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Contents TRAIL... · 2017-12-18 · Contents Introduction 2 Essex Open Space Properties 4 Trails...
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Transcript of Contents TRAIL... · 2017-12-18 · Contents Introduction 2 Essex Open Space Properties 4 Trails...
Contents
Introduction 2Essex Open Space Properties 4
TrailsBushy Hill Nature Preserve 6Canfield/Meadow Woods 8Cross Lots 10Falls River Preserve 12Fern Ledge & Farm Hill Estates 14Heron Pond Preserve 16James Glen 18The Millrace 20Osage Trails 22Tiley Pratt Pond 24Turtle Creek Preserve 26Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve 28Windswept Ridge 30
Canoe/Kayak RoutesJean’s Island 32South Cove 34North Cove 36
Notes 38Credits 40
TrailGuide
Essex Land Trust
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Introduction
There is nothing like a walk in the woods or a paddle on the river or pond to clear the mind and wash away the dust of daily life. We are lucky to live in a town that still has access to nearby walking trails, waterfronts, and open space, where we have the opportunity to observe the miracles of Mother Nature up close. Most of our trails are well marked and easy to access, so it’s surprising how few of us have ever actually walked on Essex Land Trust properties. Even the longest trails are no more than an hour’s walk at a steady pace.
We hope that this new pocket-size Trail Guide will encourage you to enjoy the results of 40 years of hard work and dedication that the hundreds of Essex Land Trust members and volunteers have put into acquiring and maintaining more than 400 acres on 15 properties. Each map shows the cleared walking trails and convenient locations for parking. It also indicates access points and special features to look for. Some properties such as Thatchbed Island and the marsh-lands of the Great Meadow are largely inaccessible. They have no trails and are preserved as habitat for wildlife. The Essex Land Trust also sponsors a number of guided walks, canoe/kayak tours, and educational events throughout the year.
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Our location in the Lower Connecticut River Estuary is recognized by The Nature Conservancy as one of the “Last Great Places” in the Western Hemisphere and by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a unique wetland of international importance. As residents of this area, we have a responsibility to protect this vital resource.
The Essex Land Trust is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that acquires and maintains open space in Essex. It cooperates with town and state govern-ments and adjacent communities, but it relies on the generosity of those who donate land, money, or their time to keep a reasonable balance of open space and development in our community. We urge you to join us in the pleasure we get from experiencing nature and in contributing to the clean air, clean water and the preservation of open space for ourselves and those who will come after us.
William H. Grover, President Essex Land Trust www.essexlandtrust.org
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Johnson FarmNot Open to Public
Bushy Hill Nature Preserve
The Millrace Falls RiverPreserve
Windswept Ridge
Farm HillEstates
Fern Ledge
Jean’sIsland
Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve
Heron PondPreserve
Turtle CreekPreserve
Cross Lots
ThatchbedIsland
Great Meadow
Osage TrailsTiley PrattPond
Meadow Woods Preserve
Canfield Woods Nature Preserve
James Glen
Valley RR
Birch MillPond
Falls RiverCove Foxboro
Point
North Cove
Connecticut RiverMiddleCove
