The 700-acre Hidden Valley Preserve is mixed forest and meadows with wooded hillsides cascading into the River Valley below .
Macricostas Preserve is 400-acres offering an array of landscapes, as meadows and farm fields blend with wooded ridges and wetlands.
The 998-acre Steep Rock preserve offers hiking trails which follow the river banks and provide access into great hiking trails.
Our goal was to provide fresh produce for members of our community with limited financial resources.
We offer many trails designated for Hiking & Riding for adventurers of all skillsets.
Campers are surrounded by nature offering tent camping at 3 different sites.
Looking to sit back and cast a line? Steep Rock offers fishing at many locations.
Organized group events of 25 or more people, bring family and friends and enjoy the day.
Join us as we work to keep Steep Rock a treasure for generations to come...
We offer many programs and events such as morning yoga and hayrides at Macricostas...
Are you ready for a NEW hiking challenge. Well you've come to the right place...
On January 21, 2019 members of the town of Washington hosted a town wide “Washington Gives” event to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. The community event offered various volunteer and donation opportunities to help the community in Washington, CT and beyond. Steep Rock Association invited volunteers to take photographs …
Saturday, February 9, 201910:00 AM – 11:30 AMSteep Rock Preserve (2 Green Hill Road, Washington) Learn how to read stories told in the snow and mud with Steep Rock Association (SRA). There is so much to be learned by simply looking at the ground, fallen trees, and stonewalls. While some animals are sleeping away the …
A Campaign to Expand Macricostas Preserve into Pinnacle Valley and Beyond “Each town should have a park, or rather a primitive forest, of 500 or 1,000 acres, where a stick should never be cut for fuel, a common possession forever, for instruction and recreation.” Henry David Thoreau, 1859 The Macricostas Preserve was created by Steep …
Within our Strategic Plan 2020, a key stewardship priority is to manage our lands for biodiversity. In order to accomplish this, Steep Rock Association (SRA) applies science-based knowledge of our land’s natural resources and wild inhabitants. A broad spectrum of research has been performed on the preserves by state biologists, professional contractors, SRA staff, and …
Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey: A Citizen Science Opportunity Training: Friday, January 11, 2019, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM @SRA Office (2 Green Hill Road) Survey: Saturday, January 12, 2019, 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM (assigned locations) Bundle up and become a citizen scientist by scanning sections of the Shepaug River for bald eagles. The data …
Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey: A Citizen Science Opportunity Read More »
Many water bars have been installed on Steep Rock trails to divert water and prevent erosion. These bars fill with sand, leaves, sticks, and other organic matter, which needs to be cleaned out periodically so they function properly. Several inches of rain fell two weeks ago (which flushed quite a bit of material) and temperatures …
Did you know that our public lands, which provide places for recreation, water quality protection, homes for wildlife, can be – and have been – give(n) away or sold without public comment? On Tuesday, November 6th, citizens of Connecticut can vote “YES” on the statewide ballot to protect public lands. It’s true that our preserves …
Steep Rock Association’s first ever Van Sinderen Intern, Karlie, shares her experiences at Steep Rock Association this summer: Starting off the Van Sinderen Conservationist Internship with a nest check of a kestrel box containing five screeching kestrel nestlings was an awesome experience. The siblings were all at different stages of development, and the youngest was …
Wildlife baby season: if you care, leave them there “Hello Steep Rock? My cat brought a baby bunny into the house. It doesn’t look injured, but what should I do with it? I think it’s too young to be away from its mother.” Calls of concern similar to these are happening all across the state …
Wildlife baby season: if you care, leave them there Read More »
Bushwhacking 101: Nature Preserve Monitoring Have you ever seen those yellow “Steep Rock Nature Preserve” property signs dotting the roads of Washington? Behind those signs is a collective 2,500 acres of pristine wilderness, scattered over 30 individual preserves. Some of that acreage is old growth hemlock forest while other parts are wetlands brimming with biodiversity …
Steep Rock Association is a land trust whose mission is to conserve ecologically and historically significant landscapes in and around Washington, CT and the Shepaug River Valley and to enhance the community’s connection with nature.
(860) 868-9131 | info@steeprockassoc.org
PO. Box 279
Washington Depot, Connecticut 06794