Brokenstraw State Forest

Discover

Brokenstraw State Forest connects a named walking corridor with a landscape still shaped by forestry. The 951-acre property lies in Clymer and Harmony, Chautauqua County. A 1.4-mile section of the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail crosses the forest, maintained by the county. For a visitor, that specific stretch offers a useful focus within a larger area of woodlots and access routes.

The trail's permissions are important. Hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed on the Overland Trail; motor vehicles and horses are excluded. Other activities allowed elsewhere within the forest do not override those corridor rules. Begin with the current map and your intended activity so that a simple walk or ride stays within the appropriate route. Organized trail events require a separate permit arranged in advance.

The woodland has roots in abandoned agricultural land. During the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps projects included road building and the planting of thousands of pine and spruce trees. The program provided work during the Great Depression. That history helps explain why planted conifers form part of the forest, without requiring an assumption that particular roads or perfectly ordered rows still survive unchanged from that period.

Timber management continues the story. DEC describes thinning planted conifer stands to create openings for naturally regenerating hardwoods, followed by removal of the conifer overstory in a final harvest. Hardwood stands also receive periodic thinning. These are explanations of management methods, rather than a prediction of work occurring beside the trail during your visit. The changing relationship between seedlings and larger trees can be interesting to observe without treating every stand as the same age.

Large hardwoods also deserve a careful reading. Some stands can give an impression of old growth even though they were harvested before state ownership. Size alone does not establish an untouched forest history. A photograph comparing trunk forms, young growth and the surrounding canopy can describe what is visible without an unverified label. Looking closely at the structure of a stand is often more rewarding than trying to assign a grand age to it.

Wildlife reflects this variety of habitat. White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, raccoon and turkey feature in DEC's description, with fox, mink and bear seen occasionally. Songbirds are associated especially with thick seedling and sapling cover in heavily harvested areas. Let that habitat connection guide patient observation; there is no need to promise a particular animal or invent a best visiting hour to make the woodland worth noticing.

One designated campsite is described along Brokenstraw Forest Road. Dispersed primitive camping is also allowed, with 150-foot setbacks from roads, trails and water and a ranger permit for stays beyond three nights or groups of ten or more. Review current guidance before choosing an overnight location.

The approach from Panama uses County Route 10 west to Weeks Road, then south to the parking area at Brokenstraw Forest Road. That road extends east through the property. Panama State Forest, Hill Higher State Forest, Watts Flats and Jacquins Pond wildlife management areas are listed nearby. Choose any additional stop separately; Brokenstraw's trail, planting history and managed woodland already provide a clear thread for one visit.

Fun facts

1. Brokenstraw State Forest covers 951 acres in Clymer and Harmony.
2. The county maintains 1.4 miles of the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail within the forest.
3. CCC projects in the 1930s included roads and thousands of pine and spruce plantings.
4. Songbirds are associated with thick seedling-sapling cover in some harvested areas.
5. Some large-tree stands were harvested before state ownership, despite an old-growth appearance.

Read the official sources →

Capture

1. Use the Overland Trail as a leading line where encountered through permitted access.
2. Compare larger conifer forms with young hardwood growth without assigning an unverified age to individual trees.
3. Try a habitat composition centered on seedling-sapling texture rather than depending on a bird appearing.

Social

Brokenstraw State Forest covers 951 acres in Clymer and Harmony, Chautauqua County. Its trail and managed woodlots give a visit a clear focus. #Cre8Travel

A 1.4-mile stretch of the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail crosses Brokenstraw State Forest and is maintained by the county. #Cre8Travel

The Overland Trail at Brokenstraw allows walking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Motor vehicles and horses are excluded from that corridor. #Cre8Travel

CCC projects at Brokenstraw in the 1930s included road construction and thousands of pine and spruce plantings on former agricultural ground. #Cre8Travel

Thinning and natural hardwood regeneration are part of Brokenstraw’s timber-management account. Look at woodland structure rather than expecting untouched forest. #Cre8Travel

Some large-tree stands at Brokenstraw were harvested before state ownership. An old-growth appearance is not the same as an old-growth history. #Cre8Travel

DEC associates songbirds at Brokenstraw with thick seedling-sapling cover in heavily harvested areas. Habitat can guide observation without guaranteeing a sighting. #Cre8Travel

One designated campsite is described along Brokenstraw Forest Road. Check current rules before an overnight visit, and give the woodland time on its own terms. #Cre8Travel

Hashtags

1. #Cre8Travel
2. #BrokenstrawStateForest
3. #ChautauquaCounty
4. #WoodlandHistory
5. #WestsideOverlandTrail

Sources & visitor information

• Source — Brokenstraw State Forest