What to do at the Preserve

Ramble

Walking through the Preserve, you will encounter different habitats. From the forest, to a fen, to rocky ledges and the Cascade. Some areas are dry, others you can skip, sidestep or jump through puddles of mud! Keep an eye out for interesting animal tracks to see who's been crossing your path! When you hit the trails, be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, and a charged cell phone. Always bring a map!

Nature Observation

From bird watching to listening to frogs, to marveling over a spider to spotting a bright colored insect. Maybe you are lucky enough to see a fox! Cranberry Lake Preserve is home to many different species, including some rare and fantastic plants and fungi! Perhaps with a keen and lucky eye you spot a bobcat in the shadows, trying to elude your eye. River otter, mink, fox and coyote can also be seen in the park occasionally. Barred owls, screech owls, pileated woodpeckers, belted kingfishers,hooded mergansers, great blue herons, green herons, turkey vultures, red-tailedhawks, coopers hawks, and over 90 other species of birds have been recorded at Cranberry Lake Preserve. Be sure to bring binoculars on your next ramble and see what you can see!

Photography

Photos can capture a moment, a memory, or a feeling. Photos can serve as bookmarks, placemarks, or memory jogs of a place and time. Share your favorite Cranberry photos with us! We'll add them to the photo stream!

Geocaching

This modern day activity has become a world-wide phenomenon. Geocaching affords you the opportunity to explore, find new places - ones you may not have found had a geocache not brought you there, and take time to look around and study your surroundings. Like finding loot, kids in particular will enjoy the fun, the mystery and the sweet taste of success when a cache is discovered. Visit www.geocaching.com for all you need to know and how to get started!

Help Preserve the Preserve!

Cranberry Lake Preserve is a designated Biodiversity Reserve Area. Please keep this park a special place for wildlife by observing the following rules:

  Take nothing but photos -all plants, animals and minerals are protected.
  Dogs are not permitted.
  Bicycles are not allowed on any of the trails- we recommend Graham Hills park.
  Fishing is prohibited- we recommend Kensico Reservoir and Wampus Pond.
  Stay on designated hiking trails.
  Carry out what you carry in.
  If you see areas in the preserve that need maintenance, please report them to the nature center.
  Report any violation of these rules.