White Cedar Swamp and Deans Mill Farm Preserve
Town: Stonington
Maintained Uses: walking, hiking
Difficulty: easy to moderate (short hills)
Length: 1.5 miles
Type: “Lollipop” trail
Surface: Packed dirt, grass and some exposed rock faces that can be wet or icy in different seasons.
Pets: permitted (dogs on leash)
Lat.: 41°21’52.9″N
Long.: 71°56’11.8″W
White Cedar Swamp
Year Preserved: 1992
Acres: 4.71
Deans Mill Farm Preserve
Year Preserved: 1993
Acres: 14
Trail Description
There is a small roadside pull off area has space for a couple of cars. Trees have dark blue blazes along the well worn path.
The White Cedar Swamp and Deans Mill Farm Preserve are connected by one lollipop trail and are accessed from the marked and signed trail head on Jerry Browne Rd. The start of the trail parallels the Deans Mill Reservoir on one side, with high rock ledges, and overlooks a hidden pond and a unique Atlantic White Cedar Swamp and a hidden pond on the other side of the trail. It is the site of a restoration effort to enhance and preserve the endangered swamp habitat. The trail is easy overall with a few small hills, but bald rock faces can be slippery when wet or icy. The loop can be traveled in either direction with same degree of ease. Small wooden bridges span the brook which can, at times, run quite full. Glacial erratics are scattered throughout the upland preserve.
An old power line has created a corridor of yet another open habitat providing great diversity for wild life and bird watching.
These two preserves are part of the larger greenway, south across Jerry Brown Rd. to the Avalonia Perkins Wildlife Corridor, on to Denison Land and trails Leading to the Nature Center.
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Outdoors with John: Hiking White Cedar Swamp & Deans Mill Wildlife Corridor
