Clove Mountain, the highest point in Union Vale, New York, rises at the southern end of the Taconic Mountains and forms the western edge of Clove Valley. Its metamorphic bedrock contrasts with the valley’s limestone, and together they support characteristic New England Uplands wildlife and plant life, including rattlesnakes. The mountain and valley are recognized as a Significant Natural Area for their role in local natural diversity and environmental health. Springs and the headwaters of Fishkill Creek lie below, and Clove Spring helped attract early European settlers in the early 18th century. Later mining hamlets gave way to agriculture, while a 1933 fire tower and cabin reflect the area’s more recent conservation history.