Allegany County 📍

Allegany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,946.[1] Its name derives from a Delaware Indian word, applied by settlers of Western New York State to a trail that followed the Allegheny River. Its county seat is Belmont.

Allegany County is in the southwestern part of New York State, along the Pennsylvania border. Allegany County does not lie along the Allegheny River, as its name would suggest. The highest point in the county is Alma Hill with an elevation of 2,548′ above sea level. This is the highest point west of the Catskill Mountains in New York State. The highest point of Interstate 86 is located in the Town of West Almond with an elevation of 2,110′. This is also believed to be the highest point of any Interstate in the New York.

The Genesee River bisects the county from south to north. In June 1972 the remnants of Hurricane Agnes stalled over the area, dropping more than 20 inches (510 mm) of rain. There was memorable flooding in Wellsville, Belmont, Belfast and other valley communities of the county. The Genesee River is extremely popular with canoeists (as it was a favored route for Native Americans) and the river abounds in smallmouth bass, trout and panfish.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegany_County,_New_York

🗺️ Maps 🖼️ Photos
Map: Stone Dam Campground
Thematic Map: Water Supply in the Capital Region
Map: Calamity Brook Trail

Still Haven’t Made it to Allegany County

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Much to my disappointment, I never made it out to Allegany County this year. I had hoped to spend at least a few nights camping out there during November, but it got cold and snowy early, and by the time I got my week off for vacation, snow had set in the roads to the backcountry where I wanted to camp would have been impassable. I had great fun camping there in 2016, as you can see from this video.

Allegany County has always captured my imagination the few times I’ve been out there. Not because it’s as spectacular as Cattaraugus County, or as scenic as the Adirondacks, but because it’s rural and remote. The history of the county’s fight against the nuclear waste dump, makes it even more exciting. In recent years, thanks to increased digitization of mapping data by the DEC, the lands have become easier to discover, and learn what campsites and recreational opportunities exist there.

Campsite

Maybe next summer during my summer vacation I’ll spend some time out there. I don’t have my trip laid out, so it’s one of many options.