Cattaraugus Creek

Cattaraugus Creek is a seasonal creek in the Lake Erie basin that flows through the magnificent 400-foot deep Zoar Valley Gorge. This wild, isolated area contains the largest tract of old growth forest in New York outside of the Adirondack Mountains. The Zoar Valley has been opened to logging. Visit the Friends of Zoar Valley for more information.

Directions

To the putin:

Go to Springville; head South on Rte. 219 to the traffic signal past McDonald's.

Turn right at the signal onto Zoar Valley Road. (ZV Road has some steep ups and downs, but is paved.) Take this road to the second bridge over the creek (approx. 8 miles).

Turn Left over the bridge; you will see a state fishing access area.

The trail is flat to the creek. This is the usual put in for the raft companies. Getting your boat from the putin lot to the creek is a very easy, wide, flat path, lined with large rocks.

To the takeout:

Go back over the bridge; turn Left on Zoar Valley Road. Head toward Gowanda.

You will come to a fork; bear Left and follow the road past the Harley shop to Gowanda.

You will go over a railroad as you come into town; go left, then quick right.

This will take you to Main St.

Park behind the super market (directly across Main St.). You'll see a park along the creek with a bike path. Take out on River Right, along the park. The bank at the takeout is slippery, a very short walk to the car.

(Directions adapted from a post by Dave Meyer on the FLOW Massage Board.

Western New York Area Reaches

Beaver Meadow Creek

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