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Visited July 10, 2021
Visited July 10, 2021
8115 or 8119 Route 60, Cassadaga, NY 14718
[Turn off Route 60 onto what appears to be a small residential drive when you see the numbers for 8115 or 8119 on Route 60 sort of across from the Cassadaga Shur Fine and Dollar General.]
Unpaved parking area that will hold 8+ vehicles.
Overcast and 64 degrees Fahrenheit at 8:30 AM, 65 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:00 AM
Overcast and 64 degrees Fahrenheit at 8:30 AM, 65 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:00 AM
No toilets available
Most nature parks do not want dogs but I did not see any signage addressing their attendance. This is a new site so maybe we will see clarification in the future.
I wore capris because I did not account for the newness of the nature trails. I would recommend long pants and waterproof boots.
Poison ivy in profusion on trail and near trail.
No cost to access the parking lot or the trail.
I visited the trail with a group for an organized walk advertised by the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy on Facebook but arrived late because I had trouble finding the location despite setting off early. The trail will be approximately one mile. You will need over one hour, especially if you are bird watching. The air was filled with birdsong, however the sounds of traffic from Route 60 was also more prominent than I expected on a Sunday morning.
No trash was present on this walk.
The only people we encountered were those on the walk.
The approximately 1-mile trail is marked with signs and colored markers as shown in the photos below. It was a flat unchallenging walk but waterproof boots are recommended.
The trail surface was natural.
The trail was wet and muddy. The trail was single file.
The variety at this site was incredible. Some of the plants we saw were American honeysuckle, grape vine, daisy, Virginia creeper, poison ivy, goldenrod, willow trees, maple trees, oak trees, and cherry trees. Dr. Terence Mosher and some of the other people on the walk showed us Deptford pinks, pickerel weed, and thimble weed. They identified by birdsong the warblers, goldfinches, and sparrows. We saw robins, a heron, and mature and immature cedar waxwings.
For more information about this new nature site:
https://chautauquawatershed.org/cassadaga-lake-nature-park/
For more information about the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy:
https://chautauquawatershed.org/
Nearby:
Sullivan's, 3590 East Main Road (Route 20), Fredonia, NY 14063
I love the milkshakes here. Worth the wait if there is one.
Cassadaga Lakes, Parking and Boat Launch, North end of Middle Cassadaga Lake on Glasgow Road. Paved parking for 20 cars and trailers. Porta potty available.
https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/26964.html
Fantastic for kayaking.
This is the sign you are looking for but it is not ON Route 60. Turn off onto what appears to be a small residential drive when you see the numbers for 8115 or 8119 Route 60 sort of across from the Cassadaga Shur Fine and Dollar General.
American honeysuckle
American honeysuckle--keep an out for Cedar waxwings--they enjoy these berries
Gypsy moth--menace to green foliage when they are in their caterpillar stage which has just passed
This short trail offers a variety of trees, plants, and bird sighting opportunities.
A stand of gray birch
Beautiful kettle pond despite the unpromising name of Mud Lake--saw a heron and king bird fly from the two dead trees in the center of this body of water
This section of trail leads to Mud Lake and a building project that appears to be the beginnings of a bird blind.
Indian Pipe AKA Ghost Plant (this plant does not have chlorophyll) I have also seen this fascinating plant on the wooded trails in the remote sections of Letchworth and Allegany State Parks.
Yarrow
Fern--according to the people in the know, there were two types of fern on these trails
Not a great image, but I have finally learned the name of this pretty white flower: thimbleweed.
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