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cat opens essex Quarry nature preserve
Hiking trails champlain area trails opens essex Quarry nature preserve
WESTPORT — Champlain Area Trails hosted a grand opening celebration for the Essex Quarry Nature Preserve on Sept.18, two months after the preserve officially opened to the public on June 26.
The Essex Quarry Nature Preserve is located on the south edge of the hamlet, just a short distance from the Lake Champlain ferry’s Essex/Charlotte landing.
“Volunteers and staff have been working on these trails all year and everyone is really excited about them,” said Derek Rogers, CATS development director. “It’s a really unique preserve and it will be great for year-round, family-friendly use. Every time we head over there, there are a number of cars in the parking lot.”
The Essex Quarry Nature Preserve is 35 acres. It began operating as a quarry in the 1800s, constructing many Essex buildings and even part of the Brooklyn Bridge’s foundation. Multiple buildings in Essex were built with its stone, including the Belden Noble Memorial Library, Essex Community United Methodist Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Today the quarry site showcases a combination of natural, geological, paleontological and historic features. The quarry is home to 400-million-year-old fossils, once part of the world’s oldest coral reef. It also features a globally rare forest called the “Limestone Woodland.”
“The great thing about Essex Quarry Nature Preserve is that it’s right on Essex’s main street,” said Chris Maron, CATS executive director, “We hope people will take the ferry over from Vermont and walk-through Essex, admiring the beautiful town, shopping at local businesses, and seeing the buildings made from quarry stone.”
Staff and volunteers have constructed over a mile of trails throughout the quarry, both for walking and cross-country skiing. An informational kiosk has been installed, along with a series of interpretive signs.
“Our stewardship coordinator, Bill Amadon, the rest of the CATS staff and board, and many wonderful volunteers have assisted us in helping to make Essex Quarry a really spectacular place to enjoy,” Maron said. “We’re so happy that we had the opportunity to preserve it, thanks to generous supporters.
“This preserve really does have it all: rich history, a unique natural community, and now — trails. We hope people will enjoy it to the fullest.”
Champlain Area Trails is a nonprofit, accredited land trust whose mission is to save land, make trails, connect people with nature and promote economic vitality in New York’s Champlain Valley. Information on future CATS events and activities is available at champlainareatrails.com. Call 518-9622287 or email info@champlainareatrails.com for more information.
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CATS staff at the Essex Quarry Nature Preserve
