New Year’s Day 2023 Hike with a Lyme Land Trust Board Member

event image
by Wendy Hill
Date: Sun January 1, 2023
Time: Various times
Place: 6 different locations
Contact Email: education@lymelandtrust.org
!!! seems it only displays well the 2nd time? ugh.

Start the New Year off with a refreshing hike in the Lyme woods. The Lyme Land Trust is offering several small group walks. All the walks are moderate unless noted. Register with the walk leader for the time and location you prefer. Space is limited. You may sign up for more than one walk if space and time permits.

  • 10:00 am to 12:30ish pm: Pleasant Valley Preserve with Tony Irving.  Notice glacial geology and its effect on colonial agricultural practices on a 3.5-mile walk with a long gentle incline to a spectacular overlook. Meet at pull-in parking lot, MacIntosh Rd., Lyme.
    Register: anthonyinlyme@gmail.com
  • 10:30 am to 12:00ish pm: Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve with John Pritchard. White trail to orange to purple, yellow and back through various habitats and past an old abandoned quarry. About 2 miles. Meet at Brockway-Hawthorne parking lot, Brush Hill Rd., Lyme.
    Register: johnfpritchard43@gmail.com
  • 11:00 am to 12:30ish pm: Selden Creek Preserve with Lynn Richmond: Hike to beautiful overlook vistas of Selden Creek and surrounding marshlands. White to orange to blue and back. 2 plus miles. Meet at Selden Preserve parking lot on Joshuatown Rd., Lyme.
    Register: lrichmon121@icloud.com
  • 11:30 am to 12:30ish pm: Thach Preserve with Jon Butler. An easy 1-mile round trip walk on woods road to bench overlooking beaver pond. Optional extension to picnic table at pond’s edge. Meet at the parking area on 131 Bruch Hill Rd., Lyme. 
    Register: jbutlerct@gmail.com
  • 12:00 to 2:30ish pm: Johnston Preserve with Scott and Denise Gravatt and their dog, Toby. Friendly dogs (and people) are welcome to join us.  We will meet at the Johnston Preserve parking area on Rt. 82.  Distance will be about 3 miles or so, depending on consensus of the group.  We will definitely do a short side-hike to the plaque at the highest point in Lyme.  Great place for a photo-op! Register: s.gravatt@comcast.net.  Scott’s cell: 860-961-4913.
  • Postponed to January 15 10:00-12:00ish: Gillette Castle State Park with Wendolyn Hill. We will take the gentle climb along the walkway to the castle. At the top, we will follow the original small gauge train trail with a train tunnel and beautiful views of the Connecticut River, unobstructed by leaves. About 2.5 miles. Directions: Meet at the Hadlyme Public Boat Ramp parking lot by the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, Ferry Road (Rte 148). (Note: For google maps, search for  “Chester-Hadlyme Ferry”. Make sure GPS sends you to Ferry Road in Lyme (Rte 148), not Old Lyme.
    Register: education@lymelandtrust.org

For more information about the preserves and directions.  Walks are moderate to moderately easy unless noted. Everyone is welcome. End times are approximate. Allow extra time. Bring a bottle of water. Inclement weather cancels. Check for updates on the LLT website.


Start the New Year off with a refreshing hike in the Lyme woods. The Lyme Land Trust is offering several small group walks. All the walks are moderate unless noted. Register with the walk leader for the time and location you prefer. Space is limited. You may sign up for more than one walk if space and time permits.

  • 10:00 am to 12:30ish pm: Pleasant Valley Preserve with Tony Irving.  Notice glacial geology and its effect on colonial agricultural practices on a 3.5-mile walk with a long gentle incline to a spectacular overlook. Meet at pull-in parking lot, MacIntosh Rd., Lyme.
    Register: anthonyinlyme@gmail.com
  • 10:30 am to 12:00ish pm: Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve with John Pritchard. White trail to orange to purple, yellow and back through various habitats and past an old abandoned quarry. About 2 miles. Meet at Brockway-Hawthorne parking lot, Brush Hill Rd., Lyme.
    Register: johnfpritchard43@gmail.com
  • 11:00 am to 12:30ish pm: Selden Creek Preserve with Lynn Richmond: Hike to beautiful overlook vistas of Selden Creek and surrounding marshlands. White to orange to blue and back. 2 plus miles. Meet at Selden Preserve parking lot on Joshuatown Rd., Lyme.
    Register: lrichmon121@icloud.com
  • 11:30 am to 12:30ish pm: Thach Preserve with Jon Butler. An easy 1-mile round trip walk on woods road to bench overlooking beaver pond. Optional extension to picnic table at pond’s edge. Meet at the parking area on 131 Bruch Hill Rd., Lyme. 
    Register: jbutlerct@gmail.com
  • 12:00 to 2:30ish pm: Johnston Preserve with Scott and Denise Gravatt and their dog, Toby. Friendly dogs (and people) are welcome to join us.  We will meet at the Johnston Preserve parking area on Rt. 82.  Distance will be about 3 miles or so, depending on consensus of the group.  We will definitely do a short side-hike to the plaque at the highest point in Lyme.  Great place for a photo-op! Register: s.gravatt@comcast.net.  Scott’s cell: 860-961-4913.
  • Postponed to January 15 10:00-12:00ish: Gillette Castle State Park with Wendolyn Hill. We will take the gentle climb along the walkway to the castle. At the top, we will follow the original small gauge train trail with a train tunnel and beautiful views of the Connecticut River, unobstructed by leaves. About 2.5 miles. Directions: Meet at the Hadlyme Public Boat Ramp parking lot by the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, Ferry Road (Rte 148). (Note: For google maps, search for  “Chester-Hadlyme Ferry”. Make sure GPS sends you to Ferry Road in Lyme (Rte 148), not Old Lyme.
    Register: education@lymelandtrust.org

For more information about the preserves and directions.  Walks are moderate to moderately easy unless noted. Everyone is welcome. End times are approximate. Allow extra time. Bring a bottle of water. Inclement weather cancels. Check for updates on the LLT website.