Town: Griswold
Maintained Uses: walking, hiking, birding, photography
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Length:~1.8 miles of total trails (2 Loop Trails)
Type: interconnected double loop network
Surface: Accessible Handicapped parking; gravel and packed earth/dirt
Pets: permitted (dogs on leash)
Year Preserved: 2012
Acres: 151.85
Lat.: 41°33’15.3″N
Long.: 71°54’51.2″W
Trail Description
The Dutka Nature Preserve is divided by the north-south trending Bethel Road and the unpaved private Dutka Lane access road to Pachaug Pond. The property provides excellent upland habitat for native raptors, owls, turkey, insectivorous birds and songbirds. The wooded parcels support a population of white-tailed deer and transient coyote while also providing upland woods for small mammals including rabbits, fox, groundhogs, and chipmunks. The preserve contains extensive palustrine forested, scrub/scrub and emergent freshwater wetlands leading to the waters of Pachaug Pond.
The property currently has a maintained trail system (Red Trail) starting at the designated Avalonia parking area immediately off Dutka Lane and stretching in a loop through the eastern Preserve. An interconnected westward extension of the existing Red Trail (The White Trail) connects to preserve property located west of Bethel Road. Permissible activities include hiking, nature study, and wildlife observation. Prohibited activities include camping, cutting or collection of any vegetation, hunting or trapping.
More Info
Directions to the property: Take Bethel Road north of Route 165 in the Town of Griswold. Enter Dutka Lane on your right and the designated parking for the Preserve will be on the immediate right of Dutka Lane. The Red Trail trailhead is located immediately across Dutka Lane at the Dutka Nature Preserve signage.
Trail Map
