Avalonia Land Conservancy

Summer Guided Hike Series: Knox Preserve (change of location)
2016-09-03 09:00 (America/New_York)
*Please note this hike was edited on 8/25 – change of location – the hike will be at Knox Preserve (previously listed as Knox Family Farm)
Looking for a good hiking trail this summer? Join the Avalonia Conservancy as we embark on guided hiking trails on our beautiful preserves! See an array of wildlife, get a good workout and spend some time learning about nature with family or friends!
September 3 rd : Knox Preserve, Stonington CT
Trail Details: Approximately 1 mile of trails. Easy, family friendly. Wide flat trails, pretty views along the water, and a field of flowers great for butterflies.
Knox Preserve location and details
part of Avalonia’s Summer Guided Hike Series
RSVP is not necessary but strongly appreciated! Please RSVP at amanda.dostie@gmail.com

DPNC led Walk-tober hike at Tefftweld at Birchenturn - FREE
2016-10-01 09:00 - 10:30 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center will lead a hike at Tefftweld at Birchenturn. This is a free hike.
more about Tefftweld at Birchenturn

Haunted Hike at Preston Nature Preserve
2016-10-22 16:00 - 17:30 | Preston Nature Preserve, Krug Road, Preston, CT, United States
Avalonia naturalist and photojournalist Bruce Fellman will lead a family-friendly trek along the Preserve’s half-mile of gentle trails that starts with a search for migrating birds and butterflies, including Monarchs, and a scan of plants for caterpillars, galls, and all the preparations for winter that the natural world undergoes in October.
Then, as the darkness grows, we’ll enter a spooky forest. If we survive, we’ll emerge in the fields to hunt for bats and owls.
Come in costume… if you dare.
For more information email us (newsletter@avalonialc.org), or just meet at 4pm at the trailhead on the south side of Krug Road, 0.6 miles west of Jewett City Road (Route 164).
Trail map here

Benedict Benson Dedication w/ Guided Hike on Earth Day
2017-04-22 10:00 | Benedict Benson Preserve, Swantown Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
with naturalist Bruce Fellman
Swantown Hill Road in North Stonington
Lat/Lon: 41.4772679, -71.9264603

CT Trails Day (3 Events)
2017-06-03
We have three programs happening on Saturday, June 3 for CT Trails Day:

Cross-town hike in Groton from 9:30-1:30 (in partnership with GOSA and Groton Parks and Rec.),
The Benedict Benson Hike in North Stonington from 10-12:30
the Dodge Paddock and Beal Preserve trail maintenance from 10-2 (in partnership with Mystic Aquarium)

those interested can find more information at www.ctwoodlands.org

Preston Nature Preserve Walk
2017-08-19 10:00 | Preston Nature Preserve, Krug Road, Preston, CT, United States
The Avalonia public is welcome to join naturalist Bruce Fellman as he leads a walk for North Stonington Garden Club at Preston Nature Preserve.
From Bruce: “Everyone should take advantage of the flower power of this refuge, which is just gorgeous right now, thanks, in large part, to extensive plantings of Bee Balm and natural plantings of Joe Pye Weed, fleabane, goldenrod, and Monarch-caterpillar bearing milkweeds. I was there on a walk-through yesterday, and it’s awash with butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, and those things called birds. Hope to see some of you there, and here’s a little appetizer… a PNP specialty: a Snowberry Clearwing hummingbird moth working the Bee Balm.”

History & Nature Hike at Perry Natural Area
2018-04-29 14:00 - 16:00
April 29, 2-4 pm.
Perry Natural Area, North Anguilla Road in Stonington (directions)
Beth Sullivan will lead a hike with Beth Moore from Stonington Historical Society. A joint effort to look at the history and nature of the area.
Parking is limited at site, so roadside parking will be necessary where ever possible.

