Little Rock City Forest (FLT)


Visited July 26, 2021

Website lists address as: Little Valley, NY 14779

Google Address was listed as 29 Pine St., Salamanca, NY 14779 but stay on Little Rock City Road until you reach "Rock City State Forest Parking Area". (Maybe type that name into Google instead.) Be sure you are not choosing Rock City Park in Olean which is a different place (and it charges admission).


The road is unpaved, dirt and gravel for the last 1+ miles. I typed

68-82 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny

On this Monday morning, there were two vehicles at 9:30 AM and five vehicles at 11:45 AM.

Leashed dogs are welcome at this site.

There is an accessible porta potty in good condition.

I would allow two hours or more to hike the trail and explore the rock city. I logged 4 miles total. Wesley is done hiking when it gets hot even in the shady woods and near the rock formations where cooler temperatures were noticeable. (Be sure to pack in water with you and bring your trash home with you.) The trails are unpaved as you would expect for the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT). The trails were dry today but there were stinky, black muddy sections near the rocks. The trails were single file. I prefer long pants for wooded trails.

I passed only two ladies as I neared the parking area on my return.

I wore long pants and bug spray; the mosquitos were hungry today with the warm temperatures and the recent weeks of rain.

No cost for parking.

Parking in an unpaved lot. Will host 8+ vehicles.

In addition to the amazing rock formations, Wesley and I saw trees and plants at this beautiful, peaceful place. I saw moths, mosses, ferns, and grapevine. There were birch, beech, oak, maple, cherry, and hemlock trees. Many mushrooms and fungi were flourishing due to the past two weeks of rain and the warm weather.


For more information:

https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/77184.html

When you pass this sign on Rock City Road, keep going straight until you reach the circle in the next photo (no matter what Google maps tells you).

Park here. Trail head near the car on the right.

Porta potty behind the photographer.

One of the picnic/camping areas around the circular parking area. Not actually ON the FLT.

FLT Sign near the parking circle

Some of the black stinky mud that is on the trail near the rocks is shown in this photo's foreground.

Trail with white blazes

Trillium that has flowered earlier this spring.

View to left of the trail

View to the left of the trail

Section of dry trail. The trail benefits from the trees' shade this time of year.

To the right of the trail were a number of large, tall cherry trees--gorgeous