For the third week in a row, my mom and dad have set out on an adventure, to learn more about their Western NY surroundings. This time they headed out to Eighteen Mile Creek County Park, located along South Creek Road in Road Hamburg.
Many Western NYers have come to know Eighteen Mile Creek for its rafting qualities, especially this summer, due to COVID. A number of my friends have purchased inner tubes and other floating/rafting apparatuses, to toss in the water before plopping themselves down for a (typically) slow, meandering drift down the creek, of which there are two branches – North Branch and South Branch. There’s also 60′ deep gorge, and I am under the impression that much of these reclaimed 466-acre wooded lands were once farms.
My parents loved this very walkable park, partially due to the swift water features brought on by recent rainstorms. They especially enjoyed the lively waterfall and bountiful wildlife.
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“Upper trail was easy, with beautiful views of the deep 60 foot gorge to the right,” my mom told me. “We went midweek, and got an early morning start, so there were no other hikers. Wearing hiking boots is advisable, especially since we went after a heavy rain and there were muddy parts along the path. This timing happened to be fortunate because the waterfall, one mile in, was fast flowing. Each turn along the 2.5 mile trek in and out led to new vistas. There’s a fabulous canopy of trees along beautiful moss edged trails. The sounds of cicadas, rustling leaves in the wind, and a lone dove added to the atmospheric surroundings, while the sightings of woodchucks and deer ensured that we were never alone. We event spotted a bald eagle – the majestic creature could be seen soaring through the middle of the gorge…”
After their visit to the park, my folks decided to pay a visit to Agle’s Market, which they wanted to include in this story. They felt that the stopover was the perfect way to wrap up their exploratory journey. Agle’s is a fifth generation, 95 acre, family-run vegetable farm in Eden, NY.
Since 1953, this farm – considered a WNY treasure – has been selling everything from summer veggies to mums in the fall. Per my mom and dad, a visit to Eighteen Mile Creek County Park would not be complete without stopping by this bountiful farm oasis.
Eighteen Mile Creek County Park | See Google Maps | Leashed dogs are permitted | Hours of operation: 7:00am to dusk
Agle’s Market | 7952 Gowanda State Rd. | Eden, NY
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