Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Visited July 24, 2021

Point Peter Road, Gowanda, NY

78 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny

No cost for parking.

Parking in an unpaved lot. Will host 5+ cars. On this Saturday morning, there were three vehicles at 10:00 AM and one vehicle at 1:00 PM.

Pets are not welcome at this site.

There is an outhouse but it past primitive.

I would allow at least three hours or more to hike the trails. I did not explore them all but logged 5.2 miles using the white, yellow, and red trails. (I packed in water with me and brought my trash home with me.) The trails were dry today but there were muddy sections. The trails were single file with sections that were wide enough to walk side by side. Long pants were not needed today except for one grassy section on the red trail. There were some elevation changes on these trails.

During the entire three hours I was at the site, I passed only two young ladies as I left Bear Point.

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

Today I saw a rich variety of species of trees and plants at this beautiful, peaceful place. I saw moths, butterflies, dragonflies, a snail, evidence of deer, mosses, ferns, goldenrod preparing to bloom in September, grapevine, American honeysuckle, sweet pea, black raspberry, daisy, buttercup, birds foot, milkweed, clover, yarrow, plantain, and jewelweed. There were birch, beech, oak, maple, hemlock, pine, tulip, American basswood, apple trees, and ash trees. Many mushrooms and fungi were flourishing due to the past two weeks of rain and the warm weather.

For more information:

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/central-deer-lick-conservation-area/

Milkweed near the parking area @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Unpaved lot Milkweed near the parking area @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Deer Lick has been a registered natural landmark since 1967. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

According to this sign some of the tall trees on these premises are the tallest of their species in the northeast, including a tulip tree and an American basswood. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Signs @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

No need to get too excited at the sight of the outhouse just off the trail near the parking lot and the informational kiosks. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

The tail is wide enough for a vehicle for the first part of the walk. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Sweet pea and yarrow at the start of the trail @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Grapevine grows throughout the property. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Bench @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Deer Hoof Print in the Mud @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Blackberries will ripen in a few weeks. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

American honeysuckle @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

One of the muddy sections on the trail @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Fern @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

I turned left here to stay on the white trail to get to Bear Point, the gorge viewpoint. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

This is the trail as I turned left as shown in the picture above. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Bridge on White Trail @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

There are a few severe dropoffs, especially near Bear Point. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

View from Bear Point of Cattaraugus Creek below. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

A lonely umbrella in the woods @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

View from Bear Point @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

I turned right here to return to the car using the yellow trail. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Ferns @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

View of the falls from the trail @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

An obliging log provided a bench to enjoy the sounds and views. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

The trail crosses the water. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

View to the right @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

View to the left @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Tiny feather on the trail. From a woodpecker's belly? @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

I turned right to explore the red trail. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Nice pasture views on the red trail @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Apple trees on the red trail. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

@ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

The last of the black raspberries of the season as I returned the the white trail. @ Deer Lick Preserve, Gowanda, NY

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse