The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) has opened the new Sentry Bridge at Watkins Glen State Park, restoring full access to the renowned Gorge and Southern Rim Trails.
The bridge reconnects visitors to the park’s iconic waterfalls, overlooks and trail network in one of New York’s most visited parks.
A significant upgrade, the new Sentry Bridge, designed by a team led by the New York-based studios of schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) and Snøhetta, is less vulnerable to erosion than the previous bridge, provides improved sightlines for visitors, and features a modern deck surface designed to reduce congestion and improve pedestrian flow.
Visitors can now once again experience all 19 waterfalls and park features, including the spray of Cavern Cascade and the historic 120-step Couch’s Staircase which connects to trails leading to the South Pavilion and swimming pool.
Utilizing $7.5 million in New York State Parks capital funding, the new Sentry Bridge is constructed of lightweight stainless steel designed to withstand the challenging gorge environment for more than a century.
Weighing approximately 100 tons less than the previous structure, the new bridge removes significant pressure from the surrounding rock formations.
Additionally, the new span features a unique half-arch design, allowing the primary foundation point to be anchored on the much stronger northern wall of the Watkins Glen Gorge.
This design calls back to the historic 1908 stone arch and utilizes recovered stone from the original structure for portions of the kneewalls on the approach to the new bridge.
Watkins Glen State Park is the most visited park in the Finger Lakes Region, with approximately 1.3 million annual visitors.
Over the course of two miles, Glen Creek descends nearly 400 feet through a dramatic gorge featuring 19 waterfalls, stone staircases, bridges and scenic overlooks.
The park also offers campgrounds and cabins, playgrounds, picnic facilities and a guarded swimming pool.
Read more about New York’s State Parks.
Photos: Watkins Glen Park’s New Sentry Bridge, 2026.