Hoffman Evergreen Preserve
Town: Stonington
Maintained Uses: walking, hiking
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Length: 4.25 miles
Type: network including interconnected trails
Surface: packed earth/dirt, and wood chips
Pets: permitted (dogs on leash)
Year Preserved: 1976
Acres: 204
Lat.: 41°25’25.3″N
Long.: 71°55’53.4″W
Trail Description
The Hoffman Preserve is a large (204 acres), diverse preserve of varied landscapes, from upland woods to low wetlands, dense thickets of young forest and an evolving meadow.
There is a single point of public access on North Stonington Road ( Rte. 201) with parking on either side of the road. There is a complex of interconnected trails: Blue, Red, Yellow and Orange offering a total of over 4.25 miles with an elevation change of 341 feet. There are maps throughout the preserve which are being updated (2026) but the online map is accurate and includes expanded property and orange trail.
The trails are packed dirt with the usual leaf coverage in the fall. There are areas that can be wet during spring rains or after storms. Some trails can quickly become grown in where new growth is occurring. In 2019 a restoration project was undertaken and several patch-cut openings were created, and skid trails crisscrossed the preserve. Over the ensuing years, new and diverse vegetation has been established, filling in bare spots, and providing excellent wildlife watching opportunities. Increased bird, insect and mammal sightings have been recorded in the diverse habitats It is an eBird Hot Spot as well as an iNaturalist collection site to study changes over time. Educational signage is present on the trails.
Numerous historic structures can be discovered along the trails, including stone walls, cairns, an old root cellar and foundations. Part of the blue trail was a historic pentway through the area.
More Info
Route 201, approximately 2 miles north of CT Rte 184 just before North Stonington line. Roadside parking at signed trailhead. Mixed evergreen and hardwood forest. Some wetlands. Extensive trail network.
Read More
Adapting to an uncertain climate future, Connecticut auditions new forests
A Soft Opening for Hoffman Preserve
Conservancy Clearing Trees at Hoffman Evergreen Preserve to Restore Forest
Cutting Trees to Restore the Hoffman Preserve
Stewardship, management, and a walk in the woods at Hoffman Preserve
