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Places We Protect

Mount Holly Sanctuary

New York

Two trail stewards collecting data on the forest floor.

Discover rugged outcrops and deciduous forests.

Viewing

Overview

Description

PLEASE NOTE: Mount Holly Sanctuary is open during hunting season (Oct 1 - Dec 22) to archery only, and remains open to the public year-round. Written permission is required to hunt on Conservancy lands. To learn about our hunting program or to obtain permission to hunt, please visit our New York hunting information page.

Mount Holly's rugged outcrops of bedrock rise up to 621 feet, cradling a mixed deciduous forest of chestnut oak, black oak and red oak. On the west side of the preserve, a large wetland complex includes an open red maple swamp and a pond that is slowly transforming into a marsh.

Why We Selected This Site

The Nature Conservancy, assisted by concerned local citizens, purchased the property from the estate of Edward A. Norman in 1975.

What We Do Here

Long-term monitoring projects such as deer population studies, invasive plant research, geological surveys and bird censuses are current topics of research at Mount Holly.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Highlights

Hardwood forests are dominated by oak and black birch. In the wetlands, look for speckled alder, sweet pepperbush and swamp azalea.

Size

209 acres

Explore our work in this region

Four color-coded trails provide access to nearly the entire preserve. The red and blue trails criss-cross each other several times and take hikers on a meandering walk through mixed deciduous forest and stone outcroppings. The yellow and orange trails bring visitors along wetlands and thickets. Horses are permitted along designated trail sections throughout the preserve.

Before you visit, please see:

Hardwood forests are dominated by oak and black birch. In the wetlands, look for speckled alder, sweet pepperbush and swamp azalea.

Listen for the loud cry of the pileated woodpecker in the open sugar maple stand, and watch for ruffed grouse and broad-winged hawks.

This 209-acre preserve is located in Bedford and Lewisboro in Westchester County, New York.

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.

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