Church Farm

Church Farm

Joshua’s Trust Property

79 acres in Ashford, CT

Parking:

• Main Parking: Small pull off near 29 Varga Rd, Ashford, CT for blue access trail
• Shoulder parking near 179 Varga Rd Ashford, CT for the yellow loop
• Small pull off across from the Church Farm Center for the Meadow Trail

Trail Map            Trails: 2.5 miles       Rating: ★★☆☆☆

There are two sections of the trail at Church Farm.  The first is the loop off Varga Rd to the ledges above Rt. 89 and the second is the Meadows Trail east of  Rt. 89.

Hiking

Blue and Yellow Trails

The 2.1 mile yellow trail is a fairly simple rolling loop that is mostly rough trail and old farm road.  Access to the yellow loop has been improved by the addition of the 0.38 mile blue trail which starts through the field across from the main parking.  This short trail climbs up to the yellow loop after crossing a small stream and marshy area.

The first section passes through woods owned by Eastern Connecticut State University who have turned the farmhouse into a Center for Arts and Sciences. This trail has been historically harder to access to the yellow loop is narrower and less traveled but traverses rocky wooded forest along the property hillside.  While there are no real highlights to the trail these peaceful woods offer a nice loop hike.

There are a number of old farm roads on the property, but the trail has been moved off them due to wet conditions. There are also a number of seasonal feeder stream crossings that can require rock hopping depending on time of year and recent rains.

The far southern end of the loop, closest to Rt. 89 indicated as ‘Ledges’, is heavy with pines and doesn’t offer much of a view even in winter. It is largely named for the steep slope down to Rt. 89.

Meadow Trail

The meadows trail passes down a short forested hill and opens into the meadow along a lengthly boardwalk.  At the end of the boardwalk the trail turns left until it reaches the bridge over the Mt. Hope River on 89. This trail often floods and several attempts have been made to keep the trail secure but it provides a great springtime hike to view butterflies and birds.

History:

Preserved in 1985, 1987 and 1998. The property was donated by Joe and Dorothy Church-Zaring. The house (built in the 1700s) and the barn (built in 1895) are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Links:

• Peter Marteka – Church Farm Preserve Offers Views Of Mount Hope River (2010)
• CTMQ – JT: Church Farm Preserve (2017)

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Last updated February 10th, 2024