It’s the perfect blend of a downhill and a cross country ride.

The Gardner Spencer Preserve in Dalton is one of the Countryside Conservancy’s newest properties. The preserve also borders the equally beautiful Lackawanna State Park. You can enter through the Ziegler Preserve on Wallsville Road and continue through until you reach the Gardner Spencer Preserve. You can even reach it by hiking over from Lackawanna State Park.

This densely wooded, 82-acre property features old Hemlock groves and a small clear stream. Occasionally, the preserve’s 2.6 miles of perfectly machined trails open up to expansive fields. The trails offer an ideal run for the avid mountain biker, and a peaceful, escape for the weekend hiker. Just be sure to bring along a camera. The trail tends to offer up some incredibly stunning photo opportunities.

For the cyclist, one of the main features of the trail is what’s known as “Tunnel Vision.” The slim chute descends through a nearly symmetrical line up of pine trees. Another popular route is known as “Bermie Senders,” a great downhill section with really flowy, machined berms. The winding trails in and out of the woods give great variety to the type of terrain in the preserve.

The Gardner Spencer Preserve is truly one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s hidden gems for the outdoor enthusiast. And with a buffer of preserved lands and a state park on both sides, it will be so for many years to come.