1,400+ Acres of Protected Land
Preserve Rules
We keep our preserves open to the public for the enjoyment of the community. Please respect our preserve rules to help keep our visitors and our land safe.
Preserves are open from sunrise to sunset
No overnight camping or open flames
No commercