Letchworth State Park comprises 14,350 linear acres along the Genesee River. The park offers a diverse experience for all visitors, whether you plan to relax beside a massive waterfall, hike the gorge trails, fish in the park’s pond, take a ride during the hot air balloon festival, whitewater raft, dine at the Glen Iris Inn, learn about the local history of the Seneca people and Mary Jemison or the geology of Upstate New York.

Exploring Letchworth State Park

There are several entrances into Letchworth from the north, south, and west. To give you an idea how large this park is, it takes 30 minutes to drive 16-miles from the Mount Morris entrance to the Glen Iris Inn.

If you have a short window of time, focus on the south end

Visitors use the Castile entrance as the most direct route to Lower, Middle and Upper Falls, Glen Iris Inn, Visitor Center, Council Grounds, Trout Pond, and the Nature Center. If you see a sign for a Scenic Overlook, stop! You won’t regret it.

The road heading north from Castile to Mount Morris is a slow, beautiful, winding one with several more overlooks and Wolf Creek, my favorite section of the entire park.

Glen Iris Inn

Upper Falls

Middle Falls

Lower Falls

The least accessible of the 3 waterfalls in Letchworth State Park

Lower Falls Trail

This stairway with 127 steps provides a view of the lower waterfall, river flume and footbridge to the east side of the park.

Portage Trail #6

This trail begins outside Letchworth State Park and connects to the Lower Falls Trail at the Stone Bridge.

Council Grounds

Humphrey Nature Center

Wolf Creek at Tea Table

Over-sized Chair near the Mount Morris Dam

Scenic Overlooks

Major Letchworth State Park Events

You’ll either love the excitement or hate the crowds. Either way, you should be aware that there are several large events held in the park. They also have a wealth of smaller events that help visitors explore the trails and natural elements, and popular events throughout the summer like car shows, blues & BBQ, fireworks.

Red, White and Blue Balloon Rally

Memorial Day in Archery Park. Visit Balloons Over Letchworth website for more info.

Letchworth Arts & Crafts Show & Festival

Columbus Day weekend. Ranked in the top 50 arts festivals in the USA. Visit the festival website for more info.

Cost: $8 per vehicle, free off-season (roughly Oct-May)
Located between Mt. Morris and Castile, roughly 60 minutes / 60 miles from Rochester (get directions)
More information: nysparks.com

Letchworth State Park