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Ballyhack-Cornwall

Directions: From the junction of Rt's 4 and 125 in Cornwall, proceed north on Rt.125. The preserve's southern boundary lies approximately 1,000 feet north of the junction on the west side of the road. Continue about 0.5 miles farther north and turn west (left) on Dibble Hill Road. The entrance to the preserve is via a dirt road on the left, 500 feet from Rt.125. Park at the edge of Dibble Hill Road.

Ballyhack today looks very much as Cathedral Pines (a mile south) must have looked at the start of the century. The preserve is dominated by mature white pines intermixed with hardwoods and hemlocks growing in a series of steep sided ravines. It is located near the headwaters of Baldwin Brook, whose three branches run south through the preserve.

Access to the preserve is via Dibble Hill Road. Follow the road that marks the western boundary of Ballyhack and leads through the largest trees in the preserve situated along the rim of the ravine. The road, which bridges the deeply-cut streambed farther to the south, is flanked by stone walls.

Nancy Day Gillespie donated land for this preserve.

Bellamy Preserve-Bethlehem

Directions: From the north or south, take Rt.6 to Bethlehem. From the east or west, take Rt.132 to Bethlehem. At the junction of Rt.132 AND Rt.61, go west on Rt.132 (also known as West Road). Take the first right (north) on Munger Lane and pull into the first driveway on the right, where you will see a preserve sign. Park to one side of this access road.

Walking-A mile or so of level walking through post-agricultural land now grown to mixed hardwoods or purposefully planted to conifers and nut and fruit trees. The Bellamy Preserve is a 90 acre tract in the center of Bethlehem and, as such, provides lasting protection of the towns rural flavor. It lies just to the north of the donors private residence which must be respected. The local Bethleham Land Trust members maintain this property.

Buell Natural Area-Litchfield

Directions: The preserve lies just south of the Goshen-Litchfield town line at the junction of Route 63 and Brooks Road, 3 miles north of Litchfield's center and 3 miles south of the center of Goshen. The trail leads from Brooks Road 300 feet from Route 63

The topography of the Buell Natural Area is gently rolling, typical of the elongated north-south trending hills, or drumlins, of Litchfield County. The preserve ranges in elevation from 1,040 to 1,2000 feet and includes a scenic gorge cut by the West Branch of the Bantam River. Downstream the slope levels to a frequently flooded swamp where beavers are active.

A blzed trail leads south from Brooks Road and follows the contour of the south-facing slope. It runs west and along the cascading West Branch of the Bantam River and provides one of the prettiest short hikes in the area.

Murray Buell and Zorac and Charlotte Organschi donated land for the preserve.

Bantam River-Litchfield

Directions: From the center of Litchfield, follow Route 202 toward Torrington (northeast) for a mile. Access is gained along a narrow strip of Conservancy-owned land on the western (left) side of Route 202 (adjacent to the Northwest Publishing Company property).

The preserve at Bantam River occupies fifty seven acres along the east bank of the Bantam River in Litchfield. Beavers have created several small reservoirs in the Bantam within the preserve's boundaries. A simple trail parallels the river and takes the hiker through vegetation typical of transitional hardwoods. The plants show northern affinities with species such as mountain maple, and clintonia plus southern affinities with species such as oak and hickory. The old fields within the Bantam River Preserve have grown up in white pines, typical of the northern half of the state. Because the trail is close to the fluctuating waters of the Bantam River, visits to the preserve are more enjoyable in drier seasons.

Thomas C. Babbitt and Sherman Haight, Jr. donated land for the preserve. More than a hundred acres of additional land along the river is protected by conservation easements. Although these areas are not open to the public, the restrictions ensure protection of the watershed.

Silas Hall Pond-Winchester

From Norfolk, turn south on Route 272 and go 1.5 miles. Turn left on Winchester Road, go 1.3 miles, and turn left again on Danbury Quarter Road. Go 2.2 miles and turn right (south) on Grantville Road. Park at a school-bus turnaround 1.2 miles down Grantville Road or go another 1000 feet south where there's room for a car or two at the side of the road. Here, an old woods road leads slightly to the right down to Silas Hall Pond.

From the last traffic light in Winsted, follow Route 44 west for about 2 miles. Where a small brook crosses Route 44, go west (left) on Danbury Quarter Road for 1.6 miles. Turn south (left) on Grantville Road and go 1.4 miles.

The 108 acres of the preserve, donated by Betheul Webster, are very wet or very steep - terrain typical of the northwest corner of the state. The uplands are dominated by northern mixed hardwoods; the lower slopes support a characteristic assocition of hemlocks, yellow birches, and red maples. The bog that lies along the north and west shore of Silas Hall Pond has a dense growth of heath shrubs.

Beavers have invaded the area, and their dams have caused the water level to rise and flood out some of the lowland forests.

I saw this article by Nikki Peterson. I wonder where they are now? Eeeks....Missing !!!

By Nikki Peterson,

Even if you enjoy nature as much as I do, you may still have confined your hiking experiences to the daytime. Before the beginning of this school year I would never have thought to enter the woods at night to explore nature. I think it must have been all those horror movies I watched as a child that kept me inside. There is nothing like a good healthy fear of werewolves or psychos wearing hockey masks to keep you out of the woods at night.

I began to lose my fear of the forest at night this past fall, when I was working as an intern at the Queens Outdoor Education Center. Part of my job as an education intern was to lead grade school children on night hikes throughout the woods without using a flashlight.

The first time I had to lead such a hike, I was just as scared as the kids, but it ended up being the most invigorating experience o my life. It's amazing how walking through the woods in the dark can give you such a feeling of pride and accomplishment, knowing you have conquered your fears. Many of the children I led on night hikes in Queens were inner-city kids who had never even been in the woods let alone at night, and most of them enjoyed it tremendously.

Once your in the woods at night and you start to feel comfortable, you begin to see nature in a different light. Although naturally you can't see as well as you can in the daylight, your eyes will soon adjust to the dark and you will easily be able to pick out your path without the aid of a flashlight. Also your other senses will become more acute; you will become more aware of sounds and smells as you walk along. I've even discovered a sort of sixth sense that helps you become aware of objects around you that you can't see. This sometimes help to prevent you from walking into a tree or stubbing your toe on a rock. However, it is not always reliable; my toes are still recovering from my last nightly excursion!

Most people think that once the sun goes down there is nothing to see or experience in nature. This is far from the truth because many animals don't become active until night. It's not too often that you will see a Bat, Raccoon or Bobcat during the day. If you are hiking near water you may come across a beaver feeding by the side of a pond or hear it slap it's tail on the water. The most important thing about hiking at night is to walk as quietly as possible, which is not always an easy feat! If you make too much noise you won't hear the peepers singing or the owl's hooting or even the rustling of leaves to let you know that something is nearby. Since you may not even see or hear any nighttime creatures, be sure to pick a clear night for your hike so you can enjoy the stars in the sky.

Enjoy your new experiences and remember to pick up your feet while hiking at night. Your toes will thank you!

CREDITS: Excerpts : The Nature Conservancy. Accuracy approx. 1989.