Sam's Point Preserve
Ellenville, Ulster Co.
Considered a National Natural Landmark, one of the Earth's Last Great Places, and an Important Bird Area, this awe inspiring preserve along the Shawangunk Ridge is a great place to view a wide variety of raptors and high elevation forest birds, among other wildlife.
Wildlife to Watch
- Sharp-shinned hawks, turkey and black vultures, along with bald eagles and several other species of migrating hawks and falcons.
- Black-billed cuckoos, northern flickers, eastern wood-peewees, least flycatchers, yellow-throated vireos, common ravens, and a variety of warblers and other forest bird species.
- Coyotes, black bears, bobcats, porcupines, white-tailed deer, snowshoe hares, fishers, red foxes and long-tailed weasels.
- Timber rattlesnakes and spotted salamanders.
Where to Watch
- High elevation oak-heath woodlands
- Dwarf pitch pine barrens
- Ridge-top lake
- Ice caves
Recreational Opportunities
Accessible visitors center (daily parking fee; buses and motor homes accommodated)
Nature trails, with brochures, lookouts and interpretive signs
Hunting with written permission from The Nature Conservancy
Size
5,400 acres
Directions
See Google Maps and enter your address for step by step directions to Sam's Point Preserve (This link will open a page outside of the DEC website. Hold Shift down while clicking on the link to open it in a new window
Contact Information
Address: 400 Sam's Point Road, Cragsmoor, NY 12420
Telephone: 845-647-7989
Website: Sam's Point Preserve
Photo Credits: Gary Gleason, DEC, Cara Lee