We were looking for somewhere to go hiking in the Saratoga area. I found Woods Hollow Nature Preserve, which is under 10 minutes from Saratoga Spa National Park.
I used Google Maps to find the park. Google directed me to a large parking lot located off Northline Road.
The entrance to the parking lot is not labeled, so I almost missed it. It was also very difficult to cross over traffic when it was time to leave, as there was quite a bit of traffic on this road.
There are some pull-off areas on Ballston Ave as well. Due to traffic and the trails I tried, I would have preferred to park in one of the pull-off areas.
There is a kiosk with some information and a trail map.

Unfortunately, the kiosk trail map is not the best.

I did see some Google reviews that say it can be tough to follow the trails. I did notice that the trees were spray painted with colors, and there are no actual trail markers. The kiosk map was also not color-coded, so I wasn’t sure where I was going, even if a tree was marked with a color.
I read that the trails are about 1.9 miles. There are lots of different loops and segments with areas to explore.
I started off on the trail by the parking lot. It is a wide and mostly flat trail.

I wasn’t particularly impressed by the scenery to start, as there was some trash, and a sandy area that appeared to be showing some wear (maybe by bikers).

However, I spotted some pretty flowers along the trails.


The trails are flat and meander through forested areas, and I enjoyed the shade that the trees provided.

I did not make it to the pond at the preserve, but it is a great feature of this natural area. Check out this blog for a post and photos of the pond:
https://saratogawoodswaters.blogspot.com/2020/07/plants-and-pollinators-at-woods-hollow.html

Overall, the preserve was a nice way to get outdoors and enjoy some walking. I would have liked to see a nicer map and trail markers, and a sign for the parking lot as well. Some of the trails and areas were not particularly scenic, but the pond is a nice feature if you make it over there.
Check out my other Capital Region Hikes.
This is such a beautiful area. I always love when there’s lot of flowers to see.
All of your photos are so beautiful, I would love to check out this preserve.
This woods hollow nature preserve looks beautiful. Would love to visit soon.
Such a nice place for a walk. I love the flowers and water.
I love being out in nature. It looks like a beautiful preserve!
I love discovering little hidden hiking gems, I’m glad you were able to find the entrance!
This looks like a great place to take a stroll. We don’t have any good trails like that around here. Plus the summer heat would make it brutal. We used to go hiking in Colorado.
Wow! That was a really amazing place! I would love to see those beautiful flowers!
What a beautiful place to visit and explore! Id have to spend more than a day or two! I love the woods!
Wow! The place looks absolutely mesmerizing, we all love to be with nature and this place will give us that.
A little outside time always is a good idea for me. It regroups my thoughts and feelings.
I absolutely love the outdoors and hiking is my favorite recreation. This looks like the perfect soft for me 😉
It sounds like an enjoyable hike, but it would be nicer if the trails and map were clearly labeled.