Raymond Brook Preserve

Parking:

Small lot near 168 Church St, Hebron, CT
Medium sized lot near 52 Kinney Rd, Amston, CT
Small lot near 218 Millstream Road, Amston, CT

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

Of the three parking options the Church Street (Route 85) is the most popular and gives quick access to the pond, but the Millstream Road (not shown on the trail map above) might provide the best loop option.

I started from the Kinney Road lot heading off the corner of the lot to an old farm road lined with trees. The trail takes you around the edge of the field and some kids on dirt bikes were ripping through disturbing the peace a bit. At the southeast corner a trail heads off into the trees (not shown on the map above)

The trail curves through the woods crosses a bridge over Raymond Brook and connects to Millstream Road. Back at the field the trail continues around the fields into the overgrown orchard until reaching the old farm road again. This can be take over to the pond and Route 85 where there is a great grassy picnic area. Another side trail loops back to the Kinney Road parking.

The entire loop is flat easy walking on a stone path and was pretty popular on my late Fall visit with families and dog walkers (and those dirt bikes) enjoying the crisp air. Hiking all the trails adds up to about 2.5 miles out and back.

History:

First preserved in 2004 and expanded with several acquisitions over the years.

The land had been owned by brothers Samuel, Edward, and Albert Hilding, they purchased it in 1914. The farmed the land and ran it as a dairy, orchard, and plant nursery for over 50 years. The Hildings sold it to the Megson family in 1964 who farmed and raised Shetland ponies.

The pond on the property was likely made around 1900 and deepened on one end by the Hildings.

Raymond Brook Preserve