Zoar Valley Hike - Saturday September 16

BAPG has once again been invited to a joint hike with the Nature Sanctuary Society of Western New York (NSSWNY.) The hikewill be hosted by local New York State Professional Geologist  Ray Vaughan, PhD.  This hike is part of NSSWNY’s Sanctuary Studies Program. Hikers will enjoy a walk through one of the most dramatic stratigraphic columns in Western New York—the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek gorge. 

Ray will be showing hikers the predominantly shale bedrock that formed hundreds of millions of years ago from tiny particles of clay and other sediments. These sediments were deposited underwater, and accumulated on the sea bottom for several million years, at a time about 360 million years ago when Western New York was under a shallow inland sea. The hike will take us past a shear zone where an ancient fold serves as an example of how bedrock responds to tectonic stress. We’ll also talk about evidence of more recent geological changes, such as the evolution of the gorge since the last glaciers retreated from our region some 14,000 years ago.

The hike will be held on Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, weather permitting. The hike will start at the Forty Road parking lot of the NYSDEC Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area (off Point Peter Road, about 3 miles southeast of Gowanda) and proceed up the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek to Sweetland. The hike will be approximately 4 miles in total. Hikers should wear water shoes and be prepared to walk in the water and ford the creek at least four times at thigh-depth. Bring water and a snack. As always, we will bag and carry out any trash we find.

There is no charge for this field trip, but participants must register beforehand. Please email Tom Morahan at president@baog.org with the subject line “Zoar Hike” to register.

(Photos to the left show BAPG hikers from our last trip to Zoar Valley)