Cinco de Mayo Hike
2018-05-05 09:00 - 11:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
On March 20th, Avalonia closed on one of its most exciting acquisitions in many years. The Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest, a 409-acre property straddling Griswold, North Stonington and Preston, is the largest fee purchase made in Avalonia’s 50-year history, bringing Avalonia’s total preserved acreage to exactly 4,000.
Come and join us at 91 Miller Road, North Stonington on Saturday, May 5th at 9 a.m. for an introduction to the property and a moderately easy guided hike. We should be finished by 11 a.m. Please bring a cellphone and water and email Sue Sutherland at suesutherland@snet.net with any questions.
Please register for the hike here
We look forward to seeing you then.
Photo: A large chestnut oak sits high on a ridge on Avalonia’s 409-acre Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest. The oak is but one example of the unusual flora and fauna found on this extraordinary land. The preserve is the conservancy’s largest acquisition in its 50-year history. Photo by Kelly Allen

Griswold - Educational Hike - Rixtown Road
2018-06-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Rixtown Mt., 367 Rixtown Road, Griswold, CT, United States
A CT Trails Weekend Hike
Challenging hike up Rixtown Mt. in honor of our 50th anniversary with views and a quarry, then through a chestnut oak forest to Avalonia’s Lost Pond, hiking over two old stone dams. Remarkable stone walls and other structures are found along the entire trail. Please bring water and a cell phone. The entire loop hike requires the ability to climb about 60 flights of stairs over 2 hours.
Leader: Sue Sutherland
Meeting Place: 367 Rixtown Road, Griswold. Carpooling is encouraged. See Google Maps for directions.
more info

Hike - Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor, Ledyard
2018-06-23 10:00 - 11:30
Please park at our trailhead, on Merry Lane, which is off Whalehead Road – get directions
Trail Details: North Tract- 2-mile trail loop, beginner
Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor is one of Ledyard’s most interesting, and under-celebrated properties. Featuring an impressive glacial moraine, ponds, swamps, and lush wildlife, our preserve protects one of southeastern Connecticut’s major aquifers. Comprised of three major scenic tracts, we will explore the properties’ beautiful glacier moraine features, wildflowers and water resources.
Please RSVP for this event as a courtesy to Avalonia, with your name and contact information. Any related questions or concerns can be addressed to Karen Askins. Email: k.askins@sbcglobal.net

Hike - Hoffman Evergreen Preserve, Stonington
2018-07-07 10:00 - 11:30
Our trailhead is located off Route 201, and can be hard to see at times. You may receive directions using Google maps on either your computer, our website, or a smart-phone. Google Directions
Trail Details: This is a beginner-intermediate hike, geared towards individuals interested in hiking rocky, woodland terrain. Roadside parking at signed trailhead. Mixed evergreen and hardwood forest, some wetlands.
more on Hoffman Evergreen Preserve
Please RSVP this event HERE as a courtesy to Avalonia, with your name and contact information.

Hike - Preston Nature Preserve, Preston
2018-08-11 10:30 - 12:30 | Preston Nature Preserve, Krug Road, Preston, CT, United States
Everyone needs to spend some time in a high summer meadow. The woodlands are quieting, uniformly green now and drier. Spring wildflowers are long gone and most vernal pools have dried up. But the excitement can be found in the open fields, those not hayed or mowed, but allowed to grow naturally and wildly.

Join noted naturalist and photographer, Bruce Fellman and enjoy our well-established 0.5-mile trail. Our meadow walk is one of peace and observation- advertised to families, residents and anyone looking for a slow and educational hike, on one of our most beautiful properties. Learn about wildflowers, meadows, bees, butterfly migration and their important role in our ecosystem. Come enjoy the beautiful colors of summer!

Where: Preston Nature Preserve – Krug Rd., Preston, CT. Our trailhead is located on the South side of Krug Road, 0.6 miles west of Jewett City Road. Please park at the trailhead. Google Directions
When: Saturday, August 11, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Difficulty: Beginner level. Great for families.
Bring: Camera, binoculars, water, good hiking shoes

Registration requested, click HERE

Hike the New TriTown Forest Preserve Trail
2018-09-23 09:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
Avalonia volunteers have been hard at work building a great trail system on our new TriTown Forest Preserve (TTFP).

