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Best State Park 2015 in the USA Today 10Best State Park Readers’ Choice Awards! That is pretty high praise. I am fortunate that this park in Castile, New York is less than a two hour drive from my home, so I have visited it more times than I can remember. It is gorgeous in any season, but a recent winter trip was absolutely magical.

The southernmost entrance was closed, so we entered the park on the western side at the Castile entrance. Once in we took the park road heading south and made our first stop at Archery Field Overlook. This overlook had nice views of the gorge and the Genesee River.

The next stop along the Park Road was Inspiration Point. Here you can see both the middle and upper falls in the distance. The snow-covered trees made me think we were in Narnia and the kids broke into a spontaneous snowball fight while I took photos of the gorge.

I have been reflecting a lot on perseverance lately. There is no doubt that the water flowing over the falls is powerful, but from this vantage point, it is clear that it is not just the power of the water but the perseverance that has carved through this gorge over the years. It was a beautiful sight and a beautiful reminder of what continually moving forward does for us over time.

Once home again, I was eager to compare my photos of this trip with photos of the falls at other times of the year. It is no wonder that this is an award winning park, the scenery is delightful any time of year.

After Inspiration Point, the next stop was the main parking area of Middle Falls. In the summer, there are lot’s of people here, but on this winter’s day, we were almost all alone.

The upper falls view point is just a short walk along the Genesee River from middle falls.

What a study in contrasts! There is a third waterfall, lower falls. It was not accessible on our last two trips, but hopefully the trail will be open again soon. More information can be found on the NYS parks website.

If you are traveling across Western New York, I hope you get the chance to stop at Letchworth State Park. It is picnic perfect in any season.

This is a gem just under an hour away from my home. Zoar Valley is part of a 3000-acre multiple use area managed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. It is known for its deep gorge formed by the Cattaraugus Creek as it flows into Gowanda and eventually, Lake Erie.

In this post, I will share with you our visits to three different points in Zoar Valley over three different seasons. This past October, we took advantage of an 80-degree day to hike the South Branch of the Cattaraugus Creek to where it meets the main stream. To access this hike, park at the Forty Road Parking area. You will walk in the creek bed itself, so prepare to get wet, but that is half the fun!

The access to the creek from the Forty Road parking lot is easy and as long as water levels aren’t too high, this is the safest route because you enter at creek level and can view the sweeping gorge walls safely from below.

I LOVE the grooved paths years of water have carved through the gorge. I think I see some of those scars in me…….wait, those aren’t my words. They actually are in the song Zoar Valley by the local band Uncle Ben’s Remedy. You should probably check them out.

The colors will fade and winter will return, but Zoar Valley is beautiful in winter too. We explored the northernmost point from the Ross parking area, last winter. There is no access into the gorge from here, but you can glimpse the Cattaraugus below at one point along the trail. This is a nice walk through Beech and Hemlock forest that wraps around a small pond as well.

This was a late-season hike with that pretty stick-to-the-branches snow, but it was still quite cold. At one point, our middle child told us he could not possibly go on due to his cold, wet feet. I looked down to see him wearing sneakers, not the boots that were suggested. Dramatics commenced, tears ensued, I am hopeful that he learned a lesson about preparedness. This memory brings a smile to my face either way, even though I am sure I didn’t find it funny at the time. I do remember trying to focus (both him and me) on the beauty of the woods around us.

Winter melts into spring, both literally and metaphorically. Nothing is certain, except the certainty that things change. Even when experiencing life at its worst, I try to remember and reflect upon impermanence. The winter ends and spring returns. Every. Single. Time.

We visited in the spring, just as our world was turning green again, it was Mother’s Day.

We parked at the end of Valentine Flats Road. After a short walk, the trail forks. Turning left takes you to the view pictured above. It is very steep and would be dangerous to take young children this way, but if you are careful and stay on the trail, it gives you a nice view looking up the gorge. The better trail, in my opinion, is to the right and after a short distance, you are at creek level. If you stay to the right until the end, the path will take you to the point once again where the south branch meets the main creek. We enjoyed all the signs of spring along the way.

So whatever season you are in, find a place to enjoy and celebrate what brings you joy. That is what I intend to do, and I hope I can help you find the right place to do the same.