Roy Huse Collins Preserve
12 acres in Portland, CT
Parking: Shoulder parking near 164 Isinglass Hill Rd, Portland, CT
Trail Map Trails: 0.5 miles Rating: ★★☆☆☆
For a tiny 12-acre preserve with a short trail I’d say the R.H. Collins Preserve gets the bang for your buck so to speak.
Hiking
I hiked this property in winter with the leaves off the trees and the water high from heavy rains. So the stream crossings risked wet feet and the no leaves meant nearby private property was abundantly visible. And yet I still really enjoyed this hike. From the shoulder parking the trail forks right after the trailhead kiosk. I took the right fork heading for the stepping stone crossing over Hales Brook. Recent heavy winds had pushed a huge tree over along the bank right next to the crossing.
The trail appears seldom used but was easy to follow leading to a bridge crossing over another shallow feeder stream along the backside of the property. There are mentions of an old archery range here though I didn’t spot any evidence on my hike. The far corner next to Michelle Drive features two foundations noted on the map as ‘Hale Homestead Foundation’. One is a 3 sided rock wall up the hill and the other is a standard foundation with a center chimney stack. There are also the remains of the old colonial style simple rock bridge over what may be a seasonal brook in this area.
The trail then recrosses both brooks again in interesting fashion as it winds back to the trailhead.
History:
The Hale Homestead turned out to difficult to the similarity to Connecticut’s hero Nathan Hale. This Hale homestead belonged to David Hale circa 1845, but that scant info is only obtained from a nearby real estate listing.
Links:
- Peter Marteka – This Small Preserve Should Not Be Missed (2011)
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