This hike will mark the grand opening of the blue trail (a major five-mile loop around the perimeter of these properties) and celebrate the addition of the impressive Boyd Preserve to Avalonia’s acreage. It takes about three hours to complete. Hikers have the option of an easier three-mile hike by taking a return trail midway through the blue-trail loop.

The hike is moderate in difficulty with trails summiting both the 520-foot Lambert and the 510-foot Rixtown Mountains. Hikers will start by joining the atmospheric Old King’s Highway, an historic colonial road, followed by stops at Lost Pond, The Beeches Overlook, and Chestnut Oak Alley, home of several of the largest chestnut oaks in Connecticut.

Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring water and trail snacks. Leashed dogs are welcome.
register for this event
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the hike leader, Sue Sutherland, at suesutherland@snet.net.

Winter Wonderland Hike
2019-02-09 09:00 - 23:30 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
Bundle up and take a winter tour of Avalonia’s TriTown Forest Preserve! The route will be decided by the hike leader based on the condition of the trails, but there will be plenty of options. You may visit a winter wonderland at Lost Pond or pause in the solitude of a deep valley. Discover a rich variety of stone formations from past eras and hear the stories behind them. Even if you’ve visited TTFP before, its a different world in winter. Anyway, its time to get out of the house and onto the trail!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the hike leader, Sue Sutherland, at suesutherland@snet.net or call 860-574-5111.

Registration: Required, click HERE

Where: TriTown Forest Preserve, 99 Miller Rd., N. Stonington, CT United States See Map
When: Saturday, February 9, 9:00 – 11:30 AM
Rain Date: Sunday, February 10, 9:00 – 11:30 AM
Cancellations: Rain reschedules/cancels; snow is a go!
Difficulty: Moderate
Bring: Water, trail snacks, warm rugged boots, walking poles or staff; dress in layers (no jeans or cotton base layers); snow shoes/cross country skis okay with sufficient snow cover.
Dogs: Leashed dogs welcome

Benedict Benson Preserve Hike
2019-04-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Benedict Benson Preserve, Swantown Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
In honor of Earth Day, we’ll be hiking the main trail of Avalonia’s Benedict Benson Preserve on a mission to find signs of spring. There are sure to be emerging fern fiddleheads, the calls of amphibians and newly arrived migrant songbirds, including, perhaps, the rare cerulean warblers that occasionally call the refuge home, and a stunning array of wildflowers, especially an extra-extra bloomer called the hepatica that thrives in a rocky area near the picturesque Lantern Brook. Veteran naturalist Bruce Fellman will lead this gently-paced exploration.
Register Here

Hike & Seek Babcock Ridge/Henne Preserves
2019-05-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Babcock Ridge, 113 Babcock Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
With the dogwoods and spring wildflowers in bloom, and the birds singing and nesting, there’s no better time for a walk than mid-May. But Avalonia’s Hike and Seek program makes a good walk better, particularly for families who take part in this ongoing natural history scavenger hunt. For this family-friendly introduction to the Hike and Seek challenge, we’ll learn how to use our smart phones to access basic information about what a “refuge” is, or access more in-depth material for further study; a list of “targets” will direct us to search for, photograph, and share features like evidence of glaciers and great blue heron nests. Naturalist Bruce Fellman will help hikers search for clues.
Register Now

CT Trails Weekend - 5 Hikes
2019-06-01 - 2019-06-02
Celebrate CT Trails Day / Weekend with 5 Avalonia-sponsored hikes!
Follow the links for details.
TriTown Forest Preserve – June 1, 9am-12pm
Great Oak Greenway – June 1, 10-11:30am
Hike & Seek on Knox Preserve – June 1, 1-2:30pm
Tefftweald at Birchenturn – June 2, 9-11:30am
Groton Central Greenway – June 2, 1-4pm

Trails Day at Tefftweald
2019-06-02 09:00 - 11:30 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Documenting what you discover on the trail is a key skill that needs to be in every naturalist’s toolkit. Whatever form your notes take, from pen and ink on paper to digital drawings, photos, and text entered on a smart device, we’ll have plenty to observe and record as we greet the morning and hike the Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve in North Stonington. Tefftweald, a former Girl Scout camp, is a 77-acre masterpiece of upland forest, meadows, wetlands, old graveyards and cellar holes, and the wonderfully photogenic—and inspirational—Wyassup Brook. We’ll explore the woodland trails at a pace moderate enough to enable everyone to give the Preserve a close read and stop often enough to capture the experience in whatever form your journaling takes. Walk leader Bruce Fellman is a veteran photojournalist, naturalist, and documentarian who has kept and published a weekly Naturalist’s Journal in a number of local newspapers for the past 41 years.

POSTPONTED Hike the Great Oak Greenway & Atkinson-Dirlam Preserve
2019-09-18 18:00 | Nathan Lester House, 153 Vinegar Hill Rd, Gales Ferry, CT, 06335, United States
This hike has been POSTPONED. Will re-post when new date and daytime start is scheduled.
Join the Ledyard Library for an early evening 2-mile hike on the trails of the Great Oak Greenway, and beyond to the Atkinson-Dirlam preserve. Meet at the Nathan Lester House parking lot for 6:00 p.m. Please wear proper hiking attire.
The Great Oak Greenway is a productive collaboration of the Town of Ledyard and the Avalonia Land Conservancy, connecting three open-space properties: the 110-acre Great Oak Park; the 25-acre open space parcel at 800 Long Cove Road, and Avalonia’s 260-acre Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor.

Two Walktober Hikes on TriTown
2019-09-28 09:00 - 12:30 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
The Avalonia Land Conservancy’s TriTown Forest Preserve is a 527-acre stretch of rugged and unfragmented woods and wetlands located in North Stonington, Griswold and Preston.
As summer gives way to autumn, we’re offering two different guided treks—one geared towards slower-paced nature observation; the other for hard-rock, longer-distance hikers—along TriTown’s magnificent trail system amidst a backdrop of migrating birds, insects, and amphibians; late-blooming wildflowers; early fall foliage; mushrooms; and stone walls.
This event is in partnership with The Last Green Valley’s Walktober program.
Register for Nature Walk
Register for Rugged Hike

Hike at Tefftweald with Naturalist Bruce Fellman
2019-10-19 12:30 - 14:30 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Documenting your discoveries on the trail is a skill that needs to be in every naturalist’s toolkit. We’ll have plenty to observe and record as we enjoy the fall colors at Avalonia’s Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve on 280 Grindstone Hill Road.
Tefftweald, a former Girl Scout camp, is a 77-acre masterpiece of upland forest, meadows, wetlands, old graveyards and cellar holes, and the wonderfully photogenic Wyassup Brook. This is a family-friendly excursion, and we’ll explore the woodland trails at a pace moderate enough to give the Preserve a close read and capture the experience in whatever form, from pen and ink on paper to digital drawings, photos, and text entered on a smart device.
Walk leader Bruce Fellman is a veteran photojournalist, naturalist, and documentarian who has kept and published a weekly Naturalist’s Journal in a number of local newspapers for the past 41 years.
Register for this Excursion
For more information, email Bruce Fellman at fellnature@scbglobal.net, or call 860-599-4867.

