Patterson Town Hall
1142 Route 311
Patterson, NY 12563
845-878-6500
The Putnam County Land Trust was founded in 1969 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space in Putnam County. The organization offers educational opportunities to the public, including hiking and canoe trips, lectures, and special programs. The Land Trust owns properties in Patterson that are open to the general public.
The Sterling Farm Preserve is located on Couch Rd. between Cornwall Hill Rd. and Route 164. There is a small, marked, parking area a short distance from the entrance to the Preserve. There is a steep and moderately strenuous loop trail through the property. Atop Cornwall Hill are views of the surrounding area, including the Great Swamp and Cranberry Mountain. Plant species include black, red, and chestnut oaks, blueberry, mountain laurel, and wild rhododendrons. The bottom of the trail follows a swamp and a creek.
| The entrance to Sterling Farm Preserve on Couch Rd. |  |
The Twin Hills Preserve is located on Farm to Market Rd., near Big Elm Rd. The entrance is via a dirt road that is the south end of a pond that is across from Big Elm Rd. The entrance to the preserve is 500 feet down the dirt road on the left. Twin Hills is adjacent to the Clough Preserve, which is owned by the Town of Patterson. The preserve is 37 acres in size, and includes a vernal pool and an old rock-lined root cellar. The trail provides opportunities to see migrating birds, views of the Ice Pond and the hills across the Pond. Plant species include scrub shrubs, red maples, and mixed hardwoods.
| Interesting stone chamber marks the entrance to Twin Hills Preserve |  |
| View of the marsh at Twin Hills |  |
The Ice Pond Conservation Area is located on Ice Pond Rd., and is 104 acres in size. The Conservation Area includes the 46 acre Ice Pond and 58 acres of forest and wetlands. The Conservation Area is opposite the Twin Hills Preserve and the Town of Patterson's Clough Preserve. The Pond itself is situated between two ridges that rise over 400 feet. The Area is home to a diverse collection of wildlife, including habitats for birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, insects, plants, and amphibians. The Pond and its wetlands are situated above calcite marble bedrock and several geological faults. The Pond takes its name from the large ice harvesting operation of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the days before refrigeration, ice was cut from the Pond in blocks, and shipped to New York City via the Harlem Railroad. The foundation of the ice house is still visible today. The Area remains valuable as an aquifer that is a source of drinking water for area wells. Please note that the Ice Pond Conservation Area borders active Metro North Railroad tracks and care must be taken when walking to the water's edge.
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The trail to the Ice Pond
View of the Ice Pond from the Ice Pond Preserve |
The 17 acre Elena Hill Preserve includes the junction of Haviland Hollow Brook and the East Branch Croton River just east of Route 22. The Preserve is part of the Great Swamp and has no trails but is suitable for fishing.
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| East Branch of the Croton River flows through the Elena Hill Preserve (looking east from Route 22) |
The trail head and small parking area is located on Cornwall Hill Rd. between Couch Rd. and Route 164 near Turtle Pond. The trail winds along boulders and rock outcroppings and gives a view of Turtle Pond. The trail will eventually connect with the Sterling Farm Preserve trail and to new trails across Route 164 to the wetlands at the corner of Route 164 and Fram to Market Rd.
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