Hayden’s Point
South Cove
Mill Pond
Wallock’s Pond
Nott Island
Essex Island
BrockwayIsland
Falls River
Falls River
Wright’sPond
Clark’s Pond
LordPond
Falls River
Falls River
Falls River
Viney HillBrook
Mud River
Mud River
Sunset Pond
Tiffany Brook
Rte 9
Rte 9
153
154
154
154
153
CHESTER BOWLES HIGHWAY
CHESTER BOWLES HIGHWAY
Valley RR
WATROUS POINT RD
FORDHAM RD
ESSEX HILLS DR
SQUIRE LA
S COVE LAHERON POND
RD
MALLARD POINTRD
CROSSTREESHILL RD
COVE HILLRD
CEDAR GROVE TERRACE
CEDAR GROVE TER EXT
HUNTERSLA
NUTMEGLA
GATES RD
HARBOR VIEW DR
HARBOR VIEW SOHILLSIDEDR
BOKUM RD
HARBOR VIEW NO
STANFORD HILL RD
ORCHARDHEIGHTS RD
RUSSETLA
CAPTAINSWALK
S MAIN ST
S MAIN ST BANK
LA NOTT LA
MEIGS LA
MAINST
CROSSST
PRATT ST
METHODISTHILL
WEST AVE
CHAMPLINSQUARE
PROSPECTST
GROVEST
GRANDVIEWTERRACE
HANNA LA
NEW CITY ST
ALLARD ST
LAUREL RD
DENNISONLA
DENNISONRD
DENNISONRD
OLD MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
OLD DEEP RIVERRD
SHEAGREN HILL RD
Mill Pond Dam DEEP
RIVERRD
DEEP RIVERRD
WESTBROOKRD
WESTBROOKRD
WESTBROOKRD
SOUTH WINDSDR
BIRCH MILLTRAIL
CAROL DR
PINEY BRANCH
TOWNWOODSRD
HICKORYLA
HARMONYLA
MELODYLA
KEYBOARDLA
WESTWOODSDR
CHORDLA
BEECHWOODDR
MIKESTER
PARKRD
COMSTOCK AVE
BALDWINLA
IVORYSTTER
LA
MAINST
MAINST
BROOKS LANE
HOPPERRD
LYNNRD
LYNNRD
POND MEADOWRD
EAST POND MEADOWRD
WINTHROP HILLRD
RACHELLA
DEERLA
POSTMASTERRD
BUSHY HILLRD
OAK LEDGEDR
WALNUTST
READ HILLRD
NORTH MAINST
CHESTNUTST
BLAKEST
SUMMITST
HIGHLANDTER
ROSEWOODLA
EBONYLA
FIFECOURT
CHENEYST
BUDNEY HILL
NORTH WINDSDR
MARES HILLRD
OLD DOBBINLA
WINDSWEPT RIDGERD
WINDERMEREWAY
INGHAM HILLRD
PLAINSRD
CHARLESST
CEDARST
VIEWST
EARLST
WINDSORLA
EDGEWOODAVE
FAIRVIEWST
VERONAST
CONKLINAVE
BRACKETLA
FALLS RIVERDR
MITCHELTER
MITCHELCIRCLE
BITTERSWEETLA
WEST HILLSRD
JOHNNY CAKELN
DOVER ST
DOGWOOD DR
WOODLAND DR
OAKDR
BIRCHCIRCLE
RIDGERD
INDUSTRIAL PARKRD
OLD DENNISONRD
WATERSIDELA
ABBYLA
BROOKSIDELA
SUNSETTER
EAGLE RIDGEDR
PRIMROSELEDGE
CURIOSITYLA
DONALDRD
TIEZZI ST
RIVERRD
CARRIAGELA
BOOK HILLRD
NAVY LA
CANFIELDRD
OXBOW LA
MEADOW WOODRD
BOOK HILLWOODS RD
HUDSONLA
RIVER RDDR
RIVER RD
GREAT MEADOW RD
ANDREWSRD
LOOKOUTHILL
GRANDVIEWTERRACE
KINGSLA
RIVERVIEWST
MAPLE AVE
CLARK LA
FOXBORO RD
PARKERTERRRACE
HIGHST
N MAINST
N MAINST
CHURCHLA
WESTAVE
BUSHNELL ST
TEALLA
DICKENSON LA
LITTLE POINT ST
FERRY STPARKER
LASCHOLES ST
NOVELTYLA
MACK LA
COLLINS LA
CARLSON LA
HILLTOP AVE
EVANS LA
PARTRIDGEHILL
MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
BENSON LA
RACKETT LA
HEMLOCK DR
MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
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Essex Land TrustProperties
Other DesignatedOpen Space
0 1000’ 2000’
Public Access - Kayaks & Canoes
Public Access - Trails
Open Space Property in Essex
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Johnson FarmNot Open to Public
Bushy Hill Nature Preserve
The Millrace Falls RiverPreserve
Windswept Ridge
Farm HillEstates
Fern Ledge
Jean’sIsland
Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve
Heron PondPreserve
Turtle CreekPreserve
Cross Lots
ThatchbedIsland
Great Meadow
Osage TrailsTiley PrattPond
Meadow Woods Preserve
Canfield Woods Nature Preserve
James Glen
Valley RR
Birch MillPond
Falls RiverCove Foxboro
Point
North Cove
Connecticut RiverMiddleCove
Hayden’s Point
South Cove
Mill Pond
Wallock’s Pond
Nott Island
Essex Island
BrockwayIsland
Falls River
Falls River
Wright’sPond
Clark’s Pond
LordPond
Falls River
Falls River
Falls River
Viney HillBrook
Mud River
Mud River
Sunset Pond
Tiffany Brook
Rte 9
Rte 9
153
154
154
154
153
CHESTER BOWLES HIGHWAY
CHESTER BOWLES HIGHWAY
Valley RR
WATROUS POINT RD
FORDHAM RD
ESSEX HILLS DR
SQUIRE LA
