Turkey Mountain Nature Preserve

Park Acreage:

125 acres

Trail Miles:

3.4 miles

Trail Uses:

Hiking

GPS:

41.246112, -73.792088

TC maintained

Directions

From the Taconic State Parkway, take the Underhill Avenue exit and turn east toward Yorktown Heights. At the first traffic light, turn right onto Route 118. Go 1.9 miles, until there are signs for Croton Heights Road on the left and Locke Lane on the right. Turn right onto the dirt road to reach parking.

No public transportation

Park Overview

The sweeping views to the Croton Reservoir and the Manhattan skyline from the top of Turkey Mountain are the reason that the preserve is such a popular place to hike.

Trail Overview

A hike in Turkey Mountain Nature Preserve should include a vigorous hike to the top to enjoy the view, which is why the park is so popular. But visitors should also take a slow amble on the intertwined trails just beyond the parking lot that were part of a camp that operated on the property from 1957-1964..

Blue Trail - 1.4 miles - goes to the view point
White Trail - 0.7 mile - the steep way to the viewpoint

Park Description

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is the title of a 1965 musical; those words come to mind when enjoying the view from the top of Turkey Mountain - that is, of course, when the day is clear. There are few places in Westchester County that have a view to rival the on Turkey Mountina. Expect to find others enjoying the veiw to the west and south toward the Croton Reservoir and the Mahhattan skyline in the distance.

From Colonial times until 1917, what is now Turkey Mountain Nature Preserve was owned by members of the Griffen family. Lydia Locke purchased 400 acres and created Loch Ledge, a preserve. In 1951, she sold 125 acres to the Child Services League (Queens) for a boys’ summer camp after the Town of Yorktown refused her offer to sell them land for a school. The camp operated from 1957 to 1964, when it closed because of financial difficulties. The following year, the Save Turkey Mountain Committee formed to explore ways to preserve open space. The Town of Yorktown agreed to spend $30,000 to match contributions from two families. In 1969, the property was acquired with a restriction that it was to be used as an outdoor education and hiking facility.