Zoar Valley is an area of deep gorges along the Main and South branches of Cattaraugus Creek in western New York, United States.

The protected area is managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and is open to the public for fishing, hunting, hiking, white-water rafting, and wildlife and scenic viewing.

The property also contains large stands of old-growth forest with trees of unusual size and height, which are further protected as part of the state-designated Zoar Valley Unique Area.

The cliffs along Zoar Valley's gorges are composed of Devonian silt stones and shale, and are part of the Canadaway Formation.

[3] Cliffs near the confluence of Cattaraugus Creek's South and Main branches reach heights of up to 500 feet (150 m) when measured to the tops of nearby hills.

[4] The extent of Zoar Valley's use by Native Americans is unclear due to subsequent disturbance by farming and settlement activities; however, findings from nearby archaeological sites suggest that indigenous peoples likely made use of the area.

[2]: 4 The Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company purchased property near the confluence in 1926, with the intention of building a hydroelectric dam in the valley.

[2]: 4 State ownership within the valley began in 1961 with the gift of 1,425 acres (5.77 km2) by Herbert F. Darling Sr., who had purchased land from the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation in 1952 with the intention of preserving the property.

[6] The Unique Area contains the majority of the currently known or suspected old-growth forest,[6] all of the riverside floodplain and terrace woodlands, as well as all of the slope, cliff and talus plant communities.

[8] Prior to being designated as a Unique Area, the old-growth forest within the state-owned portion of Zoar Valley was at danger of being logged;[9] the additional protection was the result of lobbying by activists and local residents.

[2]: 6–7 [10] Modern timber harvests by the state are intended to encourage native species growth and improve wildlife habitat.

[3] The sanctuary is located along the Cattaraugus Creek's South Branch, adjacent to the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area.

[9] Most of the old growth is found within the Main Branch canyon, with only a few narrow corridors along steep ravines of several larger side streams.

[2] Zoar Valley's old growth is primarily deciduous, and varies in character and species composition depending upon location and landform characteristics.

Zoar Valley's most renowned forest stands may be those found on raised terraces along Cattaraugus Creek,[13][14] which includes an area of large-tree old-growth known colloquially as "The Gallery of the Giants".

[17] Numerous species exceed 40 inches (100 cm) DBH, and a dozen or more represent the tallest of their kind in New York State or in the entire Northeast.

An interesting and likewise very old forest is found on the exposed and sun-baked upper reaches of south-facing slopes, which are quite xeric despite the humid regional climate.

[24] The Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area is open to the public for activities including fishing, hunting, hiking, white-water rafting, and nature study.

The two-mile (3.2 km) Holcomb Pond Trail links two separate parking areas on Vail Road, and traverses through forest and along the gorge edge in the northern section of the property.

[6] Cattaraugus Creek is a noted steelhead trout stream, ranked ninth-best east of the Rocky Mountains by American Angler magazine in 2006.