S COVE LAHERON POND
RD
MALLARD POINTRD
CROSSTREESHILL RD
COVE HILLRD
CEDAR GROVE TERRACE
CEDAR GROVE TER EXT
HUNTERSLA
NUTMEGLA
GATES RD
HARBOR VIEW DR
HARBOR VIEW SOHILLSIDEDR
BOKUM RD
HARBOR VIEW NO
STANFORD HILL RD
ORCHARDHEIGHTS RD
RUSSETLA
CAPTAINSWALK
S MAIN ST
S MAIN ST BANK
LA NOTT LA
MEIGS LA
MAINST
CROSSST
PRATT ST
METHODISTHILL
WEST AVE
CHAMPLINSQUARE
PROSPECTST
GROVEST
GRANDVIEWTERRACE
HANNA LA
NEW CITY ST
ALLARD ST
LAUREL RD
DENNISONLA
DENNISONRD
DENNISONRD
OLD MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
OLD DEEP RIVERRD
SHEAGREN HILL RD
Mill Pond Dam DEEP
RIVERRD
DEEP RIVERRD
WESTBROOKRD
WESTBROOKRD
WESTBROOKRD
SOUTH WINDSDR
BIRCH MILLTRAIL
CAROL DR
PINEY BRANCH
TOWNWOODSRD
HICKORYLA
HARMONYLA
MELODYLA
KEYBOARDLA
WESTWOODSDR
CHORDLA
BEECHWOODDR
MIKESTER
PARKRD
COMSTOCK AVE
BALDWINLA
IVORYSTTER
LA
MAINST
MAINST
BROOKS LANE
HOPPERRD
LYNNRD
LYNNRD
POND MEADOWRD
EAST POND MEADOWRD
WINTHROP HILLRD
RACHELLA
DEERLA
POSTMASTERRD
BUSHY HILLRD
OAK LEDGEDR
WALNUTST
READ HILLRD
NORTH MAINST
CHESTNUTST
BLAKEST
SUMMITST
HIGHLANDTER
ROSEWOODLA
EBONYLA
FIFECOURT
CHENEYST
BUDNEY HILL
NORTH WINDSDR
MARES HILLRD
OLD DOBBINLA
WINDSWEPT RIDGERD
WINDERMEREWAY
INGHAM HILLRD
PLAINSRD
CHARLESST
CEDARST
VIEWST
EARLST
WINDSORLA
EDGEWOODAVE
FAIRVIEWST
VERONAST
CONKLINAVE
BRACKETLA
FALLS RIVERDR
MITCHELTER
MITCHELCIRCLE
BITTERSWEETLA
WEST HILLSRD
JOHNNY CAKELN
DOVER ST
DOGWOOD DR
WOODLAND DR
OAKDR
BIRCHCIRCLE
RIDGERD
INDUSTRIAL PARKRD
OLD DENNISONRD
WATERSIDELA
ABBYLA
BROOKSIDELA
SUNSETTER
EAGLE RIDGEDR
PRIMROSELEDGE
CURIOSITYLA
DONALDRD
TIEZZI ST
RIVERRD
CARRIAGELA
BOOK HILLRD
NAVY LA
CANFIELDRD
OXBOW LA
MEADOW WOODRD
BOOK HILLWOODS RD
HUDSONLA
RIVER RDDR
RIVER RD
GREAT MEADOW RD
ANDREWSRD
LOOKOUTHILL
GRANDVIEWTERRACE
KINGSLA
RIVERVIEWST
MAPLE AVE
CLARK LA
FOXBORO RD
PARKERTERRRACE
HIGHST
N MAINST
N MAINST
CHURCHLA
WESTAVE
BUSHNELL ST
TEALLA
DICKENSON LA
LITTLE POINT ST
FERRY STPARKER
LASCHOLES ST
NOVELTYLA
MACK LA
COLLINS LA
CARLSON LA
HILLTOP AVE
EVANS LA
PARTRIDGEHILL
MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
BENSON LA
RACKETT LA
HEMLOCK DR
MIDDLESEXTURNPIKE
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
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ParkingP
Essex Land TrustProperties
Other DesignatedOpen Space
0 1000’ 2000’
Public Access - Kayaks & Canoes
Public Access - Trails
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Bushy Hill Nature Preserve
Bushy Hill Nature Preserve is comprised of more than 100 acres of forested land maintained by the Essex Conservation Commission. The 30-acre Platt Property, belonging to the Essex Land Trust, adjoins the preserve at its southern boundary. The terrain is mostly hilly, with ledge outcroppings, a network of lively streams and several wetland areas.
History Much of the land in both the preserve and the trust property was used for farming beginning in the mid 1800s. The large “wolf ” tree, an ancient oak standing by the trail, once provided shade to grazing animals, and a man made pond was used for watering livestock. Look for traces of old logging roads criss-crossing the property.
Flora and Fauna The properties abound with wildlife: white-tailed deer, fox, raccoon and squirrels may be seen, along with a host of birds, including woodpeckers, crows, hawks and owls. An enormous glacial boulder hung with mosses and ferns lies near the river. Mature forest includes oak, beech and ash, with red maple and red cedar in the wetlands.
Location In Ivoryton – Bushy Hill Road, Oak Ledge Drive and East Pond Meadow Road.
“Those things are better which are perfected by nature than those which are finished by art.”
