Grimes Glen is located off Vine Street, just outside the village of Naples. Until 2008, this land was privately owned, though the owner generously allowed for public access. The park is now owned by Ontario County and is a public park. There is now a decent sized parking lot, though it still fills up quickly on nice summer days, and restrooms are available here, too.
After parking in the lot we headed toward the only trail through the Glen. In the beginning, the trail starts out really easy and relaxing. A very colorful wooden bridge took us across Grimes Creek and onto the trail. The trail followed the bank of the creek for a ways and was mostly flat and wide. Along the way, we passed a number of small cascades and little ripples. We haven’t had a lot of rainfall in the area recently, so the water levels in the creek were pretty low.
The gorge walls here rise steeply up to about 100 feet on each side. And with the curves of the creek, it wasn’t often we could see or hear other people in the glen, even with the parking lot close to full. It’s easy to fully lose yourself in nature here.
As we continued on a little ways, we eventually came to the point where the bank along the creek got narrower and narrower. You start to think – do I go right or left or does the trail just end? And all the fallen leaves obscuring the trail don’t help. But this is actually just part of the fun of Grimes Glen. There are points at which the trail basically turns into the creek bed and depending on how much rain we’ve had recently, you may be getting your feet wet.
It’s not too long after this point that you’ll hear and then start to see the first of the waterfalls in Grimes Glen. And this one is one of my absolute favorites in all of the Finger Lakes. This waterfall is so gorgeous as it cascades down over 60 feet to the creek below. But one of the most unique and best parts about this waterfall is that you can actually walk right up to the base of it. Unlike most falls this size, there’s no deep pool at the base. You can actually stand right there and touch the waterfall with your hands without getting soaking wet.
Continuing up past the first falls, this is where the trail really becomes more of a creek walk than a hiking trail. There are some accessible sections of trail along the banks but they tend to be very narrow and often steep and can definitely get a little tricky. It’s still a beautiful trail at this point and I highly recommend continuing on so don’t let this deter you. But from this point on I find that it’s generally easier to make this a creek walk. Pack your water shoes and walking sticks.
After about a quarter mile, we made it up to the second set of falls. These are tucked into a little glen and although not as tall as the first falls, are just as impressive. The water pours over the cliff into the pool below. And there’s a cool shallow cave just beyond the pool. Folks used to go swimming here quite a bit in the warm summer months but that’s now prohibited.
There is a third waterfall beyond these falls but it requires a really, really steep climb up the hillside next to the second falls. There used to be a rope here to help climbers, and maybe its still there, but I didn’t see it this time, perhaps to help dissuade folks from giving it a try, and with good reason. Unless you’re a really skilled climber, I recommend passing this by. It’s not for your average run-of-the-mill day hiker, myself included.
Although Grimes Glen has quickly become a favorite park for both locals and visitors, it’s still a great place to immerse yourself in the sights, smells, sounds, and even feel of nature. If you go, just remember to respect the rules of the glen and help preserve this treasure for generations to come.
Know before you go
Lake: Canandaigua
Address: 4703 Vine St, Naples, NY 14512
Website: https://ontariocountyny.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Grimes-Glen-Park-11
Finger Lakes Explorers 