Black Friday Hike at Hoffman Evergreen Preserve
2019-11-29 13:00 | Hoffman Evergreen Preserve, 580-632 CT-201, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
Black Friday: Skip the shopping, get out and hike!
Work off some of those dessert calories; Get some fresh air and activity after being in the kitchen for
days; Get the kids out to burn off some steam.
Come see the newly re-opened Hoffman Evergreen Preserve.
Several of our lead stewards will be available to lead a hike through some areas of the preserve to explain the forest restoration project. We’re hoping to have the Hull forester with us as well. The trails are being marked and cleared. There are already more birds to spy! All are welcome, but the walking may be rough in areas, and if there’s been rain, it may be muddy in spots. Please dress appropriately.
Many people don’t understand this project. This is a great time to ask questions, get some answers, and hear about our plans for the future.
Meet at the main entrance on Rt. 201 at 1 pm on Nov. 29th. Roadside parking. We’ll walk for about 1-1.5 hours.
REGISTER HERE

Youth Winter Hike at TriTown
2020-01-20 14:00 - 15:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
The weather outside may be frightful, but a winter hike can be delightful, and to encourage you — as if Avalonia members needed any encouragement — we’re offering a special kid’s adventure on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 20th, from 2 to 3p.m. at the TriTown Ridgeline Forest Preserve in North Stonington. Naturalist and long-time youth leader Kelly Allen will lead 8 to 12 year olds and their adults in search of winter wildlife over relatively easy TriTown trails for about two miles, and if the weather cooperates, we’ll snowshoe a shorter route. After the trek we will enjoy hot chocolate at the Miller Road trailhead.
Participants will need:
Non-cotton base layers
Wool socks
Winter boots
Winter gloves
Winter hat
Waterproof weather appropriate outer shells, such as snow pants and winter jacket shell
A full water bottle and a high energy snack (candy bars with nuts are perfect!)
Snowshoes (extras if you have them)
Location: TriTown Ridgeline Forest, 90 Miller Rd, North Stonington trailhead
In the event of truly frightful conditions – bitter cold, steady rain, strong winds, more than moderate snow — the reschedule date is Sunday, January 26, 2 to 3pm.
For more information and to register, contact Kelly: rooted2wanderlust@gmail.com
photo by Bruce Fellman

Full Snow Moon Hike at TriTown
2020-02-08 18:00 - 21:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
Date: February 8, 2020
Time: 6–9 PM
Location: TriTown Forest Preserve, 90 Miller Rd. trailhead.
February’s full moon is known as the Snow Moon, and whether it rises over a leaf-litter brown or dazzlingly white landscape, the TriTown Forest Preserve in North Stonington is a wonderful place to enjoy the mid-winter lunar show. Join veteran naturalist Kelly Allen on Saturday evening, February 8th, for a nighttime adventure that will be a combination, depending on your inclination, of pre-Valentine’s Day romance and bracing trek. Given the difficult terrain and the darkness, you’ll want to leave the kids at home. Our route, starting at the trailhead, will cover a distance of about 2.5 miles and follow the Blue loop west up and over Lambert Mountain and back down the west Yellow trail along the ridgeline—a trek definitely not for the faint-hearted (or anyone out of shape). If we’re lucky, we might even hoot up some owls!
Truly inclement weather like sleet, hail, polar vortex cold (below zero), blizzard winds and downpours will cancel.
Please bring the following items:

Snowshoes (extras if you have them), microcleats, trekking poles
Head lamp (with extra batteries!)
Non-cotton base layers
Wool socks
Winter boots
Winter gloves
Winter hat
Buff or balaclava
Fleece jacket as appropriate
Weatherproof outer shells, such as snow pants and winter jacket shell.
Backpack to carry your things
A full water bottle (that does not leak) and high-energy snacks.

photo by Bruce Fellman

Hike the Avery Preserve
2020-02-22 10:00 | Avery Preserve, 55-35 Avery Hill Rd, Ledyard, CT, 06339, United States
An Avalonia representative will take us through the Avery Preserve which features a maple swamp, open upland woods, and Atlantic white cedar. This hike is cosponsored by Ledyard Library and Avalonia Land Conservancy and consists of two to three miles. Please wear proper hiking attire.
Park on East tract off Avery Hill Road.
This is a Hike & Seek property. See clues to discover here.

