Parking at Poesten Kill Bends

A message from Rensselaer Plateau Alliance and Rensselaer Land Trust

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Help us be good neighbors at Poesten Kill Bends! We are so grateful that the community - that means you ! - helped us to conserve Poesten Kill Bends Preserve in Troy.

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Currently, there is no official parking or access point for the preserve. While we are working to resolve that, we ask that you not park your car anywhere within Elmwood Hill Cemetery.

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Cemetery officials have asked that all of the roads and parking areas in the cemetery be left clear for cemetery visitors and mourners. Please help us to be good neighbors so that this beautiful preserve can still be enjoyed by the community. Vehicles that violate this request may be towed by the cemetery.

If you are walking through the cemetery, please be mindful of cemetery visitors and pack out any trash or dog waste.

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Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please feel free to reach out to jim@rensselaerplateau.org or call (518) 712-9211 with questions or comments.

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​An Urban Forest for Troy and Brunswick

The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance and Rensselaer Land Trust are now the

co-owners of an incredibly beautiful -- and surprisingly wild -- stretch of forest along the Poesten Kill creek in Troy and Brunswick. View the property on a

map here. 
 

This forest has been a haven for many species of wildlife as well as human neighbors for decades. Now, thanks to so much community support, it will remain so in the long term. As well, the wooded riparian zone will continue to mitigate flood waters and help our communities in the face of a changing climate. The land will serve more students, families, and community groups. 

About Poesten Kill Bends

The 76-acre property, made up of woodland and an open meadow, borders one mile of the Poesten Kill Creek behind Elmwood Hill Cemetery in Troy. The land is within walking distance of several schools, including Troy School 16, the Susan Odell Taylor School, Emma Willard School, and RPI, making for excellent educational opportunities.

 

Poesten Kill Bends is part of the larger Poesten Kill Midreach Aquatic Network, one of the most important aquatic corridors in Rensselaer County. The property is home to fox, fishers, owls, hawks, kingfishers, Pileated Woodpeckers, and other wildlife species. 

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Several stone beaches make it a wonderful place for skipping stones and enjoying the water flow. 

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What to Expect

Currently, there is no official entrance to the property. RPA and RLT are working together to determine parking and trails. Please stay tuned. If you have any questions about this process, or if you would like to be part of the volunteer community planning committee, please reach out to Jim Bonesteel, jim@rensselaerplateau.org or (518) 712-9211.

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