Zoar Valley

Site description and directions by Willie D'Anna and Jeffrey M. Reed

Web page by Kurt Fox

Rating

Fall	Winter
Late Spring	Summer

Site history/background

Zoar Valley was formed by Cattaraugus Creek and is the border between Erie and Cattaraugus Counties. The inspiring Zoar Valley, between Gowanda and Springville, is good for migrants and excellent for breeding warblers. Because of the steepness of the gorge, loggers were unable to maim the forest and several tracts of old growth forest exist here. This spot is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in birds, large trees, or spectacular views. Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary and other hiking areas in the Zoar Valley area are in Cattaraugus County on the opposite side of Cattaraugus Creek from Zoar Valley MUA in Erie County.

Many hiking areas in Zoar Valley can be found in Bruce Kershner's Guide to the Ancient Forests of Zoar Valley Canyon .

Warnings

Use extreme caution since there are shear drop offs on some of the trails.You must be in good physical condition to attempt many of the hikes (especially Knife-edge Ridge) as it is very strenuous with an element of danger. Going down is very hard on the knees, coming back up is hard on the lungs. If you don't want to risk the walk down, just walk out a little bit onto the ridge and enjoy the spectacular view, as well as listening to the numerous birds.

Best Birding

Good in Spring and Autumn for migrant passerines. Excellent in Summer for a variety of breeding birds.

Regular Specialties

Up to fifteen species of breeding warblers are possible including Louisiana Waterthrush, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Hooded, Magnolia, Canada, Blue-winged, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Myrtle (Yellow-rumped), Mourning and Black-and-white Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Ovenbird. Flycatchers include Acadian Flycatcher along rocky streambeds with a mature forest canopy, among the commoner E. Wood-Pewees, E. Phoebe and Great Crested Flycatchers. Six of the local breeding Woodpeckers (all except Red-headed) might be found here, including several Pileated and abundant YB Sapsuckers. Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawk can be found as well as Sharp-shinned Hawk. American Kestrel and Red-tailed Hawk are likely. Wood Thrush, Veery, and Hermit Thrush are often heard singing. Common Merganser, Purple Finch, Purple Martin, and Winter Wren, might be found among commoner species such as Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, and chickadees and juncos.

Noteworthy Records

A local resident thought it was known that Bald Eagle breeds in the vicinity of the confluence but he offered no strong evidence for that. An adult and immature eagles have been seen there in recent trips in June 2001. The possibility of Grasshopper Sparrow and Prairie Warbler also exist.

Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area

Knife-edge Ridge

Knife-edge Ridge in the Zoar Valley MUA is in the Town of Collins in Erie County, a couple miles east of the Village of Gowanda.

Directions to the area :
This large area is located on the Delorme NYS Atlas and Gazetteer on page 41, blocks A4 and A5.

From Buffalo (I-90), take US Route 62 south to Gowanda. In Gowanda, turn left (east) on Perry St or E. Main St to get to Gowanda-Zoar Valley Road. Head east on Gowanda-Zoar Valley Road (County Road 74 that runs between Gowanda and Springville) for 1.1 miles, then turn south onto South Quaker St. In about 1/2 mile the road makes a 90 degree bend to the left and becomes Vail Road. Stay on Vail Road until Unger Road comes in from the north (about 1.8 miles from the 90 degree bend). Just past Unger Road there is a driveway to a small parking area on the south side of the road. Park in that lot.

From the parking lot, walk south past the gate, down the trail, through the fields, and directly into the woods (this walk is all due south). There is no trail through the woods here, but the woods are narrow and you will reach the chasm shortly. Keep going due south through the woods until you get to an east-west trail right along the canyon rim, about 100 yards from where you entered the woods. Turn right onto the trail at the canyon and walk west along the trail until you get to a large boulder. Knife-edge Ridge (also known as Hogsback Ridge) begins here on your left. Knife-edge Ridge is a narrow shale ridge that provides the only access, other than by water, to the valley far below.

(Description and directions to Knife-edge Ridge courtesy of Willie D'Anna's postings on GeneseeBirds-L.)

The Confluence

Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary

Skinny Dip Falls

These sites in Cattaraugus County are in the Zoar Valley area on the opposite side of Cattaraugus Creek from Zoar Valley MUA. The variety of habitat is pretty thorough and it is generally quieter on the weekends than Knife-edge Ridge in Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area (MUA).

The Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary in Cattaraugus County is managed by The Nature Conservancy. "The trails are great and so are the birds." Other than the warblers, Barred Owls are heard frequently.

Birding all along Valentine Flats Road is usually good. The confluence of Cattaraugus Creek and the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek offers some excellent birding. Skinny Dip Falls is just upstream from the confluence. Louisiana Waterthrush is a regular breeder at the falls. Yellow-throated Vireo has been found here as well. Acadian Flycatcher is regular at the old growth area over the stream.

Directions to the area :
This large area is located on the Delorme NYS Atlas and Gazetteer on page 41, blocks A4 and A5.

From Buffalo (I-90), take US Route 62 south to Gowanda. In Gowanda, take the fifth left (east) on E. Hill St (0.6 miles after crossing the creek). Drive to Broadway Road (0.6 miles). Head south (right) on Broadway Road until reaching Point Peter Road (0.7 miles). Turn east (left) onto Point Peter Road.

Valentine Flats Road is 1.0 mile from Broadway Road.

Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary , which is 1.4 miles from Broadway Road, or 0.4 miles beyond Valentine Flats Road.

To reach the confluence, drive Valentine Flats Road to the end. Park in the lot. Follow the end of the road onto a well-worn trail. After starting out on the well-worn trail, stay to the right. It is about a 3/4 mile hike to the confluence. This trail takes you to the bottom of the gorge but it is gradual and not overly strenuous.

To reach Skinny Dip Falls, cross the south branch just upstream from the confluence, then walk up stream along the main branch 500 feet from the confluence, passing to the left of and under the jutting, prominent cliff. As soon as you reach the wooded terrace on your right, cut into the woods. Stay on the trail for about 400 feet to Skinny Dip Falls on your right. The Yellow-throated Vireo might be heard just a little further along the trail, right by the creek. Continuing further takes you into some nice old growth woods where Acadian Flycatcher frequents among the massive Tulip, Sycamore, and Sugar Maple trees. Other species of birds will be found along here, as well as other large specimens of old growth trees.

(Description and directions to Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary courtesy of Jeffrey Reed's postings on GeneseeBirds-L.)

(Description and directions to the confluence and Skinny Dip Falls courtesy of Willie D'Anna's postings on GeneseeBirds-L.)

Nearby Birding

Several sites are nearby in Erie and Cattaraugus County .

Facilities

Unknown. Restrooms might be found in restaurants or gas stations in Gowanda, as well as a quick meal.

This page was last updated on 19 June 2001.