瓦特金斯格伦州立公园

瓦特金斯格伦州立公园（Watkins Glen State Park）位于美国纽约州五指湖区的塞内卡湖南方，斯凯勒县的瓦特金斯格伦村。本公园在1863年开放，时为私人营运的观光区，直到1906年纽约州政府将其购入。1924年，此公园划归New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation五指湖地区分室管理，以迄于今。
Jacob's Ladder，在公园的上大门附近，有180个石阶，是步道总计832阶的阶梯之一部份
此公园的核心为格伦溪所侵蚀出来的峡谷，深达  。在冰河时期，冰河主流侵蚀出了塞内卡峡谷，而冰河支流形成的支流峡谷底部较高，在硬岩层上造成的落差形成了急流与瀑布。此处的岩石是泥盆纪形成的沉积岩，主要是较软的页岩，有些岩层则是较硬的砂岩与石灰岩。
此公园里有三条步道，开放时间从五月中旬到十一月上旬。南缘步道与印第安步道行经峡谷的林地边缘，峡谷步道则最靠近溪流，有800多阶的阶梯与石造桥梁，可行经、跨越瀑布或由瀑布后方通过。这些步道与五指湖步道系统（于纽约州境内长达 800英里（1280公里）的步道系统）相连。

**地理**
Pleistocene north ice map
During the Pleistocene era, a vast area was covered by ice during the maximum extent of glacial ice in the north polar area. This is important because of the role glaciers played in the creation of the Finger Lakes region. The Watkins Glen area is a small part of the Finger Lakes region, a region shaped by glaciation during the movement of the Laurentide and Wisconsin ice sheets. The area and process of its formation is best described as seen on the Finger Lakes Wiki under the Geology section, which reads as follows:
"The lakes originated as a series of northward-flowing streams. Around two million years ago the first of many continental glaciers of the Laurentide Ice Sheet moved southward from the Hudson Bay area, initiating the Pleistocene glaciation. These glaciers widened, deepened and accentuated the existing river valleys. The glacial debris, possibly terminal moraine, left behind by the receding ice, acted as dams, allowing lakes to form. Despite the deep erosion of the valleys, the surrounding uplands show little evidence of glaciation, suggesting that the ice was thin, or at least unable to cause much erosion at these higher altitudes. The deep cutting by the ice left some tributaries hanging high above the lakes—both Seneca and Cayuga have tributaries hanging as much as   120 m above the valley floors."
Watkins Glen State Park is a prime example of the effects of this glaciation, as glaciers moved through this region the Finger Lakes were carved out of the surrounding land.  As a direct result of glacial melting widening and deepening the streams in these areas the surrounding lands eroded, leaving low lying valley lakes with surrounding streams that still run into these valleys. Over time the streams running into these valleys eroded the land that they ran over, sending sediment downstream and digging down into the harder rock layers of the land. This erosion was not a uniform process, as the different layers of rock were eroded they created increased stream gradient and many unique erosional features. The results of this erosion are areas such as Watkins Glen State Park, this area was turned into a tourist attraction in 1863 based upon the erosional features of the area. Watkins Glen state park boasts nineteen waterfalls spaced along a trail roughly two miles long, these waterfalls would not be possible in this area if it were not for the glacial and erosional history of the area. The 1,000 acre park consists of mostly shale, limestone, and sandstone, these types of rock erode at different speeds, leaving behind waterfalls and pools of water. According to a glacial erosion study completed in 2011 sandstone erodes more quickly than limestone, thus the sandstone in this area must have eroded first, leaving the limestone base.

**活动设施**
此公园有露营区、野餐桌、凉亭、食物贩卖、游戏场、礼品店、游泳池、露营车营地、淋浴间，并有钓鱼、健行、滑雪以及其他休闲活动。入园费为每部车每天8美元，公园全年开放，但并非所有设施皆为全年开放使用。

**参考资料**

**外部连结**
 New York State Parks: Watkins Glen State Park- LLBean.com: Watkins Glen State Park- Friends of The Finger Lakes for a bit of history about the region
*cap=1- Pickupimage Photo Gallery: Watkins Glen State Park date=20160613182341