Imagine stepping back in time and experiencing what the Mianus River Gorge was like when the Native Americans lived on this land and before British and Dutch settlers cleared many of the trees for farmland.

Today, the Mianus River Gorge, Inc. comprises a 960-acre preserve with over 100 acres of old-growth hemlock forest and the 22-mile Mianus River flowing through it – a unique treasure in the New York metropolitan region. Mianus River Gorge protects and manages over 1,200 acres in the Mianus River Watershed in parts of Bedford, North Castle and Pound Ridge, NY, and Stamford and Greenwich, CT.

Founded in 1953, the Mianus River Gorge is an independent 501(c)(3). It was the first land project of The Nature Conservancy and, in 1963, was designated the first National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Our mission is to protect irreplaceable natural habitats for our community, wildlife, and future generations. 

The Mianus River Gorge Preserve is open seasonally with seven miles of scenic, challenging, and well-tended hiking trails and outdoor exhibits.  MRG also owns 41 acres in the Twin Lakes and Taylor Preserves. It provides habitat for hundreds of species of animals, plants, fungi, and microbes in the soil and water. 

The ecosystem here helps protect and filter clean, abundant drinking water for over 130,000 residents in Greenwich, CT, Rye, Rye Brook, and Port Chester, NY. The Mianus River is rated Class AA-Special — the highest rating for a drinking water supply. Our work with academic institutions and partner organizations on initiatives to protect the Mianus River Watershed–from its headwaters in northern Greenwich, CT, to its endpoint at the Long Island Sound—informs and impacts land management for the entire region. 

MRG leads the way in ambitious ecological research and offers innovative hands-on, environmental education programs for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. We train the next generation of scientists who learn to better understand the ecosystems of the Gorge and the surrounding region.