Without a doubt, New York State has some incredible gems within its park system, such as this stunning park, Whetstone Gulf. I was shocked at how deserted it was during the height of summer. This is a gorgeous destination, especially if you are an avid hiker or camper. Whetstone Gulf, located on the eastern Tug Hill plateau, provides visitors with some of the most breathtaking scenic views in New York State.
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Hiking Whetstone Gulf
Whetstone Gulf has two trails, the North and South Trails (which, although you’ll see posts all over the park about the gorge, are, in fact, rim trails.) They connect to create a 5-mile loop trail.
I was a little apprehensive about hiking the Whetstone Gulf North and South Trails after reading some of the reviews online. Negative and daunting didn’t begin to cover them. They made it sound like I was about to hike Mount Everest. However, as with most reviews, they are specifically relative to the person writing them and can be slightly exaggerated, as we were to discover. My husband, bless him, was the one who said that we couldn’t let the reviews stop us from doing what we had come to the park to do. I was so glad I followed through and hiked it. It was much easier than I anticipated and 100 times more stunning than I was prepared for.
I think how you attempt to hike Whetstone Gulf really makes a difference. We started from the South Trail and finished with the North Trail. Obviously, as a rim trail, you are going to have to go uphill, and at Whetstone Gulf, that means a significant climb. We found that, although the grade was significant for the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile, after that, the trail leveled off and is, for the most part, flat until you reach the North Trail. It was actually quite easy.
We noticed for a large part of our hike on the North Trail; we felt as if we were headed ever so slightly downhill. (So the reviews saying it was 2 miles uphill wasn’t wrong, from that perspective.) The North Trail had a lot more tree roots breaking through the trail than the South Trail, making this side a little more difficult. You really have to pay attention to the trail to keep from tripping. The grade gets a lot more significant toward the end of the trail, and this was jarring on our knees as we came down the trail.
Know Before You Go:
You must be 18 years old or accompanied by someone who is 18 years or older to hike these trails. This trail is really not appropriate for small children. Whetstone Gulf is as deep as 380 feet in spots, and the trail can be extremely dangerous due to steep drop-offs and cliffs along the trail that are not fenced off.
Hiking the North and South Trails after sunset is prohibited, and for good reason, you need daylight to see where you are going on the trail and could easily walk off the side of the gorge or trip and injure yourself tripping over a tree root.
Proper footwear is an absolute must while hiking these trails. Carrying water with you is also recommended.
Waterfalls and Scenic Views
I have read numerous accounts about walking the creek. We were not able to do that when we visited due to the high volume of water in the creek. However, this made the falls we could see from the North and South Trails that much more spectacular.
As we were coming toward the end of the South Trail, we were treated to a view of a spectacular waterfall across the gorge on the North rim, which was well over 200 feet tall. I am not sure if this is a seasonal waterfall, flowing due to the recent rain, or if it is always flowing.
A little further down the trail, the trail gets a bit closer to the creek, and a beautiful waterfall can be seen up close from a short jog off the trail. I really loved this part of the South Trail. It was both wild and beautiful. I think the best part of this entire hike was the peacefulness. We didn’t see another person until the very end of our hike, and it was just extraordinary.
The scenic views of the Gulf from the trails are nothing short of fantastic. As you hike the trails, you will enjoy peaks through the trees of the vast openness and the massive depth of the gorge. There are places along the trail where the treeline opens, and you are blown away by an amazing view that is truly breathtaking.
Day Use Area
Whetstone Gulf has a great Day Use Area with a life-guarded swimming area and sandy beach. There is a gorgeous picnic area along the creek as well as a playground.
Camping At Whetstone Gulf
I was astonished that the campground was almost completely empty at the height of summer. However, we were camping during the week, so that might have something to do with the lack of campers.
We loved our stay at Whetstone Gulf. This lovely campground is nestled in a pine forest, which is the perfect setting because the pine trees create enough shade to keep it comfortable on a hot day and let enough light through to keep it from being too buggy.
While there are quite a few campsites that are close together, with very little privacy, a large number of them are fairly sizable sites with plenty of privacy. As state park campgrounds go, Whetstone Gulf is quite small, with only 56 campsites.
What makes this campground different is you get the feeling that people who camp here really love it and return year after year. There was a walkway to the bathroom in our section of personalized stepping stones by guests who stayed here.
Out and About With Nova
Nova had a great time visiting Whetstone Gulf. I think she had even more fun on our trip than we did! She really enjoyed the camping, but she loved the hike. I was a little nervous about her getting close to the cliffside, but she seemed to know to keep her distance inherently. There is a lot of wildlife around the trails, and that really is what kept Nova going over the 5 miles; She was on a chipmunk hunt.
This is a fantastic dog-friendly destination. New York State allows guests to have two dogs (leashed no longer than 6 feet) with proof of rabies vaccine. Dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the picnic area. Please be respectful to other visitors and always clean up after your pets.
Winter at Whetstone Gulf
Hunting for snow? There is almost always some snow in this neck of the woods. That is why Whetstone Gulf is open from December 15 – March 15, especially for winter recreation like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. This is a gorgeous place to explore in the wintertime.
Getting to Whetstone Gulf
Address: 6065 West Rd, Lowville, NY