More about Baldwin Preserve and Bray Preserve

From the preserve sign on Lower County Road, the trail leads through a grove of mature beech trees distinguished by their smooth, silvery bark. The trail climbs gradually through a stand of Mountain Laurel shrubs and oak trees. At the crest of the hill, a beautiful forest opening affords distant views of Good Hill when the leaves are off the trees. The trail begins a gradual descent, past one of seven vernal pools in the preserve and onto an old road. The path forks at the old stone wall. To the right, the trail leads hikers along van Deusen swamp to a former beaver lodge and picnic site. The left fork leads down the hill, passes by the edge of van Deusen swamp and comes out at Route 317. Hikers can either double-back and retrace their steps for a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike or continue carefully across Route 317 to the trail in the Lilly Preserve.

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