Bob & Esther Heller Preserve

LOCATION

80 Town Woods Road

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PARKING
Parking area for 3-4 cars is set back from the road

 

HIKE DIFFICULTY

Easy – some steep hills

15.8 acres

 

Both trails are quick walks with few steep places on the way to the overlook, and are fine for beginner hikers. The green trail passes by a brook and a swamp which are the headwaters of the Lieutenant River. The orange trail is dry and includes the highest elevation around, offering winter views of Long Island Sound.

 

The trails are a testament to the outdoor skills of the young adults of Old Lyme. The green and orange trails were blazed by two Boy Scouts from Lyme-Old Lyme Boy Scout Troop #26--David Muckle and Kyle O’Neill--for their respective Eagle Scout projects. The green trail was extended and improved by the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Environmental Club.

 

History:

This 15 acre parcel was donated by Bob and Esther Heller. There are stone works on site left by native Americans thousands of years ago, though it might take a sharp eye to notice them. The land was later part of a farm, and conventional stone walls and cedar posts with wire fences are present. The stone wall that borders Town Woods Road is one of the most impressive walls in the state of Connecticut and is best viewed from the road.