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Places We Protect

Boquet River Nature Preserve

New York

Women walks through a tall, dense but bright deciduous forest in spring or summer.

Connecting community and conservation

Viewing

Overview

Description

Boquet River Nature Preserve is in the heart of downtown Willsboro. It includes 120 acres of floodplain and upland forest, and more than a half-mile of shoreline on the lower Boquet River, the most intact major tributary emptying into Lake Champlain. The Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has worked with partners and private landowners over the years to protect nearly two miles of shoreline leading to the mouth of the river. Now we are working to strengthen connections between people and their local lands and waters.

In 2015, second-grade student Cora King submitted the winning name in a re-naming contest and the area was renamed as the Boquet River Nature Preserve. In 2018, the Conservancy purchased an additional 10 acres to link the preserve to downtown Willsboro’s Main Street.

The Conservancy is honored to partner with the town to connect the community to this special place. The upgraded trail between enhances access for people of all ages and abilities to experience nature and its healthful benefits.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Hours

Open year-round from dawn until dusk.

Highlights

Parking Spaces: 12. Facilities: None

Size

120 acres

Explore our work in New York

Why We Work Here

The Champlain Valley features an array of habitats and species not typically found in the Adirondack Park’s interior. Examples at this nature preserve include walking fern, maidenhair spleenwort, sycamore, and Canada lily. The Conservancy works to maintain diverse natural communities and wildlife corridors in the Champlain Basin. At a much broader scale, this preserve fits into a landscape that bridges Lake Champlain, whose bottom is below sea level (by 305 feet), with New York’s highest peaks (5,344 feet above) in a relatively short distance (25 miles). Shoreline protection along the Boquet River makes this tributary and Lake Champlain less vulnerable to water quality degradation from high flows, ice jams and flooding. It also protects habitat for cold water fish, such as Atlantic salmon.

What We Do

Our conservation priorities in the Champlain Basin are focused on enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, protecting key lands and waters, reducing the risks of climate change, and restoring the health and water quality of tributaries. The conservation benefits of the Boquet River Nature Preserve include floodplain and shoreline protections, scenic and open space protections, and wildlife habitat. The floodplain forest absorbs stormwater and cools the shallows, providing climate refuge for native mussels, fish and other organisms.

Visit

  • Boquet River Nature Preserve is open year-round from dawn until dusk for recreational, educational, and, with written permission, scientific uses. Hiking, fishing, bird watching, photography and snowshoeing are popular activities. Dogs must be in owner’s control. As the preserve undergoes trail improvements, please stay on marked trails and be mindful of trail workers.

  • Plants: The Champlain Valley features an array of habitats and species not typically found in the Adirondack Park’s interior. Examples at this preserve include walking fern, maidenhair spleenwort, sycamore, and Canada lily.

    Wildlife: The Boquet River is a popular birding spot by foot or by water. In late summer and early fall, thousands of migratory shorebirds can be seen along the Boquet and at the mouth of the river where it meets Lake Champlain.

  • To help ensure that this special place can be enjoyed for future generations, please leave no trace and carry out what you carry in. Camping, littering, hunting, fires, or removal or destruction of plants or animals are prohibited. See our full preserve visitation guidelines for more information. 
Trail Map

Boquet River Nature Preserve

DOWNLOAD

Village Trail (Yellow triangle blazes)

Blazed with yellow triangles, this 0.4 mile village trail starts in the Village parking lot and connects to Tim’s trail. As it winds up the hillside from the parking area, it gains 120’ of elevation. This trail on average is about 18” to 30” wide and consists of packed soil and rock steps. The average slope grade is 7.3%, but it gets as steep as 24.1% along the rock stair section.

River Trail (blue circle blazes)

The River Trail is a 1.0 mile linear trail that hugs the bank of the Boquet River. The River Parking lot is located next to the DEC boat launch and is a shared parking area with recreational boaters and fishers. This trail ranges between 16” and 28” wide, and varies between packed soil and loose sand. As it starts to head up the slope towards Tim’s Trail, it gains about 190’ of elevation. The average slope is 7.2%, with a maximum grade of 32.8%.

Tim’s Trail (Pink Square blazes)

Tim’s trail is a 1.15 Universal Access loop with a crushed stone surface that can accommodate walkers, runners, strollers, and wheelchairs.This figure-8 trail has a average slope of 3.2%, with a maximum of 10.8%. It is 6’ wide, and consists of hard, packed gravel.

A woman pushes another woman in a stroller down a path.

Accessibility

Tim’s Trail, named in honor of Tim Barnett, is a 1.15-mile Universal Access loop designed and built per Federal Accessibility Guidelines. It has a crushed stone surface that can accommodate walkers, runners, strollers and wheelchairs. 

Accessible parking is available at one of the three entrances to Boquet, situated at the top of South Liberty Street just past the old basketball courts. This parking area leads directly to the Universal Access trail. Access our trail map to explore more about this location. 

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See the Complete Map