Pawling, New York is a quiet town in Dutchess County. It's just 72 miles from Manhattan and it's in the woods making it the perfect hiding spot for secret experiments starting in the 1950's. Nuclear Lake has a historic and explosive past.

HikeTheHudsonValley gives a primer on Nuclear Lake, so named due to a 1972 accident that

blew out two windows in the experimental nuclear research lab that used to sit on the shore of the lake, blasting an unspecified amount of bomb-grade plutonium across the lake and surrounding woods.

Oops. Despite the ominous name and history, the area remains popular with those hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Nuclear Lake in Pawling, NY Has an Explosive History

Nuclear Lake is not just a clever name, it's a literal one. Tucked away in the woods of Pawling, NY, once sat a secret research facility. On the shores of the 55 acre body of water, were labs conducting experiments, using uranium and plutonium. The Lake can be accessed by anyone walking the Appalachian Trail in Dutchess County, but should it?
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