01/10/2026
Nice article in The Day about Oswegatchie Hills and a much deserved mention of Greg Decker's great work!
A classic hike: The Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
By Steve Fagin The Day
While friends and I clambered up and down steep, snow-covered ridges at East Lyme’s Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve the other morning, we paused as Maggie Jones whacked the trunk of a standing dead tree with a stick to see if any resident critters poked their heads from knotholes. Over the years of wandering in woods hither and yon, we’ve seen her do this dozens of times.
“One of these days, a flying squirrel is going to leap out and land on your neck,” I warned.
“That actually happened once!” she replied, recalling how an airborne rodent briefly perched on her shoulder.
Nobody was home on this frosty morning, though, so Maggie, Phil Plouffe and I resumed our trek of nearly 7 miles in one of the region’s most rewarding outdoor destinations. All of us have hiked through this stunning, 457-acre preserve several times, but the Oswegatchie Hills, which tower over the Niantic River’s west bank, are always worth revisiting.
As in other exceptional properties, the trails here are well marked and meticulously maintained by enthusiastic volunteers; scenic overlooks abound, along with unique natural and historic features that accentuate a welcoming “vibe.”
Periodically, our group returns to places like Oswegatchie that deserve to be called “classic” hikes.
Before setting out on the preserve’s footpaths, we strolled through Pitch Pine Park and Tree Nursery just outside the main entrance on Memorial Drive. Kudos to Greg Decker, the stewardship chair of the Friends of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve, and his fellow volunteers, for designing and creating such an appealing, informative and beneficial attraction — the pitch pine seedlings contained within the nursery eventually will be transplanted in the preserve’s ridgetops to help repopulate an imperiled species.
The Friends organization, now numbering more than 400 members, evolved from a band of environmental advocates who joined local, state and federal officials; the East Lyme Land Trust; and the Trust for Public Land in raising $2.84 million to buy 420 acres for the preserve, which was dedicated in 2007. Five years later, the preserve expanded with the purchase of 37 additional acres.
Meanwhile, preserve supporters continue to fight development plans for a 236-acre contiguous parcel. You can never let your guard down.
After passing through the park and nursery, Maggie, Phil and I crossed a graceful bridge and began trudging through fresh snow on a blue-blazed trail that ascended gradually to a ridge on the west side of a rocky ravine. In a short distance, we paused to gaze below at Clark Pond, which was created about 1900 by entrepreneur Byron Clark to produce ice for preserving fish.
Continuing north, we reached a side trail leading to one of Connecticut’s first granite quarries, which operated for about a century, beginning in 1815. We then scrambled up 280-foot Mount Tabor, the preserve’s highest point, which offers panoramic views of the Niantic River valley. Along the way, we also passed pitch pines, scragglier, more rugged versions of the white pines more commonly found in forests throughout the Northeast.
About a quarter mile farther, we veered onto a purple-blazed trail that passed through a dense corridor of mountain laurel.
“One of my favorite sights — mountain laurel in snow,” Maggie said.
Even more mesmerizing was the natural feature we encountered in a few hundred yards — an enormous glacial boulder, bigger than a Cadillac Escalade, precariously balanced on a single stone about the size of a beach ball. This formation appears just below the 253-foot summit of Oswegatchie Hill at the preserve’s northern tip. Next, we looped back to rejoin a short section of blue-blazed trail before turning onto a red-blazed path along a ridge on the east side of the ravine.
Our route passed a site identified as a quartz pit, but we couldn’t see any white crystals because of the snow cover. One other less desirable aspect of winter hiking is the absence of deciduous foliage that muffles the sound of nearby highway traffic during warmer months.
It’s a minor issue, more than compensated for by viewing land contours and other geologic details that become more visible after leaves fall.
The red-blazed trail also led us to the edge of Clark Pond, now frozen over and glittering in filtered sunlight. Happily, it’s been a decent start to winter. I’d hate to think of one without snow and ice.
More information about the preserve, including a trail map, is available at oswhills.org.
