Malta reveals itself through distinct features: the paved path in Shenantaha Creek Park is part of the Zim Smith Trail, while a nature trail in Malta Community Park follows the valley of a small creek. There is also a 90-acre preserve and historic sites associated with different points in time. This variety helps you weigh trail, natural area, and local history when choosing a stay.

Explore the Zim Smith Trail

The Zim Smith Trail is a paved, 11.5-mile multi-use trail. It runs through Ballston, Malta, and Clifton Park, as well as the Village of Round Lake and Mechanicville. In Shenantaha Creek Park, the paved path is part of the trail. This makes it possible to distinguish between two scales: the specific park section as part of the trail and its total length of 11.5 miles.

The information complements itself in different ways for your planning: the surface and multi-use nature describe the trail, while its length and sequence of places indicate its scope. If you include the trail in your travel plans, you can keep in mind the difference between a named section in the park and the full route.

Nature Trails and Waterways

The nature trail in Malta Community Park follows the valley of a small creek. Unlike the Zim Smith Trail, the focus here is not on length or a sequence of several communities, but on the route through a creek valley. The two trails therefore offer different points of reference when making your choice: a paved multi-use trail on the one hand, and a nature trail along a small waterway on the other.

At the town level, other connections to water can be distinguished: the Town of Malta borders Saratoga Lake; Round Lake Preserve is next to Round Lake and the Anthony Kill. The 90-acre preserve includes wetlands and wooded areas, and offers accessible trails and a boardwalk. This presents a different natural setting from the creek-valley trail: at the preserve, several landscape types and trail infrastructure shape the experience, while the nature trail is defined by its valley.

Local History Across Different Periods

The historic sites represent different periods and aspects of local history. The Dunning Street Cemetery, also called Dunning Street Rural Cemetery, was first used for burials in the 1770s. The Wiggins-Collamer House was built by George Wiggins around 1835. The Ruhle Road Bridge is a historic lenticular truss bridge dating from 1888. In this timeline, a cemetery, a house, and a bridge stand side by side; each date refers to something different: the first use for burials, the construction of the house, and the year of the bridge.

The history of the Town of Malta also includes the Malta Rocket Test Station. It was located in this area during the 1940s and 1950s. Rocket engines that took America to the Moon were first tested there. This strand of technological history adds another perspective on the community to its architectural and burial history.

Discover more destinations: Mechanicville, Northumberland, Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park, Waterford.

For the broader travel overview: Saratoga.