You cannot visit our area and NOT take a stroll through Letchworth! There is so much to do, see and soak in throughout the park. It’s an easy day trip, and you can easily build an itinerary for an entire weekend, or more!
Included below are some helpful tips for your Letchworth visit, as well as a 1 day suggested itinerary.
Accommodations
A Dell Collective property, of course! If you stay in the West Barn or the Rw How Farmhouse, you will wake up to beautiful fog rises over the Highbanks of Letchworth State Park! The Perry entrance to the park is a stone’s throw away, just down the street making for easy, streamlined access to the park. The Perry entrance is located on the North end of the park, closest to the pool, playgrounds and Highbanks rec area that has great pavilions for use for small events or gatherings.
Dell Collective has a shared property pass on the Rw How property that our guests are welcome to use as needed for free access into the park. Otherwise, there is a $10/car entrance fee from 9-5pm May-October.
If you choose to stay at the Silver Lake Haus, you will be about 15 minutes from the Perry or Castile entrances and you will get to enjoy both worlds – Park and Lake!
Regardless of which Dell stay you choose, it’s a quick jaunt to get anywhere in the park!
Helpful Letchworth State Park Resources:
-New York State Parks Letchworth Portal
– @Letchworthstatepark on Instagram
-Facebook groups Letchworth State Park Enthusiasts, Letchworth State Park lovers, and the official Letchworth State Park Facebook page
Reservations
Since you will be tackling the park in one day, it’s best to book ahead for your lunch reservation at the Glen Iris Inn. Ask to sit in the new patio area so that you can hear the waterfalls while you eat!
Pro Tip – Bucket list experience Splurge on a hot air balloon ride at Letchworth with Balloons over Letchworth. You can opt for a sunrise flight, or a sunset flight. We took a sunrise flight in October and an evening flight at the Memorial Day Weekend festival – both were incredible and offer an unmatched perspective of the park! I would suggest booking for one of your first day’s in town since the flights are weather dependent- this will allow some extra flexibility with rescheduling if needed.
Pictured: Hot Air balloon flight with @ballonsoverletchworth in May over the Upper Falls Trestle
Letchworth in a day itinerary:
Rise and Shine – If you plan to allocate just 1 day of your stay at Letchworth it’s best to get up and go for the best views and to beat any summer or fall crowds! If you arrive at the park prior to 9am, there is no need to pay an entrance fee or use a park pass. I recommend pre-ordering the brunch box to arrive the day before your sunrise adventure – this will give you all of the breakfast and snack essentials you need for your day at the park!
5:30-6:30 AM First Stop: Great Bend overlook for a sunrise & breakfast picnic. This is about a 10-15 minute drive from the Rw How Property and you cannot beat this early morning view! If you are lucky, the gorge will look like a bubbling cauldron with the fog rising from the Genesee River and the sun popping up over tree tops.
Pictured is a September sunrise, captured by yours truly!
7-9:30 AM Next Stop: The Lower Falls. Head South a bit to the Lower falls area. I would plan to hang around this area for a couple of hours. The lower falls trail is challenging with many stairs, but so worth the effort to walk across the lower falls footbridge. It’s one of the best over-water views of the Genesee River that you will snag this trip.
Once you get back up from the lower falls, catch your breath, grab a granola bar and head over to the Lower Falls Rec area. This is where you can challenge your partner to a game of Bocce ball, Pickle ball or table tennis on the newly renovated outdoor park rec area.
This is also the area where you can pick up a white water rafting adventure with Adventure Calls Outfitters if you are feeling up to it – but expect that to take up a good chunk of your day.
Pictured: lower falls footbridge
9:30-11:30 AM
Continue to head South towards the Glen Iris. There are some great overlooks & quick hikes along the way that are worth checking out!
Here are my top rec’s:
-Inspiration Point
-Wolf Creek. I especially love the trail that goes along Wolf creek!
-Humphrey Nature Center, We especially love taking a jaunt through the ANT trail! If you have kiddos, you do not want to miss this!
Pictured below: an area in the ANT trail at Letchworth State Park
11:30-1:00 PM
Enjoy lunch & a cold bevvy at the Glen Iris Inn! Make sure you request the new outdoor patio seating and soak in the sounds and mist from the waterfalls!
1:00-3:00 PM
Enjoy the walk down to the middle falls from the Glen Iris for the most wonderful view in the park! If you are visiting during the summer or drier months, you may see the “face in the falls”. Check out our friend, Conrad (Outdoor educator and Letchworth guru!) telling the story of the face in the falls! It’s an easy hike over to the Upper Falls viewing area, so be sure not to miss it! You can stop at the Upper Falls iconic photo op spot (Raging Falls + Trestle in the background), or take the stairs for a must see view from (a few!!) steps above! From the top of the Upper Falls stair hike, you can get a much better view of the massive trestle bridge. If you are not into doing the stairs twice in one day, I’ve got just the adventure for you instead…
Pictured below: Letchworth Middle Falls, perspective from inside a hot air balloon
3:00 PM Take advantage of being in Portageville! Exit the park via the Portageville entrance and head to Wiscoy Falls! It is about a 15 minute drive. It’s stunning any time of year, but especially fun on a hot summer day! I highly recommend crocs or water shoes for this hike so that you can get right in and walk up the first few levels of the falls. If you are feeling adventurous, wear your suit and swim in the natural water holes like a local!
Also located near Wiscoy Falls that is worth a stop:
- Valley Bread and Bounty – one of our favorite local bakeries!
- Dirienzo’s Ice Cream – such a fun spot for a cold treat!
- 71 West Bar & Grill – great for a quick bite for lunch or dinner
5:00 PM From Fillmore, it’s an easy drive back to Perry. If you aren’t totally whooped, swing by Silver Lake Brewing Project or Ration Wine Bar for a cold bevvy before heading back to your Dell Collective property!
