Our Goodsell Ridge Fossil Preserve is located in beautiful Isle La Motte, VT. This 85-acre preserve offers year-round free access to 480 million year old fossils from the Chazy Fossil Reef. Visitors can take a self guided tour of the fossils and continue to explore the beautiful former farm fields on longer trails traversing the property.
Important Notes: 1) The Preserve is open dawn to dusk year-round. 2) To reach the parking area, enter 69 Pine St, Isle La Motte, VT into your GPS device or online mapping application. 3) For more information about tours and the visitor center, which is open sporadically (subject to volunteer availability) during the warmer months and mostly on weekends, please contact our partners the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust directly at: or (802) 238-7040.
Directions
From the South: Take Exit 17 off of I-89 and get on US Route 2 W toward the Champlain Islands. After crossing the bridge between North Hero and Alburgh, look for Route 129 on your left. Follow Route 129 to Isle La Motte. This road then becomes Main Road. Follow this south until you see Quarry Road and the Historical Society on your left. Take Quarry Road for a quarter of a mile. You will see a large brown and white sign for Goodsell Ridge Preserve on your left. Pull into the driveway and park on the grass or along the driveway.
From the North: Take US Route 2 E. Turn right onto Route 129. Follow Route 129 to Isle La Motte. This road then becomes Main Road. Follow this south until you see Quarry Road and the Historical Society on your left. Take Quarry Road for a quarter of a mile. You will see a large brown and white sign for Goodsell Ridge Preserve on your left. Pull into the driveway and park on the grass or along the driveway.
(Before you visit, be sure to sign up for our Lake Champlain Land Trust E-newsletter!)
Guides
Click here for a printable guide to Goodsell Ridge, including driving directions.
History
The Lake Champlain Land Trust purchased and saved Goodsell Ridge from potential quarrying and development back in 2005 after a multiple-year campaign in partnership with the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust. The property is home to the oldest reef fossils in the world. Our partners at the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust spent years successfully seeking designation for the Chazy Reef as a National Natural Landmark. A few years ago, the partners added a key addition to provide more parking and better access for school groups.
Partners
The Goodsell Ridge Fossil Preserve was conserved in partnership with the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Lake Champlain Land Trust. The Isle La Motte Preservation Trust owns and manages the property and generously supplies the volunteer docents managing the visitors center. If your school or other group is interested in a guided tour of the Preserve, or to inquire about the visitor center’s hours of operation, please contact the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust directly at: or (802) 238-7040.
