Cattaraugus Creek’s Zoar Valley. (Image courtesy of NY DEC)
The Valentine Flats parking area and associated trails at Zoar Valley have reopened for use.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation temporarily closed the area on August 26 to do trail repair work to address erosion.
Other access points to the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area and Unique Area, including Forty Road, as well as the Holcomb Pond and Ross Pond areas, are also open to visitors. Visitors are encouraged to read and be familiar with important visitor information prior to visiting. For more information, go to DEC’s Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area website.
The DEC reminds visitors to recreate safely and responsibly by following all rules and regulations and taking appropriate outdoor safety measures, including:
– Signing in and out of all trail registers. Only one person should sign in for groups;
– Following all State Forest Regulations, Outdoor Safety Practices and posted signage at access points, along trails and at the gorge rim;
– Staying on marked trails. The property contains hazards associated with rocks, steep slopes, cliffs, and swift water. There is no authorized, safe trail to access Cattaraugus Creek on the Erie County side of the Multiple Use Area;
– Observing all the rules and regulations. Before visiting, visitors should familiarize themselves with DEC’s regulations, which restrict access upstream from the Forty Road parking area, include a 15-foot setback from the cliff edges, prohibit climbing of cliff walls, and create a new restricted area along the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek.
– Additional rules and regulations continue to prohibit camping, fires, alcoholic beverages, and glass containers at Zoar Valley.
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