Land trust preserves 517 acres on Lake George’s eastern shore

$3.8 million Pilot Knob purchase protects prominent mountaintop from development

By Mike Lynch

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has reached a deal to preserve a prominent mountaintop on the eastern side of the lake. 

The $3.8 million purchase Tuesday on Pilot Knob includes 517 acres of forest and the mountain’s 2,159-foot summit and ridgeline from a private seller who wished to remain anonymous. The property contains 1.6 miles of streams that eventually flow into Kattskill Bay.

“It is difficult to find the words to describe how important this project is to Lake George,” LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said. “This land will forever work to protect water quality, air quality, natural habitat, and the scenic beauty that we all enjoy.”

The land is near two popular hiking destinations. The property is next to LGLC’s Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob in Fort Ann, and sits just south of Buck Mountain, sharing more than 1.6 miles of its border with the Lake George Wild Forest. 

The property had been one of the largest privately-owned properties in the south basin and was zoned for development of up to 60 buildings, according to LGLC. 

The purchase is tied to a fundraising campaign the organization announced in the spring that would allow it to purchase 1,200 acres in the watershed. This month, the land trust announced it had met that $9 million goal ahead of schedule. 

The Bolton Landing-based land trust is known among hikers for its trails on its preserves, but its efforts to protect landscapes are mainly done for environmental reasons. It protects the water quality of Lake George through the preservation of landscapes and waterways within the lake’s watershed. 

Horn has previously told the Explorer it will have to go through a planning process before considering recreation options for the Pilot Knob property.

“We need to be extremely thoughtful and deliberate about anything we do here,” Horn said. 

Below is a look back at some of LGLC’s recent land preservation efforts: 

45 acres of wetlands preserved near Huddle Bay

In January, the land trust announced that it had purchased 45 acres of mostly wetlands near Huddle Bay in the town of Bolton. The wetlands preserve water quality by naturally filtering pollutants, sediments, and excess nutrients before they can enter the lake, according to LGLC. “This natural land will forever protect the water quality of Lake George while providing important wildlife habitat and scenic enjoyment to residents and visitors alike,” Horn said.

Land purchase connects two existing preserves

Just a month prior to the Huddle Bay announcement, LGLC announced it had protected land in the northeastern side of Lake George that connected the organization’s 1,078-acre Sucker Brook Preserve and 207-acre Anthony’s Nose Preserve. There is now only a road corridor breaking the connection. 

The preserves are drastically different from each other. Peregrine falcons nest on the steep cliffs of Anthony’s Nose, which has a hike to a vantage point of the land. Sucker Brook Preserve is a network of wetlands and bogs. A state wildlife action plan identified the area as a wildlife corridor connecting Lake George and Lake Champlain as well as the Adirondacks and Green Mountains. 

State funding helps preserve 700 acres in Indian Brook watershed

In April of 2024, reporter Zach Matson interviewed Horn about his organization’s efforts after it secured more than $4 million in state funding to  help it preserve more than 700 acres in the Indian Brook watershed, among other things. Horn told the Explorer that preserving lands keeps contaminants out of the lake. “Land, when kept intact and in its natural state, is our greatest partner in protecting the Lake George water­shed. These natural lands absorb stormwater and filter contaminants before they reach the lake,” he said.