ROCK OAK

Location: 230 Basin Road, West Hurley
Trail type: One-mile loop trail with switchbacks and a spur trail through the rock-cut
Difficulty level: Moderate
Dog friendly: Dogs allowed on leash
Parking: Parking is limited. If lot is full, please return another time.

Rock Oak Preserve is a 30-acre hardwood, coniferous forest with a canopy of red oak, chestnut oak, white pine and eastern hemlock. Its stunning rock-cut is a reminder of its rich history – and nature’s ability to recapture land. The rock-cut was created for the railroad, but the destruction of West Hurley in the early 1900s to build the Ashokan Reservoir stopped the trains.

The one-mile trail includes a short spur trail into the rock-cut and a meandering loop through upland oak forest, passing glacial erratics, rock outcroppings and a scenic lookout. The history and beauty are freely available to visitors thanks to the Martin family's generous financial support and land donation as well as a grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program, which is funded through the state's Environmental Protection Fund.

Rock Oak Preserve is named for the bountiful chestnut oaks, also known as rock oak because they grow in dry, rocky soil.