Chestnut Hill Preserve

Chestnut Hill Preserve

Town: Lyme

Directions: Take I-95 N to Exit 70; left onto Route 1 south/Lyme Street; right onto Route 1 south/Halls Road; right onto Route 156 west; continue about four miles to a right on Sterling City Road (at Tiffany Farm). Take the first right onto Sterling Hill Road; preserve is about 3/5 of a mile on the right.

Where to Park: Cars can park along the right side of Sterling Hill Road.

Description: This 40-acre preserve has a newly blazed trail with orange markers that connects to a trail in Nehantic State Forest. It passes by a small waterfall on Falls Brook, a mixed hardwood forest and stonewalls on upland areas. Terrain is easy to moderate in difficulty.

Regulations: Open from sunrise to sunset for hiking, wildlife viewing and leashed pets. Please respect the environment; do not disturb or remove anything and keep trails clean.

Amenities: None.

Natural Features: The preserve is comprised of rocky forest and early successional habitat, wetlands and streams and is part of the watershed of the Wild & Scenic Eightmile River.

Fees: None.

Things to Note: The land trust has two other nearby properties: Plimpton Preserve and Sterling City Preserve, both on Sterling City Road.

Owned by: Lyme Land Conservation Trust

More information: www.lymelandtrust.org