Letchworth State Park
Letchworth State Park
NTS,
On my way home from Zoar Valley today, I spent an hour or so walking through the 1912-1914 plantations at Letchworth State Park. I was able to confirm heights on several trees I spotted earlier this year. The following trees are current NY height champions:
Honeylocust (thornless): 105.9' x 5'11"
Cucumber magnolia: 119.3' x 5'7"
Rocky Mountain Douglas fir: 123.7' x 5'7"
I also measured a Norway Spruce to 129'+ and a White Pine outside the plantation to 132'. Letchworth has a number of impressive plantation species, including Noble Fir, Ponderosa Pine, and White Spruce. The canyon view isn't bad, either.
Elijah
On my way home from Zoar Valley today, I spent an hour or so walking through the 1912-1914 plantations at Letchworth State Park. I was able to confirm heights on several trees I spotted earlier this year. The following trees are current NY height champions:
Honeylocust (thornless): 105.9' x 5'11"
Cucumber magnolia: 119.3' x 5'7"
Rocky Mountain Douglas fir: 123.7' x 5'7"
I also measured a Norway Spruce to 129'+ and a White Pine outside the plantation to 132'. Letchworth has a number of impressive plantation species, including Noble Fir, Ponderosa Pine, and White Spruce. The canyon view isn't bad, either.
Elijah
"There is nothing in the world to equal the forest as nature made it. The finest formal forest, the most magnificent artificially grown woods, cannot compare with the grandeur of primeval woodland." Bob Marshall, Recreational Limitations to Silviculture in the Adirondacks
Re: Letchworth State Park
I was there briefly last year and was impressed with the place. I measured two roadside trees that caught my eye - a 130' white pine and a 137' white pine.
Re: Letchworth State Park
NTS,
I’ve returned to Letchworth a handful of times since my last post, including a trip yesterday with Tom Howard, and I thought an update to this thread was overdue. All trees measured are located in the southern, or Wyoming County, portion of the park.
*NY Maximum Height
Previously Measured Trees:
Cucumber Magnolia, Latest dimensions: 122.8’ x 5.69’
Honeylocust, Latest dimensions: 107.3’ x 6.13’*
New Trees:
Eastern White Pine
145.8’
138.0’
135.3’ x 7.2’
Tuliptree
140.5’ x 11.22’
Eastern Hemlock
134.3’ x 7.33’
Bitternut Hickory
127.7’
Norway Spruce
127.1’
127.5’
Black Cherry
117.5’
Noble Fir
116.7’*
111.6’ x 4.39’
107.4’ x 7.36’
Cucumber Magnolia
115.1’ x 9.44’
Arborvitae
85.3’
Ohio Buckeye
84.1’ x 7.05’*
Yellow Buckeye
80.8’ x 6.85’*
Although slightly taller (probably just over 130’) Norway Spruces can be found in the plantations near Inspiration Point, the two listed are more impressive to me because they’re open grown. Both are located near the Glen Iris Inn, along with the Ohio Buckeye, Arborvitae, a couple of nice Yellowwood trees, and a nearly 120’ Rocky Mountain Douglas-Fir.
The remainder of the measured native trees grow either along a hillside or within a ravine adjacent to the Council Grounds, an historical meeting place for the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy. After leaf-off, I should be able to do better in this area, Height-wise.
Elijah
I’ve returned to Letchworth a handful of times since my last post, including a trip yesterday with Tom Howard, and I thought an update to this thread was overdue. All trees measured are located in the southern, or Wyoming County, portion of the park.
*NY Maximum Height
Previously Measured Trees:
Cucumber Magnolia, Latest dimensions: 122.8’ x 5.69’
Honeylocust, Latest dimensions: 107.3’ x 6.13’*
New Trees:
Eastern White Pine
145.8’
138.0’
135.3’ x 7.2’
Tuliptree
140.5’ x 11.22’
Eastern Hemlock
134.3’ x 7.33’
Bitternut Hickory
127.7’
Norway Spruce
127.1’
127.5’
Black Cherry
117.5’
Noble Fir
116.7’*
111.6’ x 4.39’
107.4’ x 7.36’
Cucumber Magnolia
115.1’ x 9.44’
Arborvitae
85.3’
Ohio Buckeye
84.1’ x 7.05’*
Yellow Buckeye
80.8’ x 6.85’*
Although slightly taller (probably just over 130’) Norway Spruces can be found in the plantations near Inspiration Point, the two listed are more impressive to me because they’re open grown. Both are located near the Glen Iris Inn, along with the Ohio Buckeye, Arborvitae, a couple of nice Yellowwood trees, and a nearly 120’ Rocky Mountain Douglas-Fir.
The remainder of the measured native trees grow either along a hillside or within a ravine adjacent to the Council Grounds, an historical meeting place for the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy. After leaf-off, I should be able to do better in this area, Height-wise.
Elijah
"There is nothing in the world to equal the forest as nature made it. The finest formal forest, the most magnificent artificially grown woods, cannot compare with the grandeur of primeval woodland." Bob Marshall, Recreational Limitations to Silviculture in the Adirondacks
Re: Letchworth State Park
Elijah,
Good to see a post on Letchworth. I’ve driven by that scenic location a number of times, but for some reason, I didn’t think there was much there to measure. Obviously, I was wrong.
Bob
Good to see a post on Letchworth. I’ve driven by that scenic location a number of times, but for some reason, I didn’t think there was much there to measure. Obviously, I was wrong.
Bob
Robert T. Leverett
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Re: Letchworth State Park
Bob,
Most of the park is not interesting at all. Your instincts are mostly correct. All of the trees I’ve measured are near the Portageville end of the park, in close proximity to the Council Grounds and Glen Iris Inn. Some larger trees may also be within the canyon, but access to that area is difficult. Some old growth is rumored to be down there.