Cicero: “Pro Archia Poeta”
Bushy Hill Nature Preserve
Parking Trails Trail access Footbridge
Points of Interest Picnic tables “Wolf ” tree Glacial boulder
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East Pond MeadowRoad
Pond MeadowRoad
Brooks Lane
Falls River
Clark’sPond
Wright’s Pond
Bushy HillRoad
Oak LedgeDrive
Main St
Hopper Road
Lynn Road
Rachel Lane
Deer Lane
Pine LakeRoad
Winthrop HillRoad
Toby Hill Road
Deep River
Westbrook
Essex
Essex
Bushy HillNature Preserve
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Canfield/Meadow WoodsNature Preserve
Shared by Deep River and Essex, Canfield/Meadow Woods Nature Preserve is made up of more than 300 acres of hilly, forested land with a wide variety of terrain. Seventeen trails wind through mixed old and new growth forest, and the preserve’s many rocky outcroppings are a highlight.
History Much of the property is former farm land and the old fields are still delineated by a network of stone walls and roads. The remains of an old stone quarry can be found in the Deep River section. Most of the original land was acquired through donations by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Canfield in 1968 and The Nature Conservancy in 1985.
Flora and Fauna The preserve abounds with white-tailed deer and grey and red fox as well as flocks of wild turkeys. A population of small rodents attracts hawks and owls. Home to a variety of birds, common species seen here include cardinals, woodpeckers, thrushes, vireos and flycatchers.
Location In Essex – Book Hill Woods Road, Dennison Road and Eagle Ridge Drive. In Deep River – Route 154.
“This is the spot – how mildly does the sunShine in between the faded leaves! the airIn the habitual silence of this woodIs more than silent.”
William Wordsworth: “Travelling”
Canfield/Meadow Woods
Parking Trails Trail access Steep trail section
Points of Interest Split Rock The Gap Town Line Boulder Book Hill Geodetic Marker Large tulip tree Flat Rock Cleft Rock Castle Rock Eagle Rock
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Rattling Valley Road
Book Hill Road
Meadow Woods Road
Book Hill Woods Road
Rte 154
Rte 9
Eagle Ridge Drive
Dennison Road
DonaldRoad
Deep River
Valley RR
Exit 4
Essex
Canfield WoodsNature Preserve
Meadow WoodsPreserve
PP
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1/4 Mile
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Cross Lots
Granite pillars mark the main entrance to Cross Lots, Essex’s “downtown” open space. The former farm dates back to 1840 and today consists of open hilltop, wooded groves and rolling meadows along with finely-coursed stone walls topped with monolithic capstones.
History A post-and-beam barn at the West Avenue parking lot is all that remains of the farm. The main house, which was demolished, was on the hilltop. Horses and cows grazed in surrounding pastures. The 16-acre homestead was bequeathed to the Essex Land Trust by Harriet Cheney Downing, who grew up there. Downing’s father, George L. Cheney, was head of Pratt, Read and Company of Deep River, maker of ivory products.
Flora and Fauna Cross Lots’ grasses, shrubs, hedgerows and stone walls provide habitat for a myriad of songbirds and small mammals. The dogwood grove is a spectacular sight in spring, and the trees provide food for wintering birds. Silver maples and ever-greens dominate the upper reaches, while red maple and winterberry border the wooded wetland.
Location In Essex – entrance on West Avenue, diagonally across from the Essex Public Library.
“I will be the gladdest thingunder the sun!I will touch a hundred flowersand not pick one.”
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Cross Lots
Parking Trails Trail access
Points of Interest Essex Public Library Barn Conservators’ Rock Victorian cedar enclosure Commemorative bench Giant copper beech tree Vernal pool Dogwood grove
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West Avenue
Champlin Sq
Evans Lane
So MainSt
Grove St
GrandviewTerrace
Old West St
Sunset Pond St
Rte 154
Cross Lots
Sunset Pond
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Falls River Preserve
Falls River Preserve is a 40-acre penin-sula of forest and ledge projecting into Mill Pond on the Falls River. A water-front park, it is accessible by canoe or kayak from Falls River Landing as well as by foot. The lowlands walk is easy for all ages. More challenging trails cross over ledges of 800-million-year-old metamor-phic schist forming the peninsula’s spine.
History The Falls River has been dammed here since 1701. The resulting water power has been harnessed to run a gristmill, a sawmill and an iron works over the years. The land was used for logging and as a sheep pasture as recently as the 1930s.
Flora and Fauna The preserve is an important stopover for warblers, vireos, blackbirds and other migrating songbirds and is the year-round home of chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Waterfowl include swans, wood duck and mallards, while egrets, cormorants and osprey drop in from Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River. Bass, perch, sunfish and catfish populate the pond.
Special Uses Canoeing/kayaking, fishing, ice skating
Location In Ivoryton – at the end of Falls River Drive, off Main Street.
“I do not understand how anyone can live without some small place of enchantment to turn to.”
