A PEACEFUL VISIT
Mansfield’s Torrey Preserve and the banks of the Fenton River
In this week’s Nature column, Peter Marteka describes a visit to Torrey Preserve and a section of the Nipmuck Trail in Mansfield.
The Bottom Line: A 30-acre parcel near the banks of the pristine Fenton River. A portion of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association’s Blue-blazed Nipmuck Trail runs along a portion of the eastern boundary of the property for those looking for a longer hike.
Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate, with some hilly sections.
Total Mileage: There is about a mile of trails in the preserve, but visitors can hike the Nipmuck Trail, a path that travels 37 miles northeast into Massachusetts.
Directions: From the intersection of Route 195 and Horsebarn Hill Road, travel along Horsebarn Hill Road and take a quick right on Gurleyville Road. Follow for approximately 1 mile and look for a parking area just prior to the bridge over the Fenton River.
Parking: Park in the large dirt parking area on the left, just before you reach the Fenton River.
Pet Friendly?: Leashed dogs only. What’s the walk like?
Mansfield is one of my favorite places to see remnants of the last Ice Age. There’s Wolf Rock Nature Preserve, where a huge boulder balances near the edge of a cliff. The “kettle hole trail” at Mansfield Hollow State Park takes visitors around depressions created by the melting glacier. The 57-acre Bradley-Buchanan Woods preserve showcases a kame terrace, an outwash from a glacier created when the stream of melting water met the valley it was retreating through.
One can add the Torrey Preserve to the list, with its swath of scattered boulders running up a slope filled with hemlock trees. According to the preserve guide, the boulders “were concentrated by a torrent of melt water during the last ice age 15 to 20 thousand years ago.”
According to the preserve guide, the 30-acre preserve is named after the Torrey family. The family owned the parcel for 74 years before selling it to the town, the guide said . A mile of trails run through the preserve, past a farm field, up to an overlook and back down to a trail along the Fenton River.
The Nipmuck Trail runs along the eastern boundary of the property, but visitors can take the trail for several miles north and south along the Fenton River. The river is quite beautiful with its clear-running water and sandy bottom. The banks are lined with huge hemlocks that provide shade and great fishing spots. Sights to see include the Gurleyville Grist Mill. For the really ambitious, hikers can follow the trail south to see the ghostly iron bridges.
Some of the highlights of Torrey include the old foundation of the home of James Bundy Jr., who purchased 70 acres in 1751, according to the guide. A spur trail off the loop trail takes visitors to an overlook with a seasonal view out to Wormwood Hill. There are beautiful pine groves and a scenic field that is still farmed.
Although not part of the preserve, there are mill ruins located next to the parking area along the Nipmuck Trail. Several old foundations can be seen in the woods, along with huge culverts and pipes. A forgotten sluiceway snakes through the woods.