Conditions were ideal for our winter trek on the beautiful wooded trails in Erie County 
Forest near East Concord. Following some warm, wet weather, temperatures dropped and fresh powder on the crusty base provided perfect trail conditions for our micro-spike hike. The fresh snow on the young evergreens was enchanting, providing magical wintry scenery. This area used to be abandoned farmland, and in the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Cops (CCC) planted millions of trees including Spruce, Red Pine and Maple. In 90 years the impressive reforestation now supports hiking trails, maple sugaring, wood production, and wildlife habitats.
We first climbed the hill on the north side of Genesee Rd. (Rt. 409) and hiked the 1.5-mile Silent Wood Trail. Next we completed the 2-mile Old Scarbuck Trail on the south side of Genesee Rd., including the extra ~1-mile loop after crossing The Bridge Too Far. Our group had fun crossing icy Dresser Creek to explore the charming picnic island area. One man in our group remarked how great it felt to be exercising on the rolling hills in such a beautiful place. We met a couple of sisters on the trail, one an ADK member and pediatrician in Springville. Other groups including a meetup were also enjoying this special place. Altogether we hiked about 5 miles is this WNY gem.
– Submitted by David and Janet Kowalski