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings: “Cross Creek”
Falls River Preserve
Parking Trails Trail access Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest 800-million year-old rock ledge “Monster Pit”
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Mitchel Terrace
West Hills Rd
Conklin Ave
Verona St
Dover St
Edgewood Ave
Windsor Lane
Earl St
View St
CedarSt Charles St
Main St
Westbrook Rd
Deep River Rd
Sheagren Hill Rd
Mill PondDam
Fairview St
Mill Pond
Falls River
Falls River Preserve
Stanley Park
Rte 154
Jean’s Island
BracketLane
Falls River Drive
Falls River Landing
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Fern Ledge & Farm Hill Estates
With its steep terrain and high ledge overlooking a working farmer’s field, Fern Ledge has a unique place among the parks in Essex. Trails wind through woodlands and among old stone walls, offering glimpses of Birch Mill Pond below. In winter, it affords distant, sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Note that the trails leading up to the ledge are steep.
History The property sits astride the Essex-Westbrook town line. When the 10-acre parcel was purchased in 2005 from the estate of August Neidlinger and Catherine Doane, it had lain idle for many years.
Flora and Fauna The trail crosses one of the small streams feeding Birch Mill pond, vital habitat for turtles, salamanders and frogs along with ferns, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and skunk cabbage. Rare plants include Dwarf ginseng, May apple and wild leek. Look for a beaver dam in the pond. The upper reaches at Fern Ledge are home to maple trees, oaks and birch along with mammals from fox to deer.
Location In Essex – alongside the Shoreline Clinic, off Route 153.
“It is our task in our time and in our generation to hand down undiminished to those who come after us, as was handed down to us by those who went before, the natural wealth and natural beauty which is ours.”
President John F. KennedyMarch 1961
Fern Ledge & Farm Hill Estates
Parking Trails Trail access Steep trail section Footbridge
Points of Interest Fern beds Old foundation
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Plains Rd
South WindsDrive
Birch HillTrails
Farm HillEstates
Fern Ledge
Rte 153
Birch MillPond
Shoreline Clinic
Westbrook Essex
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Heron Pond Preserve
With two lively watercourses flowing down separate valleys with a ridge in between, Heron Pond is a stream-follower’s delight. The 25-acre preserve’s easy-walking terrain is criss-crossed by four trails reaching from high ground and rocky outcroppings to sandy stream beds. Trails can be wet, and stream cross-ings are unimproved.
History Heron Pond, once the homestead of John Clark Pratt and later, his son, Ralph, was acquired through the private development of surrounding property and opened in 2007. Traces of old road beds and stone walls hint at the land’s early uses, which included logging and the pasturing of farm animals.
Flora and Fauna The new-growth forest canopy has kept undergrowth to a minimum, giving Heron Pond an open feel. A prominent grove of evergreens and birch surround the pond, which is on private property. Larger maple, beech and oak trees appear on higher ground among the eroded rock ledges. Look for ferns and moun-tain laurel—and don’t be surprised to see Barred owls throughout the year.
Location In Essex – on Heron Pond Road, off Route 154.
“The white brook met me halfway upAnd laughed as one who knew me well.”
Leonie Adams“Homecoming”
Heron Pond Preserve
Parking Trails Trail access Steep trail section
Points of Interest Pine Grove
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NutmegLane
Cove Hill Road
Heron PondRoad
S. CoveLane
Essex Hills DriveSquires
Lane
Mallard PtRoad
Heron Pond PreserveOld Saybrook Essex
Rte 9
Rte 154
HeronPond
SouthCoveSouthCove
Cedar Grove TerraceExtn
Hunters Trail
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James Glen
“The land belongs to the future… we come and go, but the land is always here. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it – for a little while.”
Willa Cather “O Pioneers!”
Rolling terrain and easy trails mark this lightly wooded, four-acre stream valley off scenic River Road. Highlights include an expansive fern meadow, a unique “tree root” stream crossing, a prominent ledge of tumbled rock and a mature grove of mountain laurel.
History This land was once partially owned by the prominent shipbuilding Williams family, who also ran a gristmill, a saw-mill and an ivory works on the Falls River. Used as farmland in later years, an old farm road and a stone wall still wind through the property. More recently, James Glen belonged to Essex physician Dr. Raymond James. The family built a wooden bridge, the stone abutments of which still stand.
Flora and Fauna The valley floor wetlands harbor amphib-ians, including frogs and salamanders; plant life includes ferns, skunk cabbage and Jack-in-the-Pulpit in season. The running water attracts mammals from squirrel and chipmunk to raccoon and fox. The glen is also alive with songbirds in the spring and summer. Look for a few majestic old maple and beech trees among the thickening young growth forest.
Location In Essex – on Hudson Lane, off River Road.
James Glen
Parking Trails Trail access Steep trail section Footbridge
Points of Interest Tumbled rock ledge Tree root stream crossing
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Navy Lane
Book Hill Road
Carriage Lane
Hudson Lane
River Road
River RoadDrive
James Glen
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The Millrace
The Millrace is a six-acre historic park on the Falls River in Ivoryton. Named for the still visible millrace, or water channel, it carried water downstream from the ivory factory mill wheel. The half-mile trail crosses the river and the millrace on wooden foot bridges. Historic markers along the way trace Ivoryton’s history as a producer of ivory goods.
