Pawling Nature Reserve

This 1,060-acre preserve is located in the towns of Pawling and Dover, Dutchess County, New York. There are five separate trailheads to access the preserve.

Hours of Visitation

This preserve is open from dawn to dusk, year round.

Guidelines

To help ensure that this special place can be enjoyed for future generations, please leave no trace and carry out what you carry in. Camping, littering, hunting, fires, or removal or destruction of plants or animals are prohibited. See our full preserve visitation guidelines for more information.

Visiting by Train

The “Appalachian Trail” stop on the MetroNorth railroad provides access to the AT and trails in Pawling Nature Reserve for hikers. The train station is 0.9 hiking miles away from the preserve. Follow the AT northbound, crossing Route 22 and some farm fields before entering Pawling Nature Reserve.

Check train schedules on the MTA website. The train only runs a few times a day on weekends, so plan accordingly.

Trailhead information and Parking

• The Quaker Lake Rd trailhead is considered the “main entrance” for Pawling Nature Reserve and serves as the access point for the Yellow Trail. Connection can be made to the Appalachian Trail (AT) as well. From this trailhead, access views of the Duell Hollow Brook gorge and waterfall. Enjoy some educational signage along the trail, including a tree species guessing game. There is parking available for 3-4 cars in the small lot marked with Nature Conservancy signs.
• The Duell Hollow Brook Rd trailhead is the access point for the northern end of the Red Trail. Connection can be made to the AT as well.
• The Furlong Rd trailhead is in a quiet residential area and is the access point for the Orange and Purple Trails. There is streetside parking for one car.
• The Hurds Corners Rd trailhead is the access point for the Pink Trail and is the quickest approach to the AT. There is parking for 2-3 cars on the side of the road.
• The French Lake trailhead on Quaker Lake Rd provides access to the southern end of the Red Trail as well as the Blue Loop trail. There is streetside parking available for 1-2 cars.

What to See

With over 12 miles of trail through the Pawling Nature Reserve, there is great opportunity to observe a selection of different natural ecological communities.

Red maple-hardwood swamps with ashes, elms and yellow birch intersect with a chestnut oak forest atop the Hammersley Ridge. The diversity of deciduous hardwood tree species makes for an especially colorful autumn.

When the leaves fall, views of the Great Swamp and the surrounding Harlem Valley are abundant. As winter falls, expect icicles and interesting ice features among the many streams and springs, especially around the boulder-laden rock outcroppings.

Come spring, the reserve is an excellent place to observe spring ephemerals, colorful flowers on the forest floor that bloom not long after snow melts away. Later in spring, the mountain laurel shrubs atop the ridge feature magnificent blooms.

The thick green shade of the forest provides a refuge in summertime, when all sorts of insects, reptiles and amphibians are active.

The reserve’s gorge is a sight to behold, best observed on the Yellow Loop. The trail also features 10 small educational signs about the different communities of the forest, as well as a tree species guessing game that showcases most of the tree species in the reserve.

The Appalachian Trail is another amazing feature of the Pawling Nature Reserve. This 2190-mile National Scenic Trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, traveling through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. Every year, over 3,000 people attempt to thru-hike the entire trail, usually over the course of 5-7 months. Many more people enjoy the trail in sections, on day hikes to viewpoints, historic shelters or ecologically interesting locations. Be on the look out for thru-hikers in the reserve, especially during the summer months.

Trail Descriptions 

Plan ahead and prepare for your hike at Pawling Nature Reserve. There are eight trails to choose from. Together, they total about 12 miles. Please note that all mileages listed are one-way distances. Here’s what to expect when you hit the trails:

Yellow Loop: The Yellow Loop is a moderate hike and is marked with yellow paint blazes. The trail is two miles long and can be accessed via the main trailhead on Quaker Lake Road. It is a natural soil surface trail that passes through forested uplands, with views of the Duell Hollow Brook gorge and waterfall. Enjoy some educational signage along the trail, including a tree species guessing game. Expect 500 feet of elevation gain and a typical trail width of 89 inches; at its narrowest, the trail is 10 inches wide. The typical grade (incline) is 11%, with a maximum grade of 40% and a typical cross slope (the incline across the trail) of 7.5%. Expect small natural stream crossings and some obstructions, such as rocks, roots and fallen trees.

