BLT Equinox Walk (March 22, 2025) by Kathryn Hughes
Tis the season! No, not that one! Even better…it’s spring! And to celebrate its arrival, about 60 of us, including Branford Land Trust members, as well as friends and neighbors, showed up to enjoy a beautiful day at the Quarry Preserve. It was a perfect day for hiking. Clear skies. Lots of sun – and none of the wind that had plagued us for days before. The setting was perfect in every way.
Lauren Brown outlined the history of this sprawling site, one that was put together over the course of decades. Thanks to the foresight of the town and the BLT, as well as the outstanding generosity of nearby landowners, a parcel of 450 acres was created for the enjoyment of us all.
A total of three preserves, Stony Creek Quarry, Van Wie and the Brooks R. Kelley, combine with the Hoadley Creek Preserve to create one of the wildest natural areas in Branford. Experienced hikers will love the challenging ups and downs, but newer hikers will find their spot as well. Since there are 15.5 miles of trails, there is truly something for everybody.
Clare Hambly read the Land Acknowledgement which honors those who loved the land before we did and concludes with a vow to maintain it in perpetuity. With that responsibility in mind, we set off on our adventure.
We had assembled at the Quarry Road parking lot where the woods are littered with eerie remnants of the quarry days. We passed a long low wall made of huge blocks of granite but then we were distracted by the gentle bubbling of a nearby waterfall. We rushed off to find it of course. And this is how the preserve gently pulled us into its heart to reveal all of its treasures. Civilization receded and we were left with the sheer power and beauty of the place.
The trees are still not in leaf so we could see lots of nature’s wonders that might otherwise be hidden when trees are in full leaf. For example, a couple of burls — rounded woody growths on tree trunks— were quite spectacular; elsewhere trees had fallen exposing their gigantic root ball: awesome and maybe a bit frightening. More unbelievable were the newly formed branches that were growing from the trunk of a fallen tree, proof positive that Mother Nature is always at work.
The woodland ephemerals — a sure harbinger of spring — hadn’t yet appeared, but the the skunk cabbages slowly emerged near streams. We scrambled up and down the gigantic rock formations, navigated some water hazards and then relaxed a bit on the blazed trails.
We were probably out there for almost two hours, although the afternoon seemed to fly by. As we regrouped at our starting point, the sense of accomplishment and adventure was palpable. We made some new friends and it is clear that we will be adding new members to the trust.
Not wanting the day to end, some of us headed out to Thimble Island Brewery to talk about a great day and think about what adventure the BLT may offer us next.
Click here for detailed information on the Stony Creek and Hoadley Creek Preserves.
