goodsell ridge preserve

The preserve holds a few trails around the area, with basic timelines and history of the world signs guiding the way. The best part of the preserve is the fossils- but be prepared. You'll find a lot of swirly gastropod fossils, and that's about it. Watch out for rattle snakes.

This site is a marvelous trip through history from several million years ago up to present day. There is a mile long walk through a field and woodlands with hundreds of rock formations which contain fossils from an ancient sea that once covered the area. You will learn about the formation of the planet and the evolution of its plant and animal life, all depicted on banners posted along the way. It was fascinating and educating, and the natural beauty is amazing!

Just across the road from the Isle La Motte historical society, the Goodsell Preserve is even older, actually very, very, very old. A peaceful spot to wander around on the trails and wonder at the fossils established long before our ancestors. An interesting outing with kids and the flora is lovely in summer.

We were staying nearby and pulled in to take the scenic trails around the preserve. There is a small visitor's center where a very knowledgeable gentleman explains about the geology of the island and some of the fossils found here. There is a short video about the preserve and several small displays of fossils. The trails loop around and through the surrounding landscape, some are quite short and it is worth taking a few of the trails to make your time here worthwhile. The signs are self explanatory and the trail markers easy to follow. All of the good fossil sites are near the visitor's center, the woods are inhabited by mosquitos in the summer so bring repellent and don't brush against anything that looks like poison ivy. I had a burning red welt on the back of my hand for a few days.

in July, the place was bursting with flowers and birds! Saw some turtles, but very few people. It was midday on a Monday, and very warm, and we didn't stay long. The whole island really is lovely, and a very special place.

A wonderful side attraction on our bike ride around the Island. With a more knowledgeable member of our group we might have seen more but a special hidden treasure.

This is also known as the Chazy Fossil Reef. It was fun to take the white trail and walk the mile and a half around the reef. This little hike takes you over coral/fossil reefs(be sure to look down), over fissures, through the woods and a small little meadow. We walked both on and off the path-you find more fossils off the path but have to look carefully. Be sure to wear bug spray and sun sunscreen. I would not go out of my way to make the visit but it is worth the drive if you are staying in the area. Also a great place to stop from a bike ride!

We took the white blazed trail on July 28, 2012. The path is very well maintained and marked. The history provided is an incredible look at the geology of the area an can be fully appreciated by a layperson. We saw dozens of fossils in the rock at our feet.Unfortunately we arrived after the visitor center was closed, but still found the available information on the trail highly informative. If you are planning a visit to any of the Lake Champlain Islands, the Goodsell Ridge Preserve is well worth the visit. Their website is at:http://www.ilmpt.org/ilmpt/The_Goodsell_Ridge_Preserve.html