Located within the rugged Zoar Valley priority conservation landscape, Deer Lick Conservation Area is a designated National Natural Landmark found on the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek.
Learn more about the wonders of Deer Lick via the tabs above.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
From Erie County, take US Route 62 to Gowanda.
Deer Lick Conservation Area is open year-round from dawn until dusk.
Animals: A wide range of wildlife has been spotted at Deer Lick, including black bear and bald eagles.
Plants: Deer Lick offers a variety of exemplary forest types to experience, from meadow edge pioneer species to old-growth hemlock-northern hardwoods. Many ancient sugar maple, American beech, and black cherry trees have grown over 100 feet tall. The Zoar Valley is the northern edge of the range of the American chestnut tree, which has been decimated by the chestnut blight, an invasive fungus from Asia. Young chestnut trees aren’t affected until they reach a size of 8” diameter at breast height, and many young chestnut sprouts can be found at Deer Lick. Researchers are trying to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut by combining American chestnut genes with those from Asian varieties that are resistant to the blight.
Deer Lick Conservation Area is open during hunting season to archery only (Oct 1 – Dec 21, Dec 26 – Jan 1). Written permission is required to hunt on Conservancy lands. To learn more about our hunting program or to obtain permission to hunt, please visit our New York hunting information page.
Many attractive lands in the Zoar Valley are privately owned. Please observe posted signs and obtain permission before accessing any private property. No alcohol or glass containers are permitted in Deer Lick. See our full preserve visitation guidelines for more information.
At Deer Lick, you can hike through several hundred acres of unspoiled forest. Please note that hiking the gorge bottom of the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek on The Nature Conservancy property is prohibited. Trespassers will be ticketed. All visitors wishing to explore the gorge bottom from the NYSDEC Forty Road Parking Lot must hike downstream.
The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.
