Category: Connecticut private

Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens   
These ninety-nine acres in Stamford include twelve gardens and numerous trails. Here is their website.   The website says that “Our trails are perfect for children (and dogs) of all ages.”   Admission is free.  Phone 203-322-6971 Monday through Friday     Facebook Page       Trails map
?  Bartlett Arboretum Trail 1.3 mile loop said by Alltrails to be suitable for all skill levels.

Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust
Flanders holds more than 2,100 acres of open space in trust in Woodbury, Bethlehem, Southbury and Middlebury.  This includs seven nature preserves and sanctuaries.    The trails are not wheelchair accessible, but are mostly short and some may be easy enough for you.  Call first. Phone 203-263-3711  Here is the website for the Trust.
?   Van Vleck Farm and Nature Sanctuary in Woodbury  “Landscape includes  stone walls, fields, meadows, forests, wetlands, marshes, streams and ponds.”  Trail monitor Dave says the trails are level for the most part.   Map
?  Hetzel Refuge  54 acres”…includes woodlands, hay fields, conifer plantations, swamps and man-made ponds.”  Map
-Leavenworth Preserve  125 acres of wildlife habitat with “low-impact trail system.”  Map
– Fleming Preserve  28.5 acres with “…forests, meadows, trails, apple orchard, stone walls and an overlook.”  Map
– Whittemore Sanctuary 686 acres  “Ecological habitats include woodlands, streams, ponds, a large bog and abutting lake.”  Map

Woodcock Nature Center
Woodcock Nature Center in Wilton is 179 acres with 3 miles of trails through a mixture of habitats, including woods, a pond and wetlands.  The trails are open to the public 365 days a year from dawn until dusk.  “…recreation on the preserve is limited to hiking and passive activities (bird watching, photography, etc.).”
Jeanne Young, their office manager, was kind enough respond,  “I would not deem our trails wheelchair accessible in general…”  But they have had  school children on their easier trails using modified wheelchairs (with larger tires) and with assistants to help them get over roots and rocks.
“As for the elderly/infirm, a portion of some of our trails are relatively flat with minor obstacles like roots and small rocks” which can be obscured by leaves and snow.  “Hikers could travel a portion of the trails and then turn around and double back.”:
Phone 203-762-7280  Here is their website.   Trail Map
Yellow trail to the board walk that leads out over the wetlands.  Beyond the boardwalk the trail becomes challenging.
Red trail about 0.25 mile up a slight incline where it levels out turn around at green trail intersection.
Blue trail 0.23 mile a level hike for the first few hundred feet. There is a slight incline before leveling out again for the remainder of the trail. 

 

White Memorial Conservation Center
Located in northwestern Connecticut, the White Memorial Foundation and  Conservation Center has 4,000 acres of forest, fields, and wetlands.  There are 40 miles of trails and a nature museum.  Here is their website.
Detailed Map      Overall Map  Trails  Phone 860-567-0857
0.3 mile  Trail of the Senses/Braille Trail  Interpretive plaques along the trail “…encourage you to smell scents in the air, feel changes in the ground, and take part in other sensory activities in order to discover the natural world. ”  “There are some waterbars and roots on the trail, so assistance may be needed to navigate.”
? Interpretive Nature Trail 0.5 mile loop  “While relatively flat, the trail does include boardwalks, heavily rooted areas, and a slight incline at the end. It can be completed in 45 minutes -1 hour.”
? Little Pond Boardwalk Trail  loop 1.2 mile elevated wooden walkway  “…that allows visitors to explore the wetland environment around Little Pond.”  Although the boardwalk is easy walking, getting on and off it may require some steps.

Legion Pool
Legion Pool and the adjoining Joseph Nesteriak Memorial Nature Trail in Seymour are owned and maintained by the Seymour Land Conservation Trust.  “The trails of the Legion Pool area consist of three interconnected loops – Legion Pool loop, Chatfield walking track (owned by the city of Seymour) and the Joseph Nesteriak Memorial Nature Trail. Hikers have the option of walking one or more trails. All are relatively flat and are handicapped accessible. ”   Phone 203-464-4345   Guide
Joseph Nesteriak Memorial Nature Trail loop – 0.9 mile, including the Legion Pool loop and the Chatfield Park walking track.
Legion Pool Loop – 0.25 mile

Chatfield Park Walking track – 0.3 mile

Earthplace
This sixty-two acre wildlife sanctuary in Westport has “a variety of habitats including fields, forests, ponds, and a stream. The sanctuary is crisscrossed by two and a half miles of trails, which also extend into an adjacent 11.8-acre property owned by the Town of Westport.”   They provide programs and activities for children with special needs.  Phone  203-557-4400  Here is their website.    Trail Descriptions   Trail Map   

Wheels in the Woods IV  “… follows the edge where forest and field meet, an excellent habitat for many species of insects, birds, and mammals.”  

Milford Point Coastal Center – Audubon
“Connecticut Audubon Society’s Coastal Center at Milford Point is located on an 8.4-acre barrier beach, next to the 840-acre Charles Wheeler Salt Marsh and Wildlife Management Area at the mouth of the Housatonic River.  ”  “The Coastal Center’s grounds encompass the 8-acre Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Refuge and Bird Sanctuary, a boardwalk and three other observation platforms, including a 70-foot covered  tower for panoramic vistas. ”  Phone 203-878-7440  Here is their website.
“Wheels in the Woods funded improvements to an access ramp that leads to the beach at the adjacent Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Refuge, one of the wildest and most biologically-diverse habitats on Long Island Sound. The Coastal Center also has two wheelchairs designed for use on the beach.”

Birdcraft Sanctuary – Audubon
Birdcraft Sanctuary on Unquowa Road, Fairfield is on six acres of “Upland deciduous forest with bush and shrub plantings including a small pond.”   This historic sanctuary features several different trails which have instructional placards.  The  “pond and gardens … have been planted to attract birds and butterflies.”   Phone 203-259-0416  Here is their website.
“At the Birdcraft Sanctuary, Wheels in the Woods funded a complete renovation of the trail, which circles the property and crosses a small pond and wetland.” from article in Fairfield Citizen.

Connecticut Audubon Society
The Society has 6 centers, 19 wildlife sanctuaries, and preserves 3,300 acres of open space.   Link to descriptions of the sanctuaries.  Map  I have posts about the three that have wheelchair-accessible trails, but you might call the centers to learn about the easy trails.

Roy and Margot Larsen Wildlife Sanctuary – Audubon
Next to the Audubon Center at Fairfield, the Larson Sanctuary “features streams, ponds, forest, and fields that are managed for their diverse plant and animal communities. There are seven miles of trails and boardwalks with interpretive signage.”  Phone 203-259-6305
Edna Strube Chiboucas Special Use Trail. 1 mile trail which circles the sanctuary  “along the edge of a meadow and over several streams and swamps. Interpretive signs stand at intervals along the way, and there are numerous benches for sitting.”