Elijah
Most of the park is not interesting at all. Your instincts are mostly correct. All of the trees I’ve measured are near the Portageville end of the park, in close proximity to the Council Grounds and Glen Iris Inn. Some larger trees may also be within the canyon, but access to that area is difficult. Some old growth is rumored to be down there.
Elijah
"There is nothing in the world to equal the forest as nature made it. The finest formal forest, the most magnificent artificially grown woods, cannot compare with the grandeur of primeval woodland." Bob Marshall, Recreational Limitations to Silviculture in the Adirondacks
- Erik Danielsen
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:46 pm
Re: Letchworth State Park
134.3' hemlock! These are the kinds of numbers I feel like we ought to be seeing out of Letchworth... it's such a big place. I bet we can rustle up some good trees, there's just a bunch of unimpressive areas to check of the list to narrow it down to the good stuff. I've seen some photos from hikes led by the park naturalist, Doug Basset- some really good looking stuff.
- djluthringer
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:35 am
Re: Letchworth State Park
Yes!
Hemlocks in the 130's here are a VERY good sign of what yet might be out there.
On my short trip there several years ago, I only had time to briefly explore in several places on top of the gorge and easy access/heavy public use trails to the bottom. I was itching to get off trail down in the bottom and into any of those flats along associated bends in the river. If the bottom hasn't been whacked in 100+ years, I would expect it to produce some tall hardwoods:
basswood 120's
red oak 120's
black cherry 120's
white ash 130's
tulip 140's
If you could find a place that goes back 150 years or more, there is potential to reach some record heights that approach Zoar Valley. This ofcourse is mostly conjecture since I haven't seen the bottom areas, but... this is the pattern I've been findings with my other explorations of similar but much shallower ravines (100-225ft depth) in many Lake Erie drainages in Erie County, PA.
It is a big area to start with, but if you have access to LIDAR, it should help you narrow things down a bit.
Dale
Hemlocks in the 130's here are a VERY good sign of what yet might be out there.
On my short trip there several years ago, I only had time to briefly explore in several places on top of the gorge and easy access/heavy public use trails to the bottom. I was itching to get off trail down in the bottom and into any of those flats along associated bends in the river. If the bottom hasn't been whacked in 100+ years, I would expect it to produce some tall hardwoods:
basswood 120's
red oak 120's
black cherry 120's
white ash 130's
tulip 140's
If you could find a place that goes back 150 years or more, there is potential to reach some record heights that approach Zoar Valley. This ofcourse is mostly conjecture since I haven't seen the bottom areas, but... this is the pattern I've been findings with my other explorations of similar but much shallower ravines (100-225ft depth) in many Lake Erie drainages in Erie County, PA.
It is a big area to start with, but if you have access to LIDAR, it should help you narrow things down a bit.
Dale
- Bart Bouricius
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 9:41 am
Re: Letchworth State Park
I was there in June and measured a few big cucumber magnolias a couple of tulips and some large hemlocks said to be "old growth"?. I will have to dig up my notes and photos.
Bart
Bart
- Erik Danielsen
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:46 pm
Re: Letchworth State Park
Bart, it would be great to have your measurements! Letchworth is a big place, the more measurements the better.
Re: Letchworth State Park
NTS,
After another visit to Letchworth this afternoon, I’d like to share with you some additional tree measurements. First, a couple summary comments:
1. With the exception of the listed Sycamore and Tuliptree, no measurements have been made on any of the gorge-bottom terraces (these are all upland trees).
2. I haven’t measured any trees that I would consider old growth. Most productive areas seem to date from the mid- to late-19th century.
3. Letchworth now is second (still well behind Zoar Valley) in terms of Rucker Height indices for NY State. No 150’-class trees have been documented yet.
Trees Measured since last post:
*NY Maximum Known Height
Tuliptree
147.7’
Sycamore
142.6’ x 11.89’
White Pine
146.8’ x 7.83’
Pignut Hickory
137.7’ x 10.63’* (possible currently listed state champion)
134.8’ x 5.63’
Shagbark Hickory
131.1’ x 6.62’
130.8’ x 5.89’
Cucumber Magnolia
128.7’ x 7.28’*
Basswood
127.3’ x 7.87’
123.8’
Current Rucker 10: 136.1’ Elijah
After another visit to Letchworth this afternoon, I’d like to share with you some additional tree measurements. First, a couple summary comments:
1. With the exception of the listed Sycamore and Tuliptree, no measurements have been made on any of the gorge-bottom terraces (these are all upland trees).
2. I haven’t measured any trees that I would consider old growth. Most productive areas seem to date from the mid- to late-19th century.
3. Letchworth now is second (still well behind Zoar Valley) in terms of Rucker Height indices for NY State. No 150’-class trees have been documented yet.
Trees Measured since last post:
*NY Maximum Known Height
Tuliptree
147.7’
Sycamore
142.6’ x 11.89’
White Pine
146.8’ x 7.83’
Pignut Hickory
137.7’ x 10.63’* (possible currently listed state champion)
134.8’ x 5.63’
Shagbark Hickory
131.1’ x 6.62’
130.8’ x 5.89’
Cucumber Magnolia
128.7’ x 7.28’*
Basswood
127.3’ x 7.87’
123.8’
Current Rucker 10: 136.1’ Elijah
"There is nothing in the world to equal the forest as nature made it. The finest formal forest, the most magnificent artificially grown woods, cannot compare with the grandeur of primeval woodland." Bob Marshall, Recreational Limitations to Silviculture in the Adirondacks