Lyon Preserve

Lyon Preserve

Wyndham Land Trust

46.4 acres in Pomfret, CT

Parking: Small pull off at 28 Wrights Crossing Rd, Pomfret Center, CT

Trail Map      Trails: 1 mile       Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Despite what the map above shows there are three loop trails at the Lyon Preserve that run just over a mile making this a nice spot for a simple stroll. Parking is next to a big red old barn.

The first inner loop is a mowed path up the hill through a field and looping back to the south among the more forested lower part.  In the field is a stone bench dedicated to Ben Williams (a former land trust president) and the standard Wyndham Land Trust blue bird houses.

The second loop extends off the back of the first and heads south through dense meadow and invasive understory which alternates with wooded forest and heavily mowed path.  The path nears the property border near Rt. 101 and Mashamoquet Brook though you never see the water.  It eventually comes out on the driveway before the barn.

The third I’m not quite sure is a loop but is at least a spur heading north to a small pond.  It seems there is/was a loop back to first hill.

From the site,

“The upland is underlain by Hinckley soils and is characterized by early succession vegetation, such as Little Bluestem grass, Red Cedar, and Sweet Fern. There are also some large clumps of Bib Bluestem grass. An old gravel pit exposes the Hinkley soil and numerous blocks of grayish bedrock. A small White Pine woodland and portion of exposed ledge lie at the preserve’s northern extremity.

The lowland portion consists of floodplain underlain by a variety of wetland and alluvial soils. Lowland vegetation includes Red Osier, Willow, Alder, Pin Oak, and a variety of sedges. The southern property line runs along the middle of Mashamoquet Brook from the bridge at Pomfret landing to the Quinebaug River, a distance of 3150 feet. The banks of Mashamoquet Brook are steep and access is difficult.”

History:

Protected since 1994.

Links:

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Last updated October 11th, 2022