A new nature preserve in Essex, New York, is getting ready to welcome visitors. The 35 acres, just south of the ferry landing, is home to more than a mile of trails for both walking and cross-country skiing that surround an ancient limestone rock quarry that’s home to 450-million-year-old fossils that were once part of the world’s oldest coral reef. Stone from the quarry was used in the 1800s to build landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the state capitol building in Albany. The quarry was purchased by Champlain Area Trails, which says the new Essex Quarry Nature Preserve is a perfect addition to its network of trails, and its goal of connecting people to nature, and promoting land conservation. The new nature preserve opens on June 26th. Learn more: www.champlainareatrails.com