Nature preserve covering 793 acres with 7 miles of trails. At the Steege Hill Nature Preserve, there are miles of
trails to walk and abundant wildlife to observe.
NATURAL HISTORY
Hundreds of millions of years ago, this land was part of the
Great Catskill Delta Plain. More recently, glaciers gouged
their way over the flat landscape. Rushing water over the
past 10,000 years has further changed the landscape, carving
numerous glens and ravines on its way to the Chemung River.
Visitors should be aware of the presence of timber rattlesnakes
on the preserve, an endangered species in New York.
HISTORY
Here you can witness what happens when conservationists
and the community band together to conserve natural lands.
Much of Steege Hill had been damaged by such extensive
logging that the town of Big Flats shut down the operation
and passed New York State’s first local ordinance to regulate
logging. Slowly, the forest is healing for generations to enjoy.