History The Millrace’s western end was once a pond created by an 1847 industrial dam. For years the ivory factory flooded the wetlands east of the dam for public ice skating. The dam burst in a 1982 flood that roared through Ivoryton leaving the remains of the millrace still visible at the Ivory Street entrance. The Millrace was made possible through the generosity of Herb and Sherry Clark and Moeller Instruments. It was opened in May 2008.
Flora and Fauna Wetland areas produce vibrant vernal pools in the spring, home to small amphibians and a host of plants. The young growth forest surrounds a few older maples and wild raspberry bushes attract wildlife from rabbits to coyotes. In the spring, The Millrace is alive with the sound of songbirds.
Location In Ivoryton – entrances at Walnut Street and Ivory Street.
“I think that I shall never seeA poem as lovely as a tree.”
Joyce Kilmer “Trees”
The Millrace
Parking Trails Trail access Canoe/kayak access Steep trail section Footbridge
Points of Interest Ruins of The Millrace Dam Historic marker
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Summit St
Blake St Chestnut St
NorthMain St
Walnut St
Terrace Lane
Comstock Ave
Baldwin Lane
Ivory St
Main St
The Millrace
Falls River
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Osage Trails
Osage Trails is a waterfront park with a sweeping lawn, a waterside meadow and a patch of forest where the Falls River forms Falls River Cove. The easy, well-marked loop trail winds through woods and wetlands close to the water as well as along higher ground inland. The park is kayak-accessible at high tide and the open lawn and meadow are ideal for picnicking.
History A stone bulkhead extending into the cove and a fieldstone building foundation on the loop trail are the only remains of the Williams’ shipbuilding yard. Vessels were actually constructed across the cove which is why the British included it in their attack on Essex on April 4, 1814. Osage Trails was the gift of Elizabeth Barnes Callender in 1998.
Flora and Fauna Birch tree stands are scattered among the maples and oaks in the young forest. The cove waters attract osprey from the nearby Connecticut River and are home to wading birds, including herons, egrets several species of duck.
Location In Essex – take Maple Avenue off North Main Street onto Foxboro Point.
“When I see birches bend left to rightAgainst a line of straighter, darker treesI like to think some boy’s been swinging them.”
Robert Frost “Birches”
Osage Trails
Parking Trails Trail access Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest Fern grove Commemorative bench
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Foxboro RoadClarkLane
Riverview Street
Kings Lane
Maple Avenue
Osage Trails
Falls River
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1/4 Mile
23
P
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Tiley Pratt Pond
Tiley Pratt Pond is an eight-acre, wooded gem hidden away not far from the center of Essex, off Laurel Road. The single loop trail starts high up on a series of rocky ledges, then descends steeply through the woods to the pond. There, it continues along the water’s edge, offering open views of the water, before climbing back to the heights.
History Tiley Pratt Pond was formed by a dam built in 1845 to serve a small factory making ivory products. Later it was home to the Tiley Pratt Co., which made bicycle spokes and button hooks. The preserve was acquired from the family of Henry Kreis, the famous sculptor, who grew up on the property and later built his studio there.
Flora and Fauna Waterfowl frequent the shallow pond which is home to herons, egrets, ducks and swans. The new growth forest contains young maple and oak trees. Laurel bushes grow along the ledges.
Location In Essex – on unmarked Kreis Lane off Laurel Road. Look for Essex Land Trust markers.
“Conservation means harmony between men and land. When land does well for its owner, and the owner does well by his land; when both end up better, by reason of their partnership, we have conservation.”
Aldo Leopold “Round River”
Tiley Pratt Pond
Parking Trails Trail access Steep trail section
Points of Interest Cleft rock
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Dennison Rd
Dennison La
Sunset Terrace
WatersideLane
KreisLane
AbbyLane
Grandview Terrace
Laurel Road
Donald Road
Tiley PrattPond
Falls River
Tiley Pratt Pond
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P
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A
1/4 Mile
25
P
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B
Turtle Creek Preserve
River access and easy trails mark Turtle Creek, the 93-acre tidal estuary straddling the Essex and Old Saybrook line. The creek winds southward through extensive wetlands to a narrow strip of beach along the Connecticut River. Higher ground to the north borders South Cove in Essex.
History Turtle Creek goes back a long way — Native Americans drew water from the spring off the main trail. Later known as Hayden Point after the property’s owner, Uriah Hayden, builder of the war ship Oliver Cromwell, it was used as grazing land. The pond was created for ice production. The bulk of the preserve was donated to The Nature Conservancy by Dorothy S. Bowles, wife of former Connecticut Governor and U.S. Secretary of State Chester Bowles.
Flora and Fauna Animal life includes turtles and other amphibians in the old ice pond. Bald eagles frequent the river and cove, which is also home to ducks, swans and wading birds. The wetlands abound with plant life, including jewelweed and Lady’s Slipper orchids. Oak, birch and beech trees and mountain laurel dominate the higher ground.
