This part of the North Country Trail features the Seneca Indian nation and Bucktooth State Forest. The NCT coincides with the white blazed Finger Lakes Trail during this stretch of trail. There was a major trail closing in 2015 that has the trail closed on private property, currently with no official reroute. Look below for info on the suggested routes thru hikers can take until a new trail route can be blazed.

The NCT begins in Allegany State Park on ASP 2 near the interchange with I-86.  The trail enters the Seneca Indian Nation.  The old bridge over the Allegheny River was CLOSED in the summer of 2012 creating a long reroute.  The trail travels over nine (9) miles through the Seneca Indian Nation and there is no camping within the territory.  It can be tricky to follow the trail through the territory. The Seneca Nation of Indians (SNI) is one of the six tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy who occupy aboriginal lands in New York State set aside by the Treaty of Canandaigua of 1794. The Seneca Nation of Indians has a total population of over 7200 enrolled members and holds title to three territories in New York, one of which includes the City of Salamanca.

The trail leaves the territory following Sawmill Run Road and then leaves Sawmill Run Road, entering private property. This section of the trail all the way to Bucktooth State Forest is CLOSED during fall big game hunting season between October 1 - December 22. Please respect the landowners request and stay off this section of trail during those dates. The trail enters the 2218 acre Bucktooth State Forest after 12.2 miles of hiking. This hardwood forest area is northwest of Salamanca (originally called Bucktooth back in the 1850's) and south of Little Valley. This area was carved by the glaciers and is on the northern edge of the Allegheny Plateau and southern end of the Finger Lakes drainage area.

The trail leaves the state forest, enters private property then reaches East Branch Bucktooth Run Road. This is where the trail ends due to loss of permission from a private landowner allowing the trail on their property here is the info from the FLTC about this trail closure:Loss of landowner permission The trail has been closed between 4th St. Ext. and Woodworth Hollow Rd. (between Access 5 and 6) due to loss of landowner permission. There are several reroute options hiking west to east:

1. From Access 5, hike south along E. Branch Bucktooth Run Rd to Bucktooth Run Rd. Continue south on Bucktooth Run Rd. to Washington St. Turn east (left) on Washington St. into Salamanca to the trailhead for the Patricia McGee Rail Trail. Hike north on this rail trail to Woodworth Hollow Rd. to rejoin the main trail.

2. From 4th St. Ext., continue north on this road into Little Valley to the trailhead for the Patricia McGee Rail Trail. Hike south on this rail trail to Woodworth Hollow Rd. to rejoin the main trail.

3. From 4th St. Ext., continue north on this road to Elkdale State Forest. Hike east through the State Forest on the yellow marked snowmobile trail to the Patricia McGee Rail Trail. Hike south on this rail trail to Woodworth Hollow Rd. to rejoin the main trail.

There is a golf course and restaurant across the street (Elkdale Country Club).  The NCT continues across the street and for a continuation see Rock City State Forest. Just prior to reaching NY 353 the North Country Trail crosses the Patricia McGee Rail Trail.  You can hike, bike, snowmobile or ride horses on the Patricia McGee Trail. This multi-purpose, 12.2 mile trail will grow to be a county wide system but at this time it connects seven municipalities together (the Village of Cattaraugus to the City of Salamanca).

Look below for a map and trail description of this section of the trail.  This section of the North Country Trail is also part of the Conservation Trail as well as the Finger Lakes Trail.

New reroute takes NCT briefly on this Seneca Nation Road

 

Mile	Elevation	Trail Description
0.0	1367 feet	Junction of ASP 2 and Bay State Road (shoulder parking).  Travel away from I-86. GPS N42 06.466 W78 46.511
0.2	1365 feet	Turn left on Hatchery Road and enter SENECA NATION LAND
0.6	1381 feet	Turn right on Genjoh Road
0.7	1420 feet	Sharp left on logging road; first and only blazing for next 1.8 miles with moderate climb to 1893 feet and then descending.
2.2	1720 feet	Bear left at logging road junction.
2.7	1472 feet	Turn left on Breed Run Road
3.4	1388 feet	Leave road on right where it bears left just beyond overhead transmission lines. Proceed straight on mowed lane next to the wooden utility poles.
3.5	1381 feet	Turn right into woods; note the blaze on the small apple tree.
3.6	1381 feet	Turn left (downstream) in Breed Run for about 50 feet. Turn right into weeds and shortly pick up ATV trail (if stream is high follow the mowed lane to I-86 shoulder until you pass the culvert). Stones in Breed Run are really slippery.
3.8	1400 feet	Well blazed ATV trail exits woods and turns left under transmission lines for 1.5 miles toward casino.
4.45	1398 feet	Stay on ATV trail as it leaves the transmission line ROW to the right .
4.85	1398 feet	Stay on ATV trail as it turns right to rejoin the transmission line right of way.
5.0	1406 feet	Stay on ATV trail as it turns right prior to large piles of dirt, then turns quickly left and on to the casino construction site parking lot.
5.3	1395 feet	Turn left on NY 417 aka Broad Street. Many services in the next 1.3 miles as you walk through city of Salamanca.
6.1	1368 feet	Left on NY 353 aka Center Street in Salamanca to cross the Allegany River.
6.5	1368 feet	Left on Washington Street.
8.0	1360 feet	Bucktooth Run Road is on the right.  Use this road during HUNTING SEASON as bypass, otherwise continue straight.
9.05	1365 feet	Turn right on Sawmill Run Road.
9.3	1378 feet	Pass Drake Run Road on right.
9.55	1383 feet	Leaving Seneca Nation Territory.
10.7	1446 feet	Turn right off Sawmill Run Road, and continue straight ahead on farm drive.  Shoulder parking.

Mile	Elevation	Trail Description (NCT from Sawmill Run Rd to NY 353)
10.7	1447 ft	Turn right off Sawmill Run Road, and continue straight ahead on farm drive.  Shoulder parking. GPS N42 09.606 W78 48.763
10.8	1519 ft	Left off lane, cross over stile.  Ascend.
11.6	2147 ft	Right on old woods road.
11.75	2217 ft	Turn left at fork of old woods roads.
12.2	2259 ft	End of old woods road.  Trail turns right and enters Bucktooth State Forest.
13.2	2209 ft	Begin steep descent.
13.65	1875 ft	Trail turns right along old logging road.
13.75	1788 ft	Trail turns left.
14.05	1624 ft	Cross West Branch Bucktooth Run Road diagonally to the left.  Limited Parking. GPS N42 11.779 W78 48.942
14.15	1617 ft	Cross West Branch Bucktooth Run on footbridge.  Begin steep ascent.
15.15	2149 ft	Turn left on grassy lane.  Camping area.  Soon turn right off grassy lane at register.
15.25	2183 ft	High point, begin descending.
15.6	1952 ft	Leave Bucktooth State Forest and enter private property.  Continue down steep logging road watching for left turn off logging road.
16.15	1658 ft	Reach East Branch Bucktooth Run Road. Limited Parking. GPS N42 12.404 W78 47.531 See info on trail closure above.
	1457 ft	Cross old railroad bed. This is the Patricia McGee Trail. Parking Area. GPS N42 12.270 W78 45.326
	1457 ft	Reach NY 353 and the end of this section.  The NCT continues across the street.  For a continuation of the trail see Rock City State Forest.