Mohonk Preserve
Mohonk Preserve protects the northern Shawangunk Ridge and inspires people to care for, enjoy and explore the natural world.
Hike on 70 miles of carriage roads and trails. Bike on our historic carriage roads. Climb the world-famous Gunks cliffs. Horseback Ride from our Spring Farm Trailhead. Run through forests, fields, and mountains. Ski/Snowshoe on groomed and natural terrain, and more..
In partnership with our members, supporters, and volunteers, we protect and manage over 8,000 acres of mountain ridges, forests, fields, streams, ponds, and other unique and beautiful places. As New York’s largest nonprofit nature preserve, each year we welcome 300,000 visitors.
The Preserve’s devoted volunteers, dedicated donors, and expert staff all work in harmony for a common cause – to create a place where people & nature thrive.
To accomplish our goal of protecting one of the region’s most treasured and beautiful places, we conduct programs in four key areas – environmental education, land protection, land stewardship, and conservation science.
At the Preserve, you can enjoy scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and peace and quiet, all just 90 miles from New York City. Our carriage roads and trails are perfect for hiking, running, mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. We’re also the home of “Gunks” climbing and bouldering, and one of the most visited climbing destinations in North America.
Eco-Friendly Building Design
The Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center features a number of environmentally friendly design features. The Preserve was on the forefront of integrating into its primary visitor service facility many of the environmentally friendly practices now promoted through Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).
The Preserve was an early adopter of geothermal heat-exchange, an environmentally-sound technology comprised of 480-foot deep wells that use the constant temperature of the earth to heat and cool the Visitor Center – eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels. We also incorporated low-e glass to optimize solar gain, high performance building insulation and our building site is micro-oriented into the sloped landscape to maximize thermal insulating of earth and wind impacts. The passive solar design of the building maximizes solar angles and optimizes daylighting. We carefully recycled wood and stone in the construction using trees harvested from the site and installed a 100 year natural slate roof.
The 2012 Visitor Center renovation took green design several steps further – we retrofitted the building’s roof with permeable pavers, which help to control and recycle stormwater, reducing runoff and improving water quality. We also incorporated a “green roof” garden with native plants.
The Visitor Center has received green design awards by international, national, and regional design/building associations. We were recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation/ National Association of Home Builders with the “Building With Trees Award of Excellence” and also received the “Excellence in Sustainable Design Award”, recognition from the Environmental Guild of the New Hampshire Chapter of the AIA.
Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center
3197 Route 44/55, Gardiner, NY 12525
(845) 255-0919
