Barrett Preserve
71.7 acres in Ledyard, CT
Parking:
- Shoulder parking for two cars near 906 Long Cove Rd Gales Ferry, CT
- Small pull off near 77 Christy Hill Rd, Gales Ferry, CT
Trail Map Trails: 1.6 miles Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Trails for the Barrett Preserve start from a pinched parking area that is tiny pull off at a curve on the road which can be a bit tricky. Past the chain gate is a trailhead kiosk with trails immediately splitting into the east and west loops.
I chose to take the east loop by following the right path through the entry meadow. Crossing through a stone wall there is a sign for forest management work done in 2014, which (9 years ago as of this writing) certainly still seems fresher than its age suggests. The area was harvested of mature trees for lumber and firewood with the goal of improving age diversity among the trees and creating some habitat.
Down the trail from this are you reach an unnamed stream that runs through the property. After recent heavy rains the stream was still only a small flow so it must be pretty dry in summer. On my visit however there were a couple tiny cascades and pools of cool clear water right along the trail.
At the backside of the loop there is a crossover if you want to shorten your hike. I continued onto the West Loop which does offer a spur trail to the Christy Hill Road parking which actually has a tiny lot for easier parking than on Long Cove Road. The rest of the west loop is mostly open forest and rocky wash which gradually climbs back towards the Barrett Shed and trailhead.
History:
Preserved in 1994.
Links:
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