Durand Preserve
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Highlights
- 9 acres
- Conserved 1998
- 0.7 mile of trails
- Easy Terrain
Activities
- Birdwatching
- Dog Walking
- Hiking
Trail Description
Durand Preserve begins behind the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, with access through a town-maintained trail before entering NSOLF property. The white trail starts on town land and continues as the North Loop, a 0.3-mile mostly flat loop featuring boardwalks and bridges that cross wetland habitat and a peaceful stream. It intersects with the yellow trail, the South Loop, a 0.4-mile trail with some moderate inclines, offering peaceful woodland and wetland views. Together, these trails provide a scenic mix of river, wetland, and forest habitats rich with diverse wildlife.
In 1996, longtime North Salem resident John Durand generously donated 9 acres to the North Salem Open Land Foundation. Once part of a tract that included a historic home formerly owned by St. James Church, the property sits at the base of Crow Hill, a landmark noted on early town maps. It was also identified as a proposed open space in the Town’s 1985 Master Plan.
Today, the preserve is mostly a second‑growth forest, land that was cleared and farmed in the 18th and 19th centuries before being abandoned when settlers moved west. Evidence of its agricultural past remains — old stone walls crisscross the property, hinting at former pastures. Along the South Loop trail, visitors can find remnants of a hand‑dug “dig and dump” drainage system, likely created with a mule‑pulled drag pan. An overturned cast‑iron cauldron still rests here, a relic of the land’s maple sugaring days.
We are dedicated to preserving the character and natural beauty of the town of North Salem, NY and the area around it by establishing land areas free from exploitation, development, and deterioration and by maintaining the environmental and ecological integrity of the area.