The Mianus River Gorge property was The Nature Conservancy's
first land preservation project and the beginning of a
successful partnership with a conservation-minded community. The
project began with just 60 acres and today encompasses more than
700. This historic photograph shows Boy Scouts doing volunteer
work on the trail system that is now part of the preserve. The
entrance to the preserve is flanked with informational kiosks,
walking sticks and a donation box. The site is currently managed
by the nonprofit land trust, Mianus River Gorge Preserve, Inc.
The hemlock forest is studded with boulders and big rocks,
remnants of the quarry that used to be in place here. The
preserve contains over over 2.5 miles of narrow, winding hiking
paths that are well-kept yet rugged. Visitors can easily have
the experience of remote wilderness within an hour's drive from
one of the world's largest cities. The trails take visitors
through lush fern gullies and along slow-moving streams, the
banks of which are often dotted w