Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment - Town of Guilford

I4
Natural Resource-Based Recreation
Nature study/birdwatching: Connecticut lies in the path of the Atlantic Flyway, a major bird migration
route, which affords exceptional spring and fall birdwatching. The DEP has launched a project to link
coastal birding areas in the state with a highway-based trail which will include Guilford. Spring warblers
abound in our local forests and preserves. (See Appendix D-1 Birds of Guilford, Noble Proctor.)
Bicycling: road bikes require pavement, and the issue of bike lanes on roadways is beyond the scope of
this document. Mountain bikers have become a significant user group in our forests, particularly in
Westwoods and Timberlands. These bikes require use of either existing woods roads or trails designed to
handle the considerable impact of aggressive tire tread. The potential for conflict between mountain bike
users and other trail users exists, but there is also the opportunity for creative cooperation.
I.5 NRB Recreation Areas Inventory
Map I-1 shows the locations of Guilford’s major NRB recreation areas. The list below is keyed to the map.
1. Mattabesett Trail (MT) Corridor (Blue Trail System): hiking only. CFPA (based in
Middlefield, CT) is a private non-profit responsible for creating and maintaining the
Connecticut Blue Trail System. Guilford hosts a six-mile segment of the MT, one of the
longest continuous trails in the system. The MT links Guilford with Durham and
Madison and is now being studied for possible designation as a National Scenic Trail
that would eventually terminate on the coast. It is hoped that, along with several side
trails and local trail systems, the MT will eventually become the centerpiece of a
comprehensive “North Woods” trail system, corresponding to the GLCT’s Westwoods
and Eastwoods. Access is from Bluff Head Parking Area or Braemore Parking Area, one
mile apart on Route 77.
2. Braemore Preserve: horses and bikes permitted. 95 acres just north of Broomstick
Ledges, five miles of trails, connecting with MT and Madison’s Rockland Preserve.
3. James Valley Preserve: 70 acres on Totoket Mountain, trail development in early stages,
plans to connect with MT, GLCT trails, and Braemore
4. Sugarloaf Recreation Area: off West St., SCCRWA land, trail use by permit only
5. Genesee Recreation Area: off Rockland Road, SCCRWA land, trail use by permit only
6. Lake Quonnipaug: hand launch canoes, sailboats, and kayaks near Town Beach area or
State boat launch at north end
7. Timberlands Forest: horses and bikes permitted. 600 acres just south of Route 80 and
north of Guilford Lakes. 15 miles of trails. Managed forest.
8. Bittner Park / Baldwin Trails: horses and bikes permitted. Between Route 77 and Long
Hill Rd. in central part of town, 150 acres, five miles of trails
9. Kampmeyer Preserve: 95-acre GLCT preserve with trail system, accessed off West Lake
Avenue at Laurel Hollow.
10. Eastwoods: amalgam of GLCT-owned parcels in east-central part of town, with trail
system under development, and final acreage unknown at this writing
11. Nut Plains Woods: 40-acre GLCT preserve with trail system, off White Birch Drive and
Cindy Lane.
12. Westwoods: horses and bikes permitted. Guilford’s oldest and most widely known trail
system (1963), 2000 acres, 40 miles of trails. Composite ownership: State, GLCT, Town,
private. Trails managed by Westwoods Trails Committee (WWTC), an arm of GLCT.
13. East River: trout fishing, kayak trail, National Audubon Society interpretive nature trail
14. Iron Stream: trout fishing access in Timberlands Forest
15. West River: trout fishing access at Bittner Park’s Scott Carey Trout Trail and just north of
junction of Highways 77 and 80
16. Jacobs Beach: canoe and kayak launch area and storage
Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment Town of Guilford, CT