Tifft Nature Preserve

 The nature preserve wasn't always the wild, natural place it is today. Before Europeans arrived it was hunting ground of the Native Americans but in 1858 George Tifft started a dairy farm on the land. In the early 1900s docks capable of accommodating 83 vessels were built for transferring coal, iron ore, and timber between freighters and rail cars. The 1912 Panama Canal Act forced the separation of rail and shipping interests and the area became an unofficial dumping ground then an official landfill for the city of Buffalo. After public outcry in the 1970s a huge cleanup began. The landfill has encased in clay, covered with soil, and planted with grasses and native trees. The nature preserve now has 264 acres of restored habitat, including forests, ponds, and marshes. 

There are five miles of interconnected trails which are a combination of old gravel road, narrow gravel paths, natural surface trails, grassy paths, and boardwalk. We tried every trail except for the mounds trails, which I think go up and over the landfill, and hit obstacles on all of them - roots, rocks, narrow boardwalks and boardwalks that don't meet flush with the ground, steep hills and thick grass. The map at the preserve has all of the solid line paths as being wide and even with dirt or crushed stone which is incorrect. Some of it is grassy or rocky and difficult to navigate with a wheelchair. 

 

The Service Trail and the Heritage Boardwalk Trail accessed from the Service Trail are the most accessible trails. 

 

 The Darling Environmental Education Center, at the beginning of the trail system, is accessible.  It has maps and a few displays but little information. The closed gravel road that leads to the center is pretty rough and bumpy. Visitors with a handicapped permit or plates may drive to it and park in the small lot. 

The parking lot is large enough for any RV.