Owen-Mortimer

ACREAGE: 28 • YEAR ACQUIRED: 2008

Location

On the east side of East Weatogue Street, just south of Riverside Road. Park on Riverside Road off the road on the grassy area at Tanager Hill..

Distance

0.5 miles.

Terrain

A wide and easy trail, the first third of which is on a moderate grade.

Features

The Owen-Mortimer trail begins with an uphill section on an old farm road surrounded by numerous stone walls and cedar trees. Simsbury Land Trust has done extensive work here to remove invasive plant species. Further on you will be surrounded by mature forest with large pines and oaks. About half way up, the trail runs alongside the open fields of the Tanager Hill property. The upper third of the trail has boardwalks which take a hiker through an extensive wetland with abundant wildlife and interesting plants.

This area has several interconnected open space parcels to explore. To the northeast is the Town-owned Darling Wildlife Sanctuary and trail. To the south is the SLT’s beautiful and inspiring Tanager Hill property with its meandering trail system. A short walk south along the utility right of way allows one to connect to a trail up to Penwood State Park. Importantly, Owen-Mortimer has been chosen to be the first section of a future east-west trail connecting the New England Trail with the Appalachian Trail.