Pawling Nature Reserve (Nuclear Lake)
Pawling Nature Reserve in Pawling offers 1,060 acres with 12 miles of trail, the Appalachian Trail, and trout fishing on a former plutonium research site.
Pawling Nature Reserve, commonly called Nuclear Lake, protects 1,060 acres split between Pawling and Dover in Dutchess County. Donated to The Nature Conservancy in 1958, the reserve offers over 12 miles of trail ranging from flat loops around the lake to steeper climbs. The Appalachian Trail runs through for about 2.8 miles, passing Hammersley Ridge, which reaches 1,053 feet and holds a chestnut oak forest that feels like a different world from the red maple swamp lower down.
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