The Lookout is a semi-circular terrace providing scenic views of the valley to the west. It was constructed as a lookout and rest spot along the carriage roads built by Adrian Van Sinderen. Overhung by trees in places, this is a great spot for a picnic.

The Quartz Mine once helped support a small mining industry in the 19th Century. This surface mine was active from the 1800s until it was abandoned in 1915. The quartz, used as a filler in paint and as an abrasive, was initially transported from here to the Hudson River by wagon and, later, by train. Quartz normally forms beautiful hexagonal crystals, but the mineral developed at Hidden Valley Preserve as a massive white vein.

The Thoreau Bridge, located at our Hidden Valley Preserve was designed by Gray Organschi Architecture in New Haven and funded by The Gould Family Foundation, a grant form the State of Connecticut, and a number of individual donors. The bridge design is a product of the collaborations with wetland soil and wildlife biologists and introduces innovative and sustainable construction techniques for sensitive ecological areas.

The Thoreau footbridge is a cable stayed, mass timber suspension bridge spanning 134′ across the Shepaug River. The bridge deck rises to clear the 500 year flood level and then sweeps 90 degrees as it gently ramps down to the north side of the river.

Quotes from Thoreau’s seminal writings, inscribed by water jet into a bench at the cliff base and along the bridge’s steel handrails, offer moments for reflection.

Rising to an elevation of 820 feet, the Pinnacle rewards visitors with a panorama of one of Washington’s Historic Districts. The view from the mountain’s weathered summit, which is crowned by a plaque honoring one of the Preserve’s founders, Adrian Van Sinderen, provides a 270-degree diorama of the valley, and to the north, the protected ridge of Macricostas Preserve.

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