512 Gage Road, Cherry Valley, New York
277 Doc Ahlers Road, Cherry Valley, NY
There are two trails at Lordsland, the Blue Trail is at Doc Ahlers Road, and the Orange Trail is off of Gage Road. Each trail is .75 miles.
The 80-acre preserve was given to The Nature Conservancy New York Chapter in 1971 by Mrs. Louise Moore. The preserve’s name is said to originate with Mrs. Moore’s reference to the area as “the land of the Lord.” Otsego Land Trust acquired the property in March 2019 from the Nature Conservancy.
The Blue Trail starts out through a mixed forest, then turns downhill toward the beaver ponds and loops back to the starting point. The trail was blazed by the Otsego Land Trust in March 2022 using funds raised for Otsego Outdoors by 16-year-old Henry Horvath, who initiated a fundraiser for local trails as part of his 2021 summit of Denali in Alaska. The new trail kiosks, built by SUNY Delhi, were also paid for with these funds.
How to get to the Blue Trail (sometimes called the East Trail)
Follow directions to the West Trail at 512 Gage Road, Roseboom and continue until you reach Doc Ahlers and make a right. Follow Doc Ahlers and look for the Trail Head on right at 277 Doc Ahlers Road.
The Orange Trail (sometimes called the West Trail) along Gage Road, which has orange trail markers, crosses abandoned meadows as it goes down to the beaver ponds, then turns to the right, follows the ponds and then turns right again back to the entrance. The trail is about 3/4 of a mile.
A popular hunting ground with the Mohawk Indians, this land, except for the steep slopes, was cleared for agriculture in the early 1800s. Some farming continued in the 1960s. There are many reminders of former farming operations at this site, including old building foundations and unpruned apple trees. The highest quality known stand in New York State of Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium van-bruntiae), a globally rare plant, is located here.
Trail Map
What Octet-ers are saying:
5/24/24: Startled a nesting robin in a bush near the trail edge and saw spring flowers.
