I genuinely love living where I do. I think we live in one of the most beautiful regions. There is such a wide variety of experiences to be had and so much diverse nature to experience.

Waterfalls, streams, and rivers of all shape and sizes dot the landscape. Experience forests, fields, and wetlands. See birds, beer and deer among many other wild creatures.

Enjoy creature comforts with your friends. Spend time at wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Enjoy the local arts scene. Attend a variety of sporting events.

But it is hard not to make time fore the lakes. Our region is rich in lakes. Seneca Lake is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in our area.

Small town life

Seneca Lake is bookended by two fun towns to visit. Watkins Glen at the southern end of Seneca Lake and Geneva at the Northern end of the lake. And there are many other small towns that dot the perimeter of the lake. All are worthy of a visit. You truly can’t go wrong.

Watkins Glen offers all the charm and vibe one imagines in a small town. Walk through town and find a variety of things to enjoy. Walk the gorge at Watkins Glen State Park. Stroll through a wetland on the Catherine Valley Trail. Even walk along the lake near the peers and through a beautiful public park, Clute Park, right on the shoreline.

And Geneva is like its mirror reflection in the north. Similar small town charm. Nearby college campuses. Nice walks along the sidewalk taking in the beautiful architecture with the lake in the background. There is a beautiful Finger Lakes Region visitor center with food and drinks, outdoor seating, and a beautiful view of the lake from right along the shore. And there is nearby Seneca Lake State Park with a a couple miles of walking path along the Seneca Lake coast.

There are also plenty of opportunities for water sports.

State Parks

For me I find the most joy in the natural beauty that surrounds Seneca Lake. There are three state parks. One National Forest. A variety of other public lands nearby.

Just about anything you enjoy about nature can be found in the area around Seneca Lake.

Walk back through time and watch water carve the gorge at Watkins Glen State Park. Enjoy all the waterfalls as the water flows over stone. Then make your way to the top of the gorge and walk around the top of the gorge and look down below to the bottom.

Sampson State Park provides a variety of experiences. Large open fields. Paths and trails to walk around on. Then make your way down to Seneca Lake for some scenery. Or take a boat out on the water form the marina.

At the northern end of Seneca Lake walk for miles along the path at Seneca Lake State Park. Beautiful views of the lake non stop. Watch the fronds of the willow trees blow in the winds. Enjoy the sound of waves crashing along the lakefront.

Nature

If you enjoy a good old fashioned hike, the 500+ mile Finger Lakes Trail winds its way through Watkins Glen State Park and across Watkins Glen and along the southern end of Seneca Lake before twisting and turning up the eastern side of the lake.

Explore the Finger Lakes National Forest. There of miles and miles of trails traversing the landscape. There is a section of the Finger Lakes National Forest that takes you down a steep descent on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake to Caywood Point. Caywoiod point is a small secluded area along the shoreline of Seneca Lake. It is so beautiful and peaceful there.

Enjoy some trail time on foot or on bike taking the Catherine Valley Trail from Horseheads, NY up to Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake. There is a variety of scenery and terain. Before you reach the lake you even get to walk through a beautiful wetland area.

Year round beauty

Seneca Lake isn’t a seasonal destination either. It is fun and beautiful year round.

It is fun to watch and see how the sights and scenery changes as the seasons pass. Even the onset of winter doesn’t prevent much. One trail in Watkins Glen State Park may close, but all the other opportunities for enjoying nature and local hospitality remain viable.

Watch the leaves fall from trees and flow down stream through the gorge.

Be the first person to make tracks in fresh snow along the Finger Lakes Trail.

Be dazzled by the way ice forms as waves crash on the shoreline of Seneca lake.

I really try to encounter all of may favorite places at different times of the year and under different circumstances. It is funny how it can all be the same yet so different. The conditions reveal so much and make for an entirely new experience.

The cold and ice of winter reveals some stark truths. Then their is the rebirth of spring and life flourishes. During summer activity and life is abundant. In fall nature prepares for the next phase and everything begins to change.

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