Tatson’s Woods

Tatson’s Woods Preserve

Salem Land Trust

8 acres in Salem, CT

Parking: Next to the driveway near 1 Woodbridge Rd, Salem, CT 

Trail Map          Trails: 1.2 miles       Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Parking is not great for Tatson’s Woods.  You park at the bottom of three driveways and cross the road to reach the trailhead.  A hundred feet into the woods you are unexpectedly greeted by Mr. Tatson (see the second photo above) an upturned tree trunk with a carved face affixed to it.

Things Mr. Tatson should, but doesn’t, tell you about the property:

• You haven’t reached the property yet, you’re on a half-mile long easement.
• The easy to follow red trail continues beyond the preserve property border for another 1/3rd of a mile to an old campsite before fading into some bushes.
• The actual loop trail is easy miss, rarely traveled, search the trees for blazes to follow it
• At the backside of the loop a completely unused yellow trail that seems to head off into the woods for no reason…
• BUT! The reason for the yellow trail: a massive ancient oak just past the trail end.  Easily a couple hundred years old it is surrounded only by a wide ring of ferns
• The Cerulean Warbler, a species facing risk of extinction, has been sighted here

This hike is probably best enjoyed in late-fall or early spring unless you don’t mind a bit of adventure among the ferns at the backside of the loop.  I’d guess this property is rarely visited, especially due to the parking situation, but I really enjoyed this property for it’s majestic old oak.  It must have been a real sight in its glory days on the farm.

History:

Once part of a large colonial farm this 8-acre property inholding was preserved in 2008.  The surrounding 475-acre farm is protected by an easement held by The Nature Conservancy.

Links:

CT Audubon – Lyme Forest Block

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Last updated September 23rd, 2019