Koons Preserve

Koons Preserve is a quick getaway any time of day to get a quick shot of back-to-nature. The property has a small parking area on-site with two pull-off areas on Spruce Brook Road. Named in honor of Walter and Harriet Koons, who assisted in its acquisition, the 40-acre parcel packs a punch when it comes to diverse habitat. 

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Once within the canopy of hardwoods and hemlocks, spring ephemerals, including mayapples, trout lily and jack-in-the-pulpit are here, along with an interesting array of fruiting fungi in fall. The forested slopes are also a great escape from the heat of summer.

 

Impressive rock formations pile high alongside the ravine here, and are as much fun to scramble over as they are to sit atop and observe your surroundings from these loftier pitches. Look no farther for the show-stopper. It's the ravine and the multiple waterfalls of the Spruce Brook, cascading and bouncing through a drop of 170-feet. Numerous pools run the length of the ravine. The show is especially fun after the winter melt and spring rains.