Luce Conservation Area

C. W. Luce Conservation Area

Tolland Town Park

83.3 acres in Tolland, CT

Parking: Cul-de-sac near 99 Susan Drive Tolland, CT

Trail Map          Trails: 1.5 miles      Rating: ★★☆☆☆

From the cul-de-sac at the end of Susan Drive the trailhead starts down some wooden steps next to private property.  A wood chip access trail leads down to bridge crossing of Charter Brook. The trail forks into a loop after the brook and I continued right following the tiny cascades downstream.  Near the property’s edge the trail turns hard left gently climbing to a rocky ridge smothered in young pines.

A solid rock portion offers a clear view down to a simple wooded valley.  The trail makes it way off the ridge to the backside of the loop.  The return trip rejoins Charter Brook at a flooded stonewall.  It was likely built by a farmer to create a cow pond, but has since been reclaimed by the water flowing through and around.

From here it is a simple return trip back to the bridge crossing and up to the parking area.

From the town’s website,

“The property consists of a hardwood forest mixed with white pine and includes a wooded swamp, wetlands, brooks, and an area of outcrop ledges. Charter Brook, a tributary to the Skungamaug River, runs through the property. The property supports forestry, fishing, and wildlife habitat.”

History:

Established as a conservation area in 2011 when the town purchased the property, the trail was put in by the Tolland Conservation Corps sometime in 2011-12.

Links:

Peter Marteka – Tolland’s New Open Space Acquisition Offers A Great Hike (2014)

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Last updated April 19th, 2021