Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY

I had heard of Landis Arboretum before but never had a chance to check it out.  With some beautiful weather and free time, I was interested to visit, especially because I work in a greenhouse and wanted to see some interesting plants.

Landis Arboretum is located in Esperance, not far from Schoharie, NY.  It is is easy to find, and Google Maps put us right in the parking lot where there is a Visitor Center kiosk.  We were able to find a bunch of information including a trail map.

We went Memorial Day weekend, and the scenery was very green.  There were gorgeous lilacs in bloom (beautiful dark purple flowers!), and some others.  We missed some of the azaleas and cherry trees, but there is plenty more that will be going into bloom later.

We took the kids (age 7 and 10) out on the trail.  Some of the trails were pretty soggy, so be prepared for some muddy and wet areas.  The kids hiking shoes weren’t cutting it, and it would have been better if they had worn rain boots.

The kids weren’t particularly impressed with the trails through the woods, but I was interested in checking out the trees and other plants, like this cool contorted blue spruce that had pink pine cones!

There are also lots of birds, including blue birds, which is such a treat to see.

The kids did get a kick out of this “no swimming” sign!

There are plenty of trails, and we didn’t make it on them all because the kids were tired and we ran into some spots that were a little flooded.  Regardless, it was nice to be outside enjoying the beautiful scenery and fresh air.

While the kids were a little whiny about spending a lot of time on the trails, we made it over to the sculptures and ponds, which was a nice change of pace.

The pond was hopping with aquatic life, from baby turtles to frogs, to tadpoles and salamanders.

I think this was my kids favorite part, as they kept wanting to check out the pond life.

The kids thought this sculpture was pretty cool.

We spent a couple hours exploring the trails and arboretum, but we could have easily spent more time on the trails and different areas.  It would be fun to go and relax, have a picnic lunch and hang out.  There are also events at Landis, like birdwatching hikes, plant sales, and more.

Check out Landis Arboretum at http://www.landisarboretum.org/

Check out the other local trails we have hiked:

Albany Pine Bush, NY
Bozenkill Preserve, Altamont, NY
Christman Sanctuary, Duanesburg, NY 
Hannacroix Ravine Preserve, Voorheesville, NY 
Hyuck Preserve, Rensselaerville, NY
Indian Kill Preserve, Schenectady, NY 
Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY
Limestone Rise Preserve, NY
Moccasin Kill Sanctuary, Schenectady, NY 
Thacher Park Indian Ladder Trail, Voorheesville, NY 
Vosburgh Trails, Guilderland, NY
Wolf Creek Falls Preserve, Altamont/Knox, NY 
Woodlawn Nature Preserve, Schenectady, NY