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Vandermark State Forest
Vandermark: Woodland, Creek, and a Changing Forest
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Vandermark State Forest brings together two ways of understanding a wooded landscape: the operator's account of how it is managed, and a local writer's attachment to what it has meant over time. The 2,384-acre property lies in Ward in Allegany County. Vandermark Creek runs through the forest, while roads and trails reflect several chapters of human use. For a visitor, those overlapping stories give a walk more substance than the idea of an anonymous patch of green.
DEC traces roads and conifer planting to CCC work during the 1930s. That history offers a useful lens for observing the trees. Where planting patterns are visible, compare regular spacing with the less predictable arrangement of other woodland growth. A planted stand is part of the forest's cultural history as well as its vegetation. The distinction can help explain why a landscape that feels remote still carries signs of coordinated work and long-term decisions about land use.
The hiking options include forest roads, old gas-well roads, logging tracks, and multiple-use trails. That mixture makes route selection essential. A wider track may reflect an earlier industrial or forestry purpose, rather than a self-guided recreational loop with an obvious finish. Before walking, choose a route from the current DEC map and establish how you will return. Use intersections as opportunities to check the plan, and avoid treating a rough side road as an invitation simply because it appears to continue through the woods.
Vandermark Creek provides a different subject from the road network. From an appropriate legal access point, observe the relationship between the stream corridor and the surrounding forest: the change in vegetation, the way moving water interrupts the woodland pattern, or the contrast between a wider scene and a small detail. Fishing is an activity DEC lists for the property, but species, regulations, and suitable access require their own checks. The creek's presence does not establish a swimming spot, a safe crossing, or permission to enter every bank visible on a map.
A January 2024 Wellsville Sun column by Bob Confer adds a personal perspective. Confer connects Vandermark to childhood camping memories and later visits with his own children. He also expresses regret about the removal of conifer stands, while acknowledging forest-management considerations. That mixed response is valuable precisely because it is personal: affection for a place and disappointment with change can coexist. It is not a current condition report, a promise that particular trees remain, or a representative verdict from all visitors.
Use that perspective as an invitation to look attentively at the forest you encounter, rather than seeking an exact recreation of an older account. A strong first outing might combine a modest mapped walk with time for observation along a suitable part of the creek. Winter requires a different access assessment, since DEC says roads generally are not plowed except for timber operations. Keep the route, weather, and return practical, and leave room for the woodland's changing character. Vandermark's appeal is the connection between reforestation, working tracks, a creek corridor, and the memories people build around them. The day can hold all four without needing a manufactured signature viewpoint.
Fun facts
- CCC work shaped roads and conifer plantings in the 1930s.
- Hiking routes include old gas-well roads and logging tracks.
- Vandermark Creek flows through the property.
Before you go
- Choose a mapped return rather than following every old road.
- Check fishing regulations separately from general access.
- Do not assume stream crossings or swimming access.
- Roads generally are not plowed in winter.
Visitor perspectives
- In a January 2024 column, Bob Confer links Vandermark to childhood camping and later family visits. He also regrets changes to conifer stands while recognizing management considerations. His mixed personal response is not a current forest survey.
Capture
- Contrast a lawful creek view with a woodland texture detail.
- Photograph planting patterns only where visible from your chosen route.
Social
1/8 Vandermark combines a creek corridor with a working-forest history.
2/8 The property lies in Ward, Allegany County.
3/8 CCC roads and plantings add a 1930s chapter to the woods.
4/8 Old gas-well roads and logging tracks make a map especially useful.
5/8 A creek is a subject to observe, not an automatic safe crossing.
6/8 Local writer Bob Confer’s 2024 column balances family memories with concern about change.
7/8 That account is one dated perspective, not a promise about today’s trees.
8/8 Plan a modest walk and leave time to look closely. #Cre8Travel
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