Location Essex/Old Saybrook – on Watrous Point Road, off Route 154.
“In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy.”
John C. Sawhill, Former President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy
Turtle Creek Preserve
Parking Trails Trail access Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest Beach on the Connecticut River Deitsch’s Pond Dam
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Fordham Rd
HemlockDr
Watrous PtRoad
Laurel WayAzalea Way
Hayden’s Point
Deitsch’sPondDeitsch’sPond
TurtleCreekTurtleCreek
S. CoveLane
Rte 154
Old Saybrook
Essex
Turtle CreekPreserve
South Cove
CONNECTICUTRIVER
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1/4 Mile
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Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve
This 91-acre property is dedicated to active and passive recreation. The beach, swimming area, picnic grounds and Paw Park are managed by the Essex Parks and Recreation Commission. More than 60 acres are left for hiking and nature watching under the aegis of the Essex Conservation Commission.
History Beginning in the 1950s, the area was mined for sand and gravel by Stanley Wollock for whom a pond is named. Wollock developed several area proper-ties including Ferry Point Marina in Old Saybrook. Before that it was wooded, although there are signs that it was cleared from time to time for farming. The land was acquired by the Town of Essex in 2001.
Flora and Fauna The distinct areas within the park can be recognized by their trees: aspen at the quarry pond; maple, birch and cedar along the quarry trail; oak and maple in the upland areas. Preserve highlights include a turtle nesting area, several vernal pools and wetland areas. The strikingly beautiful Indigo Bunting nests here regularly.
Location In Essex – Cedar Grove Terrace: passive recreation entrance; Hillside Drive: active and passive recreation entrance.
“Two roads diverged in a yellow woodAnd sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stood...”
Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken”
Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve
Parking Trails Trail access
Points of Interest Beach & picnic tables Paw Park Observation Rock Turtle nesting area
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Cedar Grove Terrace
Cedar Grove TerExtn
Harbor ViewDrive
HillsideDrive
Hunters Trail
Nutmeg Ln
Bokum Rd
GatesRd
Stamford Hill Rd
Partridge Hill
Cove Hill Rd
HeronPond Rd
Old Saybrook Essex
Viney Hill Brook Park/Preserve
Heron PondPreserve
Rte 154
Rte 9
Valley RR
Mud River
Viney Hill Brook
QuarryPond
Wollock’sPond
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1/4 Mile
29
P
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Windswept Ridge
Heavily forested and strewn with rocks and boulders exposed by erosion, Windswept Ridge is a moderately steep 30-acre stream valley descending to bottom land along Route 153. Some trail sections are rough and can be wet, but the walk can be a rewarding one.
History The property once belonged to the prominent Bull and Bushnell families. It overlooks the Mud River valley farmland once known as “Scotch Plains,” which was the center of local agriculture up until the Revolutionary War. The old name of Bushnell Meadows indicates the ridge area was used as grazing land.
Flora and Fauna Heavy canopy, damp soil and pockets of wetland characterize Windswept Ridge. Look for wonderful green fern “meadows” in patches of clearing. The young growth forest includes maple and beech trees along with birch, oak and cottonwood. Small mammals, including squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits, attract predators from fox to owls.
Location In Ivoryton – off Mare’s Hill Road on Windermere Way.
“While my interest in natural history has added very little to my sum of achievement, it has added immeasurably to my sum of enjoyment in life.”
Theodore Roosevelt “My Life as a Naturalist”
Windswept Ridge
Parking Trails Trail access
Points of Interest Beech grove Old logging road
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Plains Rd
Westbrook Road
Westbrook Road
Oak Dr
BirchCircle
Dogwood Dr
Woodland Dr
WindsweptRidge Rd
WindermereWay
Old DobbinLane
Mare’s HillRoad
Ingham HillRd
Earl St
RidgeRd
BokumRd
153
Windswept Ridge
Tiffany Brook
P
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1/4 Mile
31
P
A
Jean’s Island
Accessed by water, Jean’s Island is a seven-acre preserve on Mill Pond in the Falls River. Canoes and kayaks can be launched from the park on Falls River Drive which leads to Falls River Preserve. The wooded island has an easy, well-marked loop trail and a landing site.
History Once open pasture, cattle were walked to the island across an exposed strip of land that has since disappeared. Two small ponds are the remains of gravel pits dug for the construction of the old Route 9, once the main road to Middle-town. The Essex Land Trust acquired the island from Jean Leuchtenburg in 2005.
Flora and Fauna Similar to neighboring Falls River Preserve, Jean’s Island provides both a resting place for migrating birds and habitat for the local population, including songbirds and hawks. Swans, ducks and wading birds such as herons and egrets are also plentiful. The pond waters are home to bass, perch, sunfish and catfish.
Location In Ivoryton – accessed by kayak or canoe from Falls River Landing on Falls River Drive.
“Fish in unruffled lakesThe swarming colors wearSwans in the winter airA white perfection have.”
W.H. Auden “Fish in Unruffled Lakes”
Jean’s Island
Parking Trails Trail access Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest Former gravel pits, now ponds
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Falls River Drive
Conklin Ave
Dover St
Edgewood Ave
Windsor Lane
Earl St
View St
CedarSt Charles St
Westbrook Rd
Sheagren Hill Rd
Fairview St
Mill Pond
Falls River
Falls River Preserve
Stanley Park
Jean’s Island
BracketLane
Mill PondDam
Main St
Deep River Rd Rte 154
Mitchel Terrace
West Hills Rd
Verona St
Falls River Landing
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North Cove
“My deepest longing is to live in a world that respects life in every form, a world whose people have a fierce love and loyalty to the earth, and their particular place thereon.”
Lorraine Anderson “Sisters of the Earth”
North Cove is a 230-acre body of tidal water between the Falls River and the Connecticut River. The cove is formed in part by Great Meadow, a 200-acre “pendant bar” or levee along the Connecticut River. Great Meadow has no public access.
History North Cove was noted for ship building, and the nearby Williams’ yard turned out sloops and schooners for the commercial trade in the 19th century. Empty now, Great Meadow was also a beehive of activity. Cattle were grazed, salt hay was harvested and duck hunting blinds once lined the shore. The bar was also a base for the local fishing industry and its lucrative seasonal shad run.
Flora and Fauna Great Meadow is topped by cattails and other reeds. Wild rice and bulrush grow at the water’s edge. Rare plants include horned pond weed and tidewater arrowhead. This area is a well-known habitat for eagles, osprey and two species of rail. During winter months Rough-legged Hawks and Tundra Swans can also be spotted here.
Location In Essex – water access at the foot of Bushnell Street.
North Cove
Parking Trails Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest Great Meadow (water access only) Osprey platform Windmill River View Cemetery Connecticut River Museum
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S. Main St
West Ave
N. Main St
Bushnell St
Maple Ave
GroveSt
RiverviewSt
River Road
Main St
Pratt St
EssexIsland
Great Meadow
Osage Trails
Essex Lyme
Foxboro Pt
North CoveNorth Cove
MiddleCoveMiddleCove
Falls RiverFalls RiverBrockwayIslandBrockwayIsland
CONNECTICUT RIVERCONNECTICUT RIVER
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1/4 Mile
35
P
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South Cove
South Cove is an environmentally significant, 135-acre, shallow-water estuary in Essex Harbor with its own island. Thatchbed Island is a 27-acre brackish, vegetated wetland on the Connecticut River separating Middle Cove and South Cove. Although there is no public access to the island, the cove is popular with paddlers. Look for the two osprey platforms located there.
History Essex’s coves were busy shipbuilding locations through most of the 19th century. The trend towards steel-hulled vessels and the gradual silting of the coves ended that era. The Mack yard, on Middle Cove, launched its last major vessel in 1870.
Flora and Fauna The Connecticut River tidelands are one of The Nature Conservancy’s “Last Great Places” in the Western Hemisphere. South Cove is recognized as an impor-tant stop for migratory birds; island vegetation provides habitat, nesting and feeding for numerous waterfowl. The cove is also a nursery for freshwater fish and estuarine-dependent saltwater species.
Location In Essex – launch watercraft from Essex Town Park at the the foot of Main Street, or from the Town Landing on Bushnell Street.
“Again I saw, again I heard,The rolling river, the morning birdBeauty through my senses stole;I yielded to the perfect whole.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson “Each and All”
South Cove
Parking Trails Canoe/kayak access
Points of Interest Connecticut River Museum Osprey platforms Entrance to Turtle Creek
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Mallard Pt Rd
CrosstreesHill Rd
Benson La
Rackett La
S. Main St
Main St
Pratt St
Bushnell St
EssexIsland
154
Turtle CreekPreserve
ThatchbedIsland
Essex Lyme Nott Island
South CoveSouth Cove
MiddleCoveMiddleCove
Hayden’sPoint
TurtleCreek
CONNECTICUT RIVERCONNECTICUT RIVERP
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1/4 Mile
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Notes
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Credits
© Copyright Essex Land Trust 2008. All rights reserved.
This Trail Guide has been made possible by members of the Essex Land Trust with special contributions from: Jim Denham Planning and coordination Paul Greenberg Conception and oversight Bill Grover Project management Steve Haines Design and illustration Steve Knauth Writing Al Macgregor Trail documentation Don Malcarne Essex Town Historian Phil Miller Essex First Selectman and Naturalist
With funding from: Middlesex County Community Foundation / Riverview Cemetery Fund Town of Essex Conservation Commission Town of Essex Parks & Recreation Department Essex Community Fund Essex Printing Co. Foundation
Design: HainesDesign • Essex 860 581 8064 www.hainesdesign.com
Photography: Members and friends of the Essex Land Trust
Printing: Essex Printing Co. Centerbrook, CT 06409 860 767 9087 www.essexprinting.com
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