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.

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.