Great Avalonia Trail Trek 2020
2020-10-17 - 2020-10-25
Do you want to help save land? Do you like getting a good workout in? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you should sign up for the Great Avalonia Trail Trek! The Great Avalonia Trail Trek is a week-long fundraiser from Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25 that will give you the chance to raise money for Avalonia while enjoying our beautiful preserves. The money raised at the Great Avalonia Trail Trek will support Avalonia’s land conservation and stewardship efforts, including helping us reach our fundraising goal for the TriTown Forest Preserve.
See details and register

Leo Antonino Preserve Family Hike
2022-06-05 13:30 - 14:30 | Leo Antonino Preserve, 0 Antonino Road, Groton, CT, United States
Date: Sunday, June 5
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Hike Leaders: Janet Anderson and Robert Volkmann

Join us for family-friendly hike celebrating CT Trails Day at the Leo Antonino Preserve in Groton. The trail travels through mature woods, along vernal pools and active brooks, and near erratics and upthrust sections of granite. Parts are rocky and rooty with elevation changes.

REGISTER HERE

TriTown Forest Preserve Hike
2022-06-05 15:00 - 17:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
Sunday, June 5
Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Hike Leader: Stephen Colgan

Join us for a leisurely 2.5 mile hike in the TriTown Forest Preserve. We will follow the yellow trail which is generally flat but does have some short climbs and descents. If you look on the All Trails App, the trail is listed there as the TriTown Fenway Trail.

REGISTER HERE

Hike Cedar Wood Preserve
2023-06-03 11:00 - 12:30 | Cedar Wood Preserve, 180 North Wawecus Hill Rd., Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
CT TRAILS DAY EVENT:
This year, Avalonia’s is hosting three events during the annual Connecticut Trails Day event.
This hike is at one of Avalonia’s newest acquisitions and only Norwich property, Cedar Wood Preserve —47 acres of field, woods, and water. This 1.4-mile hike goes through an upper trail with open fields and good birding opportunities and through a lower forested trail. This will be a moderate hike with some hills/slopes and a narrow, somewhat precarious path crossing a dam in the forested section. As funding becomes available, Avalonia plans to create maximum accessibility on the mostly flat upper trail.
Avalonia is hosting this adventure, but please register on the CT TRAILS DAY website. Registration opens May 10th.

Accessibility Note
Parking: Off-street lot with room for about 4 cars. Lot is located at trailhead. Accessible space. Parking available on side of road.
Trails: Long entry bridge with ramps not yet installed. Initial area has some rocky spots, but most upper trails are grassy and at least 4 feet wide, with some dips and slopes. Some protrusions. Lower forested trails are hilly with numerous protrusions and tripping hazards.
Communication: This walk will be amplified.
Avalonia Accessibility Statement
Accessibility point person: Mary Anne Sherman (860) 884-3500 or avalonialc@yahoo.com

Double Stroll Through The Herman E. Sheets Family Forest
2023-06-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Sheets Family Forest, Puttker Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
CT TRAILS DAY EVENT:
This year, Avalonia’s is hosting three events during the annual Connecticut Trails Day event.
This event is an adventure at The Herman E. Sheets Family Forest, an 87-acre picturesque preserve that lies adjacent to the Green Fall River which opened last year. It’s a mixed forest with ponds and brooks to be crossed by bridges.
The hike will start out on the yellow trail (south loop). After about 0.75 miles, folks may continue on the south loop to complete an easier 1.4-mile hike, while others may take the red trail (north loop) which will result in a moderate 2.8-mile hike. There will be leaders for both of these options.
Avalonia is hosting this adventure, but please register on the CT TRAILS DAY website. Registration opens May 10th.

Accessibility Note
Parking: Grassy off-street lot with room for about 6 cars. No accessible space. Location is adjacent to trailhead. On-street parking.
Trails: Narrow, steep, compacted soil, with some protrusions.
Communication: No communication aids or services scheduled for this walk.
Avalonia Accessibility Statement
Accessibility point person: Mary Anne Sherman (860) 884-3500 or avalonialc@yahoo.com
