Dover Stone Church Protect

Might 26, 2023 – Dover Plains, NY

Problem: Straightforward

Size: Roughly 1.5 miles

Max elevation: 518 ft.– whole elevation achieve roughly 153 ft.

Route sort: Out and Again

Map: Dover Stone Church Map

Map: Stone Church Trail Map

Brochure: Dover Stone Church Visitor’s Guide

Parking:

Designated parking tons –

Dover Elementary Faculty – (When Faculty is NOT in Session & after 3pm) Weekends and holidays. 9 Faculty St, Dover Plains, NY 12522
Tabor-Wing Home – 3128 NY-22, Dover Plains, NY 12522
4 Brothers Pizza Inn – 3189 NY-22, Dover Plains, NY 12522
Freshco 22 – 3156 NY-22, Dover Plains, NY 12522

There is no such thing as a public parking on property on or close to the right-of-way (driveway) off Route 22. Parking there could also be topic to ticketing & towing. The correct-of-way traverses personal property. Please be respectful.

I’ve been going to Stone Church for years and have all the time parked within the Freshco 22 lot. Please use widespread sense and park away from the entrance of the shops there. They generously permit parking of their lot, however don’t abuse the privilege by parking the place paying clients to the institution could park. The lot is sizeable so you possibly can park the place you received’t be a hindrance to paying clients.

Dover Stone Church Protect

Overview:

This 174-acre public protect, options greater than 4 miles of mountaineering trails resulting in a pure rock formation referred to as the Dover Stone Church. The “church” is shaped by a fissure within the metamorphic rock via which the Stone Church Brook flows, forming a lot of ledges and delightful cascades that descend right into a pool under. The outlet of the stream is thru a stately arch, which types the cathedral-like entrance, giving this particular attraction its title.

Dover Stone Church

The Stone Church Brook, a tributary of the Ten Mile River, flows via and out the cavern entrance.

Dover Stone Church

Historical past:

The primary reference to the Dover Stone Church comes from legend relationship again to the mid 1600’s when Pequot sachem Sassacus who, together with his warriors, hid within the cave to flee seize and dying by the British Military.

The Historic Marker on Stone Church Lane has a typo. It ought to learn “New London” not “New Loudon.”

Historic Marker – Dover Stone Church

The recognition of the Stone Church dates again to the 1830’s, when 1000’s of tourists would come see this pure phenomenon and keep within the adjoining Stone Church Resort. The romantic nature of the Stone Church and the proximity to the resort, made it a preferred marriage ceremony web site. The Stone Church captured the eye of Hudson River Faculty artist Asher B. Durand who depicted the positioning in his Grasp Drawing in 1847. It was additionally the topic of a guide by Benson Lossing, a neighborhood historian, entitled The Dover Stone Church.

The safety of Dover Stone Church was the results of the mixed efforts of the Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC), the City of Dover, the Pals of Dover Stone Church, and Dutchess County, who collectively raised the funds to purchase and protect the preliminary 58 acres in 2004. Since that point the DLC has labored with the City to safe a number of extra parcels to enlarge the Protect to at the moment’s 174 acres, to ascertain a tree-lined entrance from the Village. In 2015, three new trails had been blazed and opened to the general public.

The Dover Stone Church property is listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Websites and Locations.

At the moment, the Dover Stone Church Protect is a well-liked native attraction, and a vacationer vacation spot spot.

Trails Overview:

The unique Stone Church Cave Path (0.2 mile from first footbridge), whereas usually simple, follows carefully alongside the Stone Church Brook, and the rocks are sometimes moist and slippery. Excessive water could cowl stepping-stones throughout wet intervals.

New trails embrace two offering “lollipop loop” hikes:

Purple Path – 1.0 mile, loop from trailhead
Yellow Path – 1.0 mile, loop from trailhead
Blue Path – 1.5 mile, out-and-back from trailhead

Hike Overview:

That is extra a nice stroll fairly than a hike, though the path alongside the gorge to the cave, is a bit rocky and might be moist at occasions. A pair of waterproof mountaineering boots is a good suggestion when visiting.

