The main trails in Ricketts Glen State Park form a V shape as they track two wild streams cascading down intersecting ravines to merge at “Waters Meet”. It is a great walk.
From the trail head we meander through dense woods among scattered moss and lichen covered stone. It is a serene quiet path. Then we begin our decent into Ganoga Glen on a trail that follows the waters edge. At this water level, still pools are very rare as the coffee brown stream leaps down the rock-strewn creek bed. Side creeks add to the flow all along the way. We pass10 named falls including 94ft Ganoga Falls. Breaks in the clouds send splashes of light dancing across the surface. The trail is wet but not muddy and there are well placed stone steps. The trip down into the ravine is great.
We spy a bridge through the trees that signals we are nearing “Waters Meet” and the beginning of our climb back out. The view at the confluence is fantastic with falls on both streams and wild cascades downstream from here. We chill for a bit then head on up the Glen Leigh trail. It tracks the stream even more closely as we crisscross as many as 8 foot bridges and walk right up to edges of falls. I’m pretty sure that this was the best wild waterfall trail we have walked. Others have had more grand arched bridges and walkways but here I really feel we are part of the landscape. Don’t miss it if you are close.
Our final leg is the Highland trail where we find the stone outcropping that is responsible for this all. It obstructs streamflow and divides it to create these separate streams and allow for the spectacular merging. There is a cool stone bridge along this stretch too.

That’s all the hiking for today. We find a spot in the sun (it is still 57F) on the lakeshore for lunch then check out the big beach on Lake Jean. Clouds thicken and a cool breeze runs us indoors. Kent spends a bit of the quiet afternoon mounting medallions I have accumulated, a total of 34 new ones.