The Eugene and Agnes Meyer nature preserve is a 247 acre preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy. The complete perimeter trail can reach 5.5 miles if you take all of the trails. This writeup focuses on the “Upper Meyer Loop” which is 3 miles if you follow the full perimeter shown here and don’t get lost in the yellow loop section. You can also skip the first section if you want a 2 mile perimeter loop. There is also a prior “How Do You Train?” entry for the “Lower Meyer Loop” which is the cliff and ravine loop. Click here to view the Google Map version of the trail run.
Click here to pop open a larger, hopefully more readable version of the map shown to the right. The parking for the Lower Meyer Loop is at the end of Oregon Rd in Armonk, NY. There is room for 2-3 cars along the side of the road just before the ‘road closed’ sign. About 100 yards into the trail/Old Oregon Rd, there is a wooden sign with the name of the preserve on it. There are no trail maps at this location. Click here for a scanned trail map.
You can also enter the Meadow Loop from a small parking area on Sarles Road in Mt. Kisco. The alternate parking area is marked on the map shown here.
The full upper perimeter loop starts on Oregon Rd and goes into the closed portion of Oregon Rd. About 150 yards on the old road the yellow trail loop begins on the right side. In the warmer months, you have to keep a sharp eye out since the entrance can get overgrown. The trail heads east briefly then southeast past several vernal ponds. The trail continues down some gullies until it crosses over a ridgeback and turns nearly due north back uphill. The trail winds mostly north from there until it veers downhill towards the ravine trail. If you are doing the full perimeter loop (both upper and lower Meyer Preserve) you can continue down to the brook. If you are focused on the upper loop, you need to turn left at the intersection and head back west. Up two short hills, you will find yourself in a pine forest which takes you back to the yellow trailhead. The total yellow loop is just about 1 mile.
Back out on Old Oregon Rd, you head north once again down a slow slope. When you reach a meadow area, keep to the road since this is the Seven Springs property, owned by Donald Trump. Runners who have stumbled unknowingly onto the Trump property have been quickly asked to leave by workers in ATVs. Some suspect listening devices in the trees or even video surveillance. There’s plenty of preserve land so give Mr. Trump his space.
The road curves west and up a short hill. The perimeter trail goes over a stone wall into the small western meadow (part of the preserve). After a brief view of the small meadow, the trail continues into the trees, winding uphill. Eventually it comes out near the top of the three Meyer Meadows. The trail is clearly mowed through the meadow and once it hits the top of the meadow it heads downhill for about a half-mile.
At the bottom of the meadow, the trail rejoins Old Oregon Road and heads uphill on a road that long ago allowed cars to pass but nowadays even horses have difficulty navigating. The old road rejoins the perimeter loop and heads back uphill past Seven Springs to the parking area. The total meadow loop (excluding the yellow loop) is 2 miles. Combining them makes for a pleasant 3 mile trail run.