I’ve been to this scenic spot extra occasions than I can rely. It’s merely an exquisite place to spend just a little time at. It may be crowded at occasions, particularly on weekends. On this go to, we arrived round midday on a Friday, main as much as Memorial Day weekend. I used to be pleasantly surpised that we had been the one souls there. On our means again, after spending just a little time there, we handed a pair, then a household heading down the treelined path. Regardless, it’s merely a wonderous place to go to anytime of 12 months.

This quick, out and again hike, solely covers the route from the Freshco 22 car parking zone, to the cave and again.

Dover Stone Church Protect

As you possibly can see by the graph under, there’s not a lot elevation achieve on this hike.

elevation profile – Dover Stone Church Protect

The Hike:

This hike begins within the car parking zone of Freshco 22. Stroll out onto Mill Road and head west in direction of Route 22. While you get to the intersection, rigorously cross the road and switch left. In a brief distance, you’ll see a blue and yellow Historic Marker on the junction of Route 22 and Stone Church Lane. The arrow on the signal signifies the route of Dover Stone Church Protect. Stone Church Lane is a right-of-way that traverses personal property. Please keep on the gravel street and respect the privateness of right-of-way property homeowners.

Historic Marker – Dover Stone Church

Entrance – Dover Stone Church Protect

On the finish of the gravel right-of-way, there’s a Dover Stone Church signal and a granite stairway.

Dover Stone Church Protect

Entrance – Dover Stone Church Protect

From the signal, the trail instantly descends on granite steps right into a flat, man-made valley. Younger Maple bushes that give a way of ritual to the beginning of the hike, line the way in which right here. On the finish of this flat stroll, one other shorter set of steps takes the trail into woods and close to the brook.

Dover Stone Church Protect

The path emerges briefly into an open space, the place there’s a kiosk with some historical past and details about Dover Stone Church. Flip left and you will notice one other welcome signal for the protect. Comply with the trail throughout a picket footbridge and stay on the dust path after crossing Stone Church Brook.

Dover Stone Church Protect

While you attain the path signal, bear proper and comply with the trail upstream on the left facet of the brook. The trail, for essentially the most half, traverses rocks or flat stones. It rises gently via the deep gorge, and after a superb rain, Stone Church Brook is stuffed with the sound of operating water from a number of beautiful cascades.

Dover Stone Church Protect

Begin of Stone Church Cave Path

Stone Church Cave Path

Stone Church Brook

Stone Church Cave Path

A brief distance later, the gothic-like entrance to the Stone Church cavern comes into view.

Dover Stone Church

For my part, this footbridge, which should be a latest addition, is an eyesore. They need to have left this space in its pure state.

Ugly footbridge – Dover Stone Church

Dover Stone Church

Giant metamorphic rocks converge to type the doorway within the form of a church’s cathedral window. The gothic look of the cave entrance gave rise to the title “Stone Church.”

Dover Stone Church

Ugly footbridge – Dover Stone Church

Dover Stone Church

Contained in the cavern, there’s a 30-foot waterfall cascading right into a pool of water that flows via and out the cavern entrance and continues because the Stone Church Ebook.

Dover Stone Church

Contained in the cavern is a rock ledge, affectionately given the title “The Pulpit” by Richard Maher, a Dover Plains resident and former city clerk who wrote the guide, Historic Dover in 1908.

Inside cave – Dover Stone Church

Stone Church Brook, which flows via the Stone Church cavern, is a tributary of the Ten Mile River. The Ten Mile River flows southeast and is a department of the Housatonic River in Connecticut.

Dover Stone Church

When you find yourself executed having fun with this marvelous slice of nature, retrace your steps on the Stone Church Cave Path, cross the stone footbridge, previous the Maple bushes, climbing the granite steps and again to the parking space, the place this hike started.

Stone Church Cave Path

Dover Stone Church Protect

Evaluation:

An distinctive outside expertise that’s value visiting in each season. In the event you so need, you possibly can take a look at the opposite trails within the protect, however the spotlight is clearly the “Stone Church.”

Execs:

Stone Church, Stone Church Brook, scenic panorama, historic function, shaded trails.

Cons:

That ugly picket footbridge close to the cave entrance is an eyesore, place does appeal to crowds throughout heat climate.

Take a hike!