ESSEX — The Essex Quarry Nature Preserve trails will open next Saturday.

The nature preserve is located a short distance from the ferry dock in Essex. The property was purchased by Westport-based nonprofit land trust Champlain Area Trails, or CATS, in late 2019. Staff and volunteers have constructed over a mile of trails throughout the quarry, both for walking and cross-country skiing. An informational kiosk has been installed, and interpretive signs will go in soon.

“Volunteers and staff have been working on these trails all year and everyone is really excited about them,” said Derek Rogers, CATS development director. “It’s a really unique preserve, and it will be great for year-round, family-friendly use.”

The preserve will officially open to the public on June 26. There will be a grand opening celebration at a later date.

The Essex Quarry Nature Preserve is 35 acres. It began operating as a quarry in the 1800s. Multiple buildings in Essex were built with its stone, including the Belden Noble Memorial Library, Essex Community United Methodist Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church. Today, the quarry site showcases a combination of natural, geological, paleontological and historic features. The quarry is home to 400-million-year-old fossils, once part of the world’s oldest coral reef. It also features a globally rare forest called the Limestone Woodland.

Information on future CATS events and activities is available at champlainareatrails.com and by following CATS on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Call 518-962-2287 or email info@champlainareatrails.com for more information.