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 …
July 8, 2016 The buzz of bees catches my attention while on the trail above the Tunnel in Steep Rock. I give a quick look around the ground to confirm I haven’t disturbed a yellow jacket nest. Yellow jackets usually are aren’t a concern until late summer, but the dry, hot conditions through June have …
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 With its breathtaking view over Lake Waramaug …
A few stubborn oaks still cling to brown leaves, but for the most part, trees are rid of foliage, giving forests a different look and feel. Landscapes are more intimately studied, their layers and intersections well within view. A low sun pierces empty crowns, illuminating hillsides and unveiling what remained hidden through livelier times. Aerial …
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 …
It’s that time of year again when thrushes and warblers serenade forest dwellers, buds burst, and a rejuvenated environment even teases of summer with an occasional tree frog sounding off. For Steep Rock Association, these cues trigger a certain stewardship action being the monitoring of our critically-important vernal pools. A balmy rain-soaked night has aroused …
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 …
Essay and photos by Peary Stafford It’s January… and there’s precious little nature to study in Steep Rock. Few birds, no insects and for sure no flowering plants. But there’s always something and these desolate winter days, BK and I (OK, mostly I) have taken to investigating the fungal life of our beloved Land Trust. This particular …
Our summer days and nights have normalized in comparison to last year, interspersed with thunderstorms that moisten the air and briefly lower air temperatures. June 2016 held about 2.5 inches of rain while June 2017 showered 5.75 inches. With 3 inches of rain so far this month, July 2017 is also on pace to exceed the …
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
Hours: Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm
