Four properties are included in this trail system: Falls River Preserve, a 40-acre peninsula of forest and ledge projecting into Mill Pond on the Falls River; Falls River Park, a waterfront park, allowing access by canoe or kayak to Mill Pond; Jean’s Island, a seven-acre preserve on Mill Pond only accessible by canoe or kayak; and Stanley Park, a pocket park located on Main Street in Centerbrook.
Falls River Preserve is a mature forest jutting into Millpond. The lowland trail nearest the pond is easy for all ages an offers many views of Millpond. More challenging trails cross over ledges of the 800-million year-old metamorphic schist forming the peninsula’s spine.
Falls River Preserve offers the best opportunity for walking or hiking. Taking the red trail out and back along the edge of Millpond is the most accessible route. The red trail can be made into a trail by taking one of the blue, white or yellow trails, in increasing order of difficulty, from the red trail terminus back to the beginning.
Falls River Park is a one-acre parcel of grassy, lightly wooded open space adjacent the western end of Millpond. It features a canoe/kayak launch and contemplative benches offering expansive views of Millpond. At dusk patience may reward visitors with a view of beavers traversing the pond.
Jean's Island is a 0.8 mile paddle from the Falls River Park kayak launch. The island is accessed by an unimproved landing on its north end; an Essex Land Trust sign marks the spot. A single half-mile trail with yellow trail markers circles the undeveloped wooded island which has two small ponds and can be good for birding.
Stanley Park is a pocket park, overlooking Millpond with a contemplative bench. Stanley Park is very accessible with an adjoining sidewalk and curbside parking. The bank drops off steeply in the last several feet before the edge of the pond. In the springtime it features hundreds of daffodils.
The Falls River has been dammed forming Millpond since 1701. The resulting waterpower was used over the centuries to run a gristmill, a sawmill, iron works and tool manufacturing. The land in Falls River Preserve was used for logging and as a sheep pasture as recently as the 1930s. The land for the preserve was acquired over several years beginning in 1998 with significant support from the State of Connecticut, the Town of Essex and more than 300 individual donations. Jean’s Island was once open pasture, cattle were walked to the island across an exposed strip of land that has since disappeared. The Essex Land Trust acquired the island from Jean Leuchtenburg in 2005. Falls River Park is just downstream of Bull Dam on Bracket Lane. former site of the piano factory's Bracket Shop.
The entire area is an important stopover for warblers, vireos, blackbirds and other migrating songbirds and is the year-round home of chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Waterfowl include swans, wood duck and mallards, while egrets, heron, cormorants and osprey drop in from Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River.
Bass, perch, sunfish, pickerel and catfish populate Mill pond. A friends association cares for the Mill Pond ensuring that invasive plants such as fanwort and milfoil are kept under control.
Falls River Preserve: Is at the far end of Falls River Drive, which is off Main Street, Ivoryton. Parking is available for five or six cars.
Falls River Park: Follow falls River Drive and just past the Bridge over the Falls River use the second driveway on the right. Parking for four or five cars.
Stanley Park: In Centerbrook is a half-acre lawn overlooking Millpond immediately adjacent to Trinity Lutheran Church. Parking is curbside.
Jeans Island: Use the Kayak/Canoe launch in Falls River Park and paddle towards eastern end of Mill Pond. The unimproved landing is marked by an Essex Land Trust sign at north end of the island.
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