Limestone Rise | The Nature Conservancy

About Us
Our Science
Where We Work
- Habitats
- Regions
  - Africa
  - Australia
  - Asia and the Pacific
  - Caribbean
  - Central America
  - North America
    - Areas
    - Canada
    - Mexico
    - United States
      - Alabama
      - Alaska
      - Arizona
      - Arkansas
      - California
      - Colorado
      - Connecticut
      - DC/Maryland
      - Delaware
      - Florida
      - Georgia
      - Hawai'i
      - Idaho
      - Illinois
      - Indiana
      - Iowa
      - Kansas
      - Kentucky
      - Louisiana
      - Maine
      - Maryland/DC
      - Massachusetts
      - Michigan
      - Minnesota
      - Mississippi
      - Missouri
      - Montana
      - Nebraska
      - Nevada
      - New Hampshire
      - New Jersey
      - New Mexico
      - New York
        
        Places We Protect
        
        Adirondacks
        
        Central Western NY
        
        Long Island
        
        Eastern New York
        
        New York City
        
        How We Work
        
        Explore
        
        Newsroom
        
        Get Involved
        
        Field Trips and Events
        
        Contact Us
        
        Ways of Giving
      - North Carolina
      - North Dakota
      - Ohio
      - Oklahoma
      - Oregon
      - Pennsylvania
      - Rhode Island
      - South Carolina
      - South Dakota
      - Tennessee
      - Texas
      - Utah
      - Vermont
      - Virginia
      - Washington
      - West Virginia
      - Wisconsin
      - Wyoming
  - South America
  - Europe
- Urgent Issues
Green Living
News & Features
Photos & Multimedia
Gift and Estate Planning
Search
All Hands on Earth
How We Work

Get Involved:

Donate Now Renew Membership

New York

Limestone Rise Preserve

Explore the cracks and crevices in this limestone preserve.

Limestone Rise in Eastern New York. © The Nature Conservancy

About
Visit
Your Comments

Limestone splash © IvanTortuga/Creative Commons

Open to the Public

Yes

Route 146, which bisects the preserve, is thought to be the old “Palantine Road,” built by Palatine Germans in the early eighteenth century to connect their settlements in the Schoharie Valley with Albany. The area north of Route 146 was abandoned as pasture land more than 50 years ago. The southern area of the preserve was probably never farmed but only used for logging.

A 1.3 mile trail is blazed orange and has a few short but steep climbs. After you cross the road and enter the southern section, use special care to avoid stepping into deep crevices and holes in the limestone, especially in winter or after the leaves have fallen, when the crevices may be hidden. Allow about one hour to complete the circuit.

Things To Do

Visitors to this site will find unusual cracks and crevices where rain has dissolved away the underlying limestone bedrock. There is also a fine display of wildflowers in the spring, the most striking of which is white trillium that blankets the forest floor for a few weeks in May.

Plan Your Visit

This 70-acre preserve is located in the Town of Knox in Albany County, NY.

Directions

From the Albany area, takes Route 20 and 146 to Altamont.
Turn right in Altamont, staying on Route 146.
At about 5 miles from Altamont, County 252 crosses Route 146.
Continue on Route 146 for another 0.5 mile, then turn right on Nash Road.
Turn left, just over 0.1 mile from the turn, for the trail entrance.
Note: There is a farm gate on the right, across the entrance. Park along Nash Road, but please do not block the farm gate.

Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

Read our guidelines on posting comments