Waterfall Wednesday: Sentry Cascade

Today’s featured waterfall is Sentry Cascade in Watkins Glen State Park. This waterfall also goes by the name of Entrance Cascade or Amphitheatre Cascade (due to the rock on three sides as you approach the beginning of the gorge).

Watkins Glen State Park is located along Route 14 in Watkins Glen on the southern tip of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. The park features 19 different waterfalls along a mile and a half long trail that travels through the gorge. (Learn more about Triple Cascade and Cavern Cascade.)

Sentry Cascade is located closest to the entrance of the park and is found under Sentry Bridge. The waterfall is approximately 41 feet high and is a horsetail waterfall.

The entrance to the park was recently remodeled, opening just before my most recent visit for the 50 New York Waterfalls project this summer. I was able to find a picture of what the entrance looked like prior to the upgrade (left). Where a parking lot used to be is now a beautifully landscaped entrance with historical displays, gift shop, and cafe (right).

A little bit of history

Today, this area is a state park, but it didn’t always used to be that way. Where the beautiful new entrance now stands used to be a mill that processed plaster and grains run by the Watkins Family. Glen Creek used to be called Mill Creek. Wood stairs and structures used to travel along the gorge trail where concrete paths now stand. In 1906 with the creation of Watkins Glen State Park, the stairways were transformed to concrete and tunnels were created throughout the gorge to create paths for the public.

Did you know that Watkins Glen State Park used to have a resident artist? I learned that from one of the new displays along the entrance. I can’t wait to tell you more about him in an upcoming blog post!

Painting Sentry Cascade

On the day that I visited Watkins Glen State Park, it was raining. This made it really easy to see this waterfall that tends to hide within the rock on dryer days. I was able to get lots of great reference photos to work from.

While painting this waterfall, I enjoyed playing with the different colors within the rock and creating the illusion of depth. The water was fun to paint with the reflections of color from the surrounding rock and plant life.

This painting is currently available as part of the Watkins Glen State Park Collection in my shop.

If you saw the video I posted on Facebook the other day, you know my studio has gotten a little out of control with supplies and storing completed paintings.

In order make some room to create new art in the new year, I’m running a studio sale this week. All works of art in my shop are 20% off through Sunday (1/6/19) with the code NEWYEARNEWART. Shipping is also free.

I’d love to help you add to your collection!