Long Pond Preserve – Waccabuc, NY – Adventures Around Putnam

SYNOPSIS: Long Pond Preserve is a short walk that takes you along the edge of a field, then through the woods along the shore of the western tip of Lake Waccabuc in Northern Westchester.

APPROXIMATE TIME: Our visit took almost exactly one hour.

DIFFICULTY: Easy

DIRECTIONS: Long Pond Preserve is located at the intersection of Mead Street and Chapel Road in Waccabuc NY (Westchester).

THE HIKE: The hike starts across the street from the Mead Memorial Chapel. It leads down a hill, along the edge of a field with a grand tree, past an information kiosk, through a patch of skunk cabbage (in the Spring and Summer), then along the shore of Lake Waccabuc. There is a short side trail that takes you out to the water’s edge. At the far end of the trail, there is a small loop. At the beginning of the loop, you will see an old foundation and some metal works from the old ice house that was located on the property. At the far end of the loop there is a small bench to stop and take a rest. While you are walking along the water, across the lake you will see a large cliff face. This cliff is known locally as Castle Rock. It is on private property, but has been know to be a teenage hang-out in years past.

HISTORY: The Mead family owned the property from 1650 to 1970. The 39 acre parcel was acquired by the Nature Conservancy from the Studwell Foundation and a group of Waccabuc residents who had purchased the land in order to protect it from development.

MAP & ADDITIONAL INFO: The trail map PDF is long-pond-trail-map-2-16-16 . Dogs are not permitted on this preserve. You can get more info, including a map, at https://lewisborolandtrust.wordpress.com/preserves/leon-levy-preserve-2/