Cranberry Lake Preserve
This is the Hike of the Week for 2/25/2005 as described on the NY-NJ Trail Conference website, but with a very important addition which happened to be the highlight of the outing: a one-mile side trip to the abandoned quarry. Stone from this quarry was used to build the nearby Kensico Dam in the early 20th century. The preserve contains remains from that era, as well as a beautiful natural lake created by a glacier 18,000 years ago. According to the terrific book Walkable Westchester there are about seven miles of trails within the preserve's 190 acres. This morning we covered four miles in just over two hours.

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At the preserve's northern tip
Outside the Nature Center
Heading to the lake
Boardwalk on the lake bank


Graffiti

First glimpse of Cranberry Lake
Cranberry Lake

 


Nearby water bird
[photo by Laura]
 


View from western bank
Boundary wall
Bog
 


On Bent Bridge
[photo by Laura]
Bog
Inside the root cellar
 


[photo by Laura]
View from root cellar
Root cellar
Foundations
 


South Pond
100-year old wall
NYC watershed land is on other side
 


Still in terrific condition

Hidden Lake
Hidden Lake
 


Exposed roots
Walking on stump slices

1912 wall of crusher facility
 


Hook in wall
Observation platform ...
... with view over South Pond
Windy boardwalk
 


Plants in South Pond

Quarry sign at cascade
First view of quarry
 


Quarry pond
Trail within quarry
Rock striations
Drill hole
 


Pond from quarry ledge
Climbing quarry ledge

 



Drill holes
Derrick anchor
Laura and Derrick anchor
 



View west

Derrick anchor
 


View south
Looking south from ledge
[photo by Laura]
 


Remains near quarry
Old trash
Stone cutting shed ...
... foundation remains
 




Graffiti from 1968
Small twig tent
 


Lunch at the Nature Center
Old photo of quarry
Road back to car
More remains near car
 

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