Marshlands Conservancy
Park Acreage:
170 acres
Trail Miles:
2.7 miles
Trail Uses:
Hiking, X-C skiing
Fees:
None
GPS:
40.955984, -73.705553
Not TC maintained
Directions
From the New England Thruway, take Exit 19, Playland Parkway. Take the first right off the parkway, turn left, and then right at the next intersection. In 0.3 mile, merge with the Boston Post Road. Continue 0.5 mile just past the Rye Country Club to the entrance to Marshlands Conservancy to the left
Public transportation: Metro-North New Haven Line Harrison Station. Cross Halstead Avenue and walk down Purdy Street. Turn left onto Park Avenue and at the end turn right onto Boston Post Road. The entrance to Marshlands Conservancy is about 200 yards to the left. The total walk is a mile.
Park Overview
Opportunities to watch wildlife are abound at Marshlands Conservancy as the trails loop through woods, across a meadow nd along the shore.
Trail Overview
Because the shore and Route 1 keep walkers from going astray, Marshlands Conservancy is a good place to practice navigational skills.
Park Description
A network of unmarked trails packed into the 170 acres of Marshlands Conservancy go through a mowed field, a deciduous forest, and a salt marsh. Given the number of cross trails, there are many possible hikes. The trails leading to the spits of land jutting into Long Island Sound have many birding opportunities. Waves lapping the shore encourage meandering.
The Jay Heritage Center is the large white house overlooking the meadow. John Jay, the first chief justice of the United States, grew up on the farm on the property. He is buried in the adjacent fenced-in Jay Cemetery on land still owned by his descendants.