Hidden in a Hollow Lies the Stone Church of Dover

If you want to impress an out-oftown guest with how beautiful our area is, take them to the Stone Church in Dover. A small, cavelike hollow carved in the rocks—complete with a waterfall inside—this is one of those places that should be much more wellknown than it is.

From what I have read, it was a tourist attraction years ago, even boasting a hotel bearing the Stone Church name. For some reason, it fell out of favor as a tourist destination, and until a few years ago it was on private property so access was limited. The Town of Dover has since acquired the property, for which they deserve high praise. Since this walk is relatively short, you may want to combine this excursion with a visit to the Roger Perry Memorial Preserve, which I will discuss in a future article. The Perry Preserve has a unique whitesand geological feature that is definitely worth seeing.

To get to the Stone Church hike, head north on Route 22 until you reach the town of Dover. You can park at the Dover Elementary School on the east side of Route 22, provided school isn't in session. Cross the street and walk a half-block north. The entrance to the right-of-way is a small dirt road that will have you feeling like you are walking into someone's driveway, but after about 150 feet you break through the trees into a large meadow.

The path heads downhill, then across the meadow and straight for a large tree. The meadow is full of flowers, butterflies and other creatures. Once you get to the large tree at the far end of the meadow, the path heads under the canopy of the treetops. You will come to a "Y" in the path. Turn left to head for the Stone Church.

Soon you will come to a small footbridge that takes you over a stream and into a clearing with a few small ponds. Stay to the right and follow the stream uphill for a few hundred feet. Be careful during this part of the hike because it becomes increasingly rocky and many of the stones you will be stepping on are wet and covered in moss or algae.

The walls of the gorge created by the stream will steepen and soon you will see the entrance to the Stone Church up ahead. The footing becomes increasingly challenging the closer you get. If the stream is running strong, expect to get a little wet trying to get into the hollow in the rocks that is the Stone Church. The waterfall is pretty loud, and the acoustics of the "cave" amplify the sound.

Once inside the 'cathedral'—and once you are there you will understand how it got its name - there is nice view back out of the entrance. The main part of the waterfall is still hidden from view, but there is a ladder constructed so you can get a good view. Be careful because the ladder is wet and slippery. At the top of the ladder is a small landing that you can stand on to get a better view of the main part of the falls. It is nice and cool inside the cave, which can be refreshing on a warm day.

When you head back, stop at the clearing near the footbridge. You will find a grassy area with a series of stillwater pools that provide a great spot to take a rest. The kids and I sat on a rock and had a snack of popcorn and bottled water. After snack time, we searched along the edges of the pond looking for wildlife. No frogs or turtles, but we did come across a birds nest with two eggs in it. The grass is usually mowed, so we sat in the grass and traced leaves before heading back the way we came in.

The length of the walk is perfect for an afternoon mini-adventure. I visited with a 2, 4 and 6 year old on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The walk wasn't too long for any of them, but as I said the terrain does get more difficult as you get close to the falls. As the only adult there, trying to keep all three unharmed proved to be a little nerve-racking. I would suggest a 1 to 1 ratio of adults to children because they will most likely need assistance as you get close to the Stone Church.

Two hours should be plenty of time to make a round trip from the car to the Church and back to the car. But in that two hours, expect to be amazed. You can find more info on the Stone Church on the website for the Town of Dover at www.townofdover.us.

Steven Mattson has been a resident of Brewster for 10 years. He is currently writing a family-oriented book about the sights and adventures in and around Putnam County. He can be reached at dutchess92@comcast.net.