This has been a fantastic year for skiing, and not just the downhill (alpine) kind. Cross-country skiing is often overlooked in favor of the glitzier, high-fashioned (and high-priced) world of downhill skiing and snowboarding, but nothing can match the serene pleasure of gliding through a majestic, snow-covered forest. I can't think of a better winter aerobic activity either. Western New York has lots of great locations for cross-country (a.k.a. nordic) skiing, from golf courses to resorts and parks, and I'll profile some of the best places to go, and most of which are free!
Art Roscoe
Ski-a-Thon at the Art Roscoe Ski Touring Area, Allegany
State Park
Topographical
Trailmap of the Art Roscoe Ski Touring Area, Allegany State Park (132K
JPEG) Allegany State Park is by far my favorite place to ski, in spite of the relatively long (1 1/2 hour) drive from Buffalo. I've been there about a dozen times this year, and have never been disappointed. All of the trails begin at the top of a hill which sits at around 2300 feet, one of the highest points in Western New York, which means that it's always at least a few degrees colder than Buffalo, and there's considerably more snowfall than in the city. I decided to chance it once after a warm spell turned everything to ice, and found 3 or 4 inches of new powder and some of the best conditions that season at the park. You can even rent out one of the cabins right next to the warning hut for a skiing weekend away from it all.
Allegany has trails for everyone, from novice to experienced, including trails set-aside for ski-skating. There are over 30 miles of trails, so you're guaranteed never to get bored. If you are new to nordic skiing, Sweetwater is a great beginners' trail with mild grades, and it's only about 3 miles long. If you're comfortable with Sweetwater, you're ready for Christian Hollow, a 3.5 mile trail with an incredible vista, providing a breathtaking view towards the northeast, of the Allegany River valley and the rolling hills beyond. Intermediate and experienced skiers will love Leonard Run, which has a short but exhilarating downhill chute (when skied counterclockwise) that will take your breath away. Experienced skiers looking for a larger loop with some challenging, long downhills should ski down Snowsnake Run and continue on to Ridge Run. Ridge Run is one of my favorite trails in terms of scenery, taking you along a high ridge for over a mile, with vistas to the east and west. It's a fairly long trail, though, so bring some water and snacks!
The parks department does an impressive job of grooming all the trails with two sets of tracks, saving skiers the inconvenience of getting out of the way for others. The trails are usually very well-groomed, with a wide enough path to ally you to step off of the course without fear of sinking into 4 feet of powder and losing your skis!
There is no charge for skiing the trails, and you can even rent skis at the warming hut for about $14 a day. The hut has several tables and a snack shop for that requisite cup of hot chocolate to warm your insides after a day on the trails. Unfortunately, it's only open on weekends, so you'll have to come prepared with skis and snacks on weekdays.
More information about Allegany provided by L.L. Bean.Erie County Forestry is another favorite for nordic skiers, and is less of a haul than the trip to Allegany. It's about a 40 minute drive from downtown, and is situated just northeast of Springville. There's an accommodating warming hut and there are trails on both sides of the road. The trails on the north side of Genesee Road take you quickly up a hill to a windswept plateau, where it seems like you can ski across rolling farmers' fields all the way to East Aurora. The terrain on the south side of Genesee Road offers more variety, with some steep hills and narrow bridges. If you're looking for more trails nearby, there's another trail about one or two miles east on the north side of Genesee Road. Avoid skiing on the designated snowmobile trails, since they have a tendency to come out of nowhere at 60 miles per hour, leaving you little time to react! I would recommend a visit in the fall (I seem to remember it being October), when you can witness the maple syrup production process and score some free goodies.
Chestnut Ridge is a popular place for winter recreation, and it's close to Buffalo, just south of Orchard Park. There's a big sledding and tobogganing hill, in addition to several ski trails. Besides the well-traveled trails, there's lots of land to explore if you prefer to break your own trail. Try skiing down the sledding hill or exploring the west side of the park, which is the larger section. If you choose the west side, beware of snowmobilers.
Here's another nice option, just north of Erie County Forestry and just southeast of Kissing Bridge, off of route 240. There aren't a lot of different trails, but the main trail is easy and fun, with some gentle grades through a beautiful forest. This is a popular place, and it also has a warming hut. No need to worry about snowmobiles here--they have their own seperate area which doesn't cross near the ski trails. Once again, there is no cost.
Here's another alternative that's pretty close to the city, just east of East Aurora. Hunter Creek Park is not very well known, and is probably not a very good recommendation for the novice, since it isn't machine-groomed and has some steep hills and dangerous gorges. This is a great place for back country skiing, but you better sharpen up those edges! If you follow the orange blazes, you'll start with a moderate to steep climb for about a mile, which will bring you to a gas line clearing. Keep following the blazes and you'll eventually reach a stunning vista--Hunter Creek Gorge, which is about a 150 foot drop. It's a great place for a snack! Go back the same way you came, or have a compass handy. Hunter Creek is a great place for trailblazing, since you can't get lost too easily.
Emery Park is in South Wales, just south of East Aurora, another relatively short trip that's sure not to disappoint. There are trails on the north and the south sides of Emery Road, but I've been advised to avoid the south side because of snowmobiles. The south side offers a sizable hill and even a small T-bar lift for downhill skiers, and a lodge as well. I've seen the park but have never skied there, however it looks like there's enough variety for all different levels of expertise.
Allegany State Park (Art Roscoe Ski Touring Area)
70 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway east to route 219 south, and continue all the way to
Salamanca. Follow the signs to Allegany State Park, crossing the Allegany
river and passing the exits for routes 17 and 219. You'll be going up a
steep hill which is called ASP 1. Continue on past the park entrance to
the top of the hill, and you will see a parking lot and signs for the Art
Roscoe Ski Touring Area.
Chestnut Ridge Park
20 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway west to route 219 south, and take the Armor Duells
exit heading east. Turn right onto route 277, also known as Chestnut
Ridge Rd. (It's the first traffic light.) The main park entrance ramp is
off to the right after about a mile. When you get to the stop sign at the
end of the ramp, turn left, which takes you on a bridge over the 277 and
the east side of the park and a large parking lot.
Emery Park
20 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway west to route 400 south, and take it to the end,
where it becomes route 16. Go .4 miles south on route 16 to the first
traffic light. Turn right on Emery Rd. The main entrance is in 1.1 miles
on the south and north sides of the park.
Erie County Forestry Trails
35 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway west to route 219 south. From the 219, take the
Genesee Rd. exit and travel east, crossing the old route 219 and route
240 to reach Genesee Rd. between Mehm and Warner Gulf Roads.
Hunter Creek Park
25 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway west to route 400 south, and take the route 20A/78
exit. Turn left on 20A and 78 for 2.2 miles, then leave 20A by bearing
right on route 78. After approximately 1 mile, turn right onto Hunter
Creek Rd. Turn right into a parking area in less than .5 miles.
Spraque Brook Park
30 miles from Buffalo
Take the NYS Thruway west to route 219 south, and take the Armor Duells
exit east, then follow route 240 through Glenwood. The park entrance is
on the left on Foote Rd., approximately 1 mile past Kissing Bridge ski
resort.
The Cross Country Ski Center Directory
is a valuable index of places to ski around the country, and mentions
Allegany. However, it does not (at least at the time of this writing)
provide information about any of the other locations in this guide.This guide was prepared and is maintained by Armin Heurich. Please send any comments, additions, or corrections to heurich@acsu.buffalo.edu. Also, if you have any cross country skiing pictures that you think would enrich this site, please pass them my way!