Open House Saturday October 13 at 10 a.m. for the new Glacier Preserve Trails near Picture Rocks.

PICTURE ROCKS – On October 13, area residents are invited to join an escorted nature walk on the trails of Glacier Pools Preserve, a 266-acre property in eastern Lycoming County near Picture Rocks. The Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy, which recently signed a conservation easement with property owners, Michael and Rickie Gross, to protect the ecologically significant preserve, is sponsoring the walk. The event begins at 10 a.m. with refreshments and a brief talk about the history and geology of the area, followed by a trail walk passing meadows, woodlands, and the many vernal (glacial) pools that make this property a treasure.

Public access, sponsored by the East Lycoming Recreation Authority, is being granted on 250 acres of Glacier Pools Preserve. Currently the property offers approximately two miles of trails. Dr. and Mrs. Gross describe the property as an island of mature trees, wildflower meadows, and vernal pools open to people in the region for walking pets, hiking, photography, bird watching, and other low-impact recreation. The property contains a very diverse mixture of deciduous and evergreen tree species, some of which are quite mature. The vernal pools (at lease 18) provide habitat for a variety of amphibians. Approximately 30 acres of meadow (old field) contain a mixture of plant species, harboring a wide variety of butterflies. The property’s High Field trail offers a spectacular view to the north.

With the addition of the Gross property, the Linn Conservancy has worked with landowners to protect over 1,100 acres. Go to www.glacierpoolspreserve.com for directions to the property or call the Linn Conservancy office at 570-524-8666. The rain date for this event is Sunday, October 14.