Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forest
Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forests, also known as Cattaraugus Reforestation Areas #5 and #8, covers approximately 6,229 acres. These state forests are located in Cattaraugus County in the Towns of Mansfield, Little Valley, Ellicottville and Great Valley. This unit shares its boundary lines with two major ski areas and is near Ellicottville, New York–a place that has become a year-round destination resort area. The most common recreational uses of this area are hunting, hiking, mountain bike riding, skiing, snowshoeing, orienteering, camping and snowmobile riding. These state forests also have a rich history which has shaped the way they look today.
There are camp sites available with covered picnic tables at Camp Seneca and Little Rock City recreation areas. Rock City camp area has four available sites like the one pictured that are tent camping only. Camping is allowed at designated sites only and there is no water supply (look for yellow camp disks at sites). Build fires in designated rock fire rings and not on roads, turn-around areas, picnic tables, or anywhere else that will cause damage or leave a mess to clean up. There is no garbage pick up at these sites; this area is carry in – carry out only!
On other areas of these state forests you can set up camp as long as you are 150 feet away from a road, trail, stream or waterbody.
Look for our yellow “camp here” disks which designate camp sites on the property. Please see maps for general locations. For map locations of Rock City and Camp Seneca as well as other camp locations please view the camp map at the top of the page.