, Letchworth unveiled a 7 million dollar Nature Center. Designed as an educational space, there are interactive exhibits and staff who are eager to share hands-on items like animal furs with the kids. They even have a butterfly garden, a playground, and a 1 mile Storybook Nature trail with 14 stations, each a page from a story about the environment.

Letchworth is well-deserving of its title as the top state park in the nation! They have it all here: A museum, a visitors center, a nature center, scenic drives, amazing hikes, plenty of picnic areas, and there is even a hotel within the park if camping isn’t your thing. Despite it’s remote location, it is absolutely worth the travels to witness the beautiful gorge!