The largest undeveloped portion of Lake Champlain shoreline on the New York side is the Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest in Essex and Westport, NY. Boasting great views of the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, it also offers over 11 miles of hiking trails. The 3,700-acre shoreline preserve harbors natural features of statewide significance including a population of the rare Timber Rattlesnake.
Trail Map and Guides
We invite you to download the following maps and guides (Click to Download):
Split Rock Mountain Trail Map
Printable Guide to Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest
Family-friendly Hiking Guide
Directions
From Vermont: Take the Charlotte/Essex Ferry, turn left (south) off the ferry onto NY-22 (Lakeshore Road). Continue to follow Lakeshore Road for approximately 6 miles until you see the trailhead sign and parking lot on your left.
From points North in New York: Take I-87 to Exit 33. From the exit, take NY-22 south through Willsboro to Essex, NY. In Essex, continue straight onto Lakeshore Road and drive south for approximately 6 miles. Look for the trailhead sign and parking lot on your left.
From points South in New York: Take I-87 to Exit 31 and take NY-9 N south to Westport, NY. Drive north for approximate 6.5 miles and look for the parking lot on the right.
(Before you visit, sign up for our Lake Champlain Land Trust E-newsletter!)
Nature Snapshots
Click here to see a series of Nature Snapshots for the Split Rock Mountain landscape.
History
Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest covers 3,700 acres of Lake Champlain shoreline in both Essex, NY and Westport, NY. The Lake Champlain Land Trust is proud to have played a role in protecting this regional hiking and kayaking destination. The story of how this amazing land came to be conserved is a fascinating, but largely unknown, tale of responsible private land stewardship, state government and non-profit conservation group partnerships, and dramatic eleventh hour negotiations.
Visit our Saving Split Rock Mountain webpage for a timeline of important events in the conservation of Split Rock Mountain, as well as historical maps and photos.
For descriptions of the trails and information about other activities like camping, fishing, and paddling at Split Rock, visit the NYS DEC’s Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest webpage.
Partners
The Lake Champlain Land Trust worked with the Open Space Institute, the Nature Conservancy, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to save this regional treasure.