Appalachian Trail (White): The AT is a National Scenic Trail that runs all the way from Georgia to Maine. The portion of the AT that passes through PNR is a moderate-to-difficult hike that is 2.8 miles long, marked with white rectangular blazes. The AT can be accessed via the Pink Trail, the Yellow Trail, or the Red Trail within the preserve. It is a natural soil surface trail that passes through forested uplands including a ridgetop chestnut oak-mountain laurel forest. If you follow the trail north, you’ll be climbing up Hammersley Ridge. Expect 830 feet of elevation gain and a typical trail width of 28 inches; at its narrowest, the trail is 10 inches wide. The typical grade (incline) is 9.2%, with a maximum grade of 52% and a typical cross slope (the incline across the trail) of 6.1%. Expect small natural stream crossings, some areas of more dense plant growth, some light rock scrambling and natural obstructions such as rocks, roots and fallen trees. Some areas of the AT are more prone to flooding, so expect wet, muddy conditions on and after rainy days.

Pink Trail: The Pink Trail is a moderate hike that is marked with pink blazes. The trail is 0.3 miles long and serves as an entry point to link up with the AT. It can be accessed via the trailhead on Hurds Corners Rd. Expect about 150 feet of elevation gain. Expect some areas of more dense plant growth and some natural obstructions such as rocks, roots and fallen trees.

Blue Loop: The Blue Loop is a moderate-to-difficult hike that is marked with blue blazes. The trail is two miles long and can be accessed via the French Lake trailhead on Quaker Lake Rd. It is a natural soil surface trail that passes through forested uplands. Expect 725 feet of elevation gain and a typical trail width of 18 inches; at its narrowest, the trail is 4 inches wide. The typical grade is 10%, with a maximum grade of 58.7% and a typical cross slope (the incline across the trail) of 7.8%. Expect some areas of more dense plant growth and some natural obstructions, such as rocks, roots and fallen trees. The Blue Loop has a long series of wooden bog bridges, and is more prone to flooding, so expect wet, muddy conditions on and after rainy days.

Ridge Trail (Red): The Ridge Trail is a moderate-to-difficult hike that is marked with red blazes. The trail is 3.3 miles long and can be accessed via the Duell Hollow Rd trailhead or the French Lake trailhead on Quaker Lake Rd. It is a natural soil surface trail that passes through forested uplands, including a ridgetop chestnut oak-mountain laurel forest, and a small swamp. Expect 945 feet of elevation gain and a typical trail width of 28 inches; at its narrowest, the trail is 4 inches wide. The typical grade is 10%, with a maximum grade of 48.6% and a typical cross slope (the incline across the trail) of 5.4%. Expect small stream crossings and some natural obstructions, such as rocks, roots and fallen trees.

Orange Trail: The Orange Trail is a moderate-to-difficult hike and is marked with orange paint blazes. The trail is 1.7 miles long and can be accessed via the Furlong Rd trailhead. It is a natural soil surface trail that passes through a cool ravine and forested uplands. Expect 630 feet of elevation gain and a typical trail width of 24 inches; at its narrowest, the trail is 10 inches wide. The typical grade (incline) is 14.4%, with a maximum grade of 53% and a typical cross slope (the incline across the trail) of 9.5%. Expect natural stream crossings and some obstructions, such as rocks, roots and fallen trees. **Please note that this trail is not yet fully marked and has experienced high levels of fallen trees, so it may be confusing in some areas.**

Green Trail: The Green Trail is an easy-to-moderate hike and is marked with green paint blazes. The trail is 0.4 miles long and acts as a connector trail between the orange and red trails. It is a natural soil surface trail. Expect natural stream crossings and some obstructions, such as rocks, roots and fallen trees. **Please note that this trail is not yet fully marked, so it may be confusing in some areas.**

Purple Trail: The Purple Trail is currently under construction. The trail is not fully marked and is impassable in some areas due to fallen trees. The Purple Trail is 0.8 miles long. There are some sections that are very steep and slippery around the creek. Proceed with caution!