OUR PRESERVES & MAPS
Covid 19 Reminder: Please practice social distancing (6 feet apart) when visiting our preserves.
VISITOR USE
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Properties are open from sunrise to sunset
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Please stay on designated trails
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Pets must be leashed at all times
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No dumping, littering, smoking, fires, swimming, hunting, or trapping
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No motorized vehicles allowed
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Camping permitted only with written permission of SLT
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Help keep the preserves clean, carry in - carry out
Phillips-Lovdal Farm Preserve – This preserve provides 155 acres of open space for passive recreation, agriculture, and habitat to numerous species of native plants, birds, mammals and amphibians. A trail system including a 5K Course, leads visitors through forests and fields and along streams and stone walls. Approximately 42 acres of the preserve are actively farmed. About 96 acres are in varying ages of forest, including centenarian hickory, maple and oak, and early succession native red maple stands. Planted groves of white pine, larch, chestnut and an apple orchard are remnants of past agricultural uses. Included in the ecological riches of this open space are 17 acres of wet areas such as a fen, the headwaters of Jeremy Brook, and seasonal vernal pools. Near the one-acre Lovdal Farm Pond in the southeast, a footbridge crosses a nearby stream to access the trail. Recent enhancements to Phillips Farm include a boardwalk and observation deck in the fen and a new post and beam barn that was rebuilt on the original barn site.
Platt Farm Preserve – The SLT preserved its first farm in 2001, the 110 acre Platt Farm. Located on Flood Bridge Road, the northern portion of the farm is somewhat rugged and provides excellent habitat for nesting birds, such as woodcock, indigo bunting, warblers and field sparrows. Its easternmost edge is the end of a seven mile long traprock ridge. The southern portion of the farm spans from Flood Bridge Road to the Pomperaug River. About three quarters is open hayfield, with the remainder mature floodplain forest and woodlands. The Platt Farm Trail system affords the public maximum enjoyment of the many attributes of the farm and the pristine banks of the Pomperaug River.
Ivers Preserve – This 67 acre parcel of land is located on West Purchase Road. It is named for naturalist and trailblazer Gerald Ivers, a longtime member of the Board of Trustees. The trails traverse woodlands, wetlands and some steep slopes. It also connects with Bassett Preserve trails for a longer more wide-ranging hike.
Bassett Preserve – This 112 acre preserve on Gilbert Road was donated to the Trust by Dorothy and Harry Bassett. The land has a rich history of commercial and agricultural use. Several mostly level trails go through wooded property of babbling brooks, native wildflowers, and the very unusual ruins of a commercial laundry from the mid 1800’s.
Koons Preserve - The Koons Preserve is a 40-acre parcel named in honor of Walter and Harriet Koons, who had long admired the property and assisted in its acquisition. The primary scenic feature is the rocky ravine and the numerous waterfalls that are formed when Spruce Brook drops 170 feet as it flows through the property.
Fox Hollow - The Fox Hollow preserve has 23 wooded acres and one .6 mile trail. The property is situated on a high point in town with some views, nestled in a quiet neighborhood at the end of a cul de sac.