Ricketts Glen Falls + more adventure, 19ish miles

** NOT a beginner hike, sorry......experienced hikers only**

We're going back, same weekend as last year - we'll see what the weather brings us this time!

Ricketts Glen Falls loop is considered by many to be the single best waterfall hike in the eastern United States. We will pass by numerous named waterfalls, the highest being 94' Ganoga Falls. It's a great trail, but that is not enough- we will then be adding the Bulldozer trail to our adventure as well and exploring a less travelled portion of the park. This is a longer hike and you must be able to handle around 7 hours of continuous movement.

Original Post:
Our total distance on this moderate + pace hike will be around 19 miles with 2,600' of elevation. Given the astounding beauty along the way, we will take a few "pauses" along the way for pics, etc....Please enjoy all this place to offer, but keep in mind we have to balance the enjoyment of the falls with our goal of 16 miles. In other words don't expect a "picnic" at each waterfall...lol

After we go up the Bulldozer trail we will head towards Jigsaw Cave.
There will be some travel on less common trails, some potentially very wet stream crossings, and lots of fun (assuming you like this type of thing).

I suggest downloading Alltrails, Gaia or some other mapping device on your phone should you need it for this day.

Lastly, PLEASE pack some patience this day as folks will want to take pics of waterfalls and a portion of the hike near the cave is exploratory.

GEAR REQUIRED:
1- Proper footwear- hiking boots or trail runners
2- Appropriate clothing for conditions: layers, wind and rain protection based upon forecast. Extra socks for wet weather hikes or hikes with stream crossings.
3- WATER or other source of hydration; food/snacks as needed
4- Electrolytes suggested
5- Hiking poles and backpacks as needed.
6- Sunscreen and bug spray as desired

WEATHER: Will only cancel if heavy rain or steady rain with lower temps. We will go unless "miserable" out.

PARKING AND MEETING LOCATION:
We will park and meet at Rt 118 trailhead parking lot. See Meetup PIN. This place gets crowded, so early start time is critical
We start on time, so familiarize yourself ahead of time and plan accordingly.

GUEST and ATTENDANCE POLICY: All attendees must be members of Outdoor Adventure Friends. This is for communication purposes to ensure that those in attendance understand exactly what they are signing up for. Please be courteous and change your rsvp in a timely fashion if you can no longer attend an event. Repeated no shows or a history of signing up and dropping off excessively when there is a waitlist will exclude you from being moved off of future waitlists and special events
PLEASE NOTE: I cannot respond to calls, texts, emails, messages on meetup, or comments on the event page once we start hiking. Please plan accordingly.
NOTICE: Meetup organizers are not professionally trained. By attending an event you are agreeing that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AT ALL TIMES. No member of the group EXCEPT YOURSELF can be held responsible for any damages, accidents, or liabilities incurred while hiking with us.