The over 630-acre Macricostas Preserve is the most ecologically rich among the Steep Rock Association network of nature preserves. The diverse habitats include a rocky ridgeline situated above prime farmland, Bee Brook, and Meeker Swamp.
Near the parking area is the StoryWalk Trail, a community collaboration between Steep Rock Association, Gunn Memorial Library, and Washington Supply. Pages from nature-focused children's books are posted on display boards and are changed seasonally. The trail begins in Judea Garden, a community-led garden operating since 2009 as a place for local volunteers to provide fresh produce to their neighbors during difficult economic times.
The Meeker Trail and Hay Field Loop provide views of Meeker Swamp, the adjacent hayfield, and the myriad of songbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife that live there. Meeker Swamp is a unique calcareous wetland – a chalky limestone-based geology rarely found east of the Appalachian Mountains. One of the last significant calcareous ecosystems in the Northeast Hills, it encompasses over 300 acres and includes part of the Bee Brook stream, wet meadows and agricultural fields as well as an adjacent ridge of talus slopes and rocky outcroppings. An excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife, the preserve overlies one of Washington’s largest aquifers and protects the town’s drinking water supply.
Views from the Ridgeline Trail and Macricostas Overlook on the Meeker Trail are of the swamp and hayfield from above as well as of neighboring Hidden Valley Preserve.
On Waramaug's Trail, Waramaug’s Rock is an overlook with panoramic views of the countryside including Lake Waramaug. Lake Waramaug is the second largest natural lake in Connecticut, named after a chief of the Wyantenock Indian tribe. It provides ecologically vital habitat for wildlife and a recreational center for the Towns of Washington, Warren and Kent. The views from the top are a rewarding dividend for the steep hike there.
About a third of this acreage (238) was purchased and preserved in 2000 through a collaborative partnership, with funding provided by the State of Connecticut, the Town of Washington, and the generosity of individual donors.
The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Please adhere to the following regulations when visiting.
In winter
Follow US-202 West for 15 miles. Then turn right onto Christian Street. In 0.2 miles, turn right into the parking area at Judea Garden.
Follow I-84 East to Exit 7. Take Exit 7 for US-7 East toward US-202/Brookfield/New Milford. Continue onto US-202 East/US-7 North and follow for 6 miles. Continue to follow US-202 East for 14.6 miles. Then turn left onto Christian Street. In half a mile, turn left into the parking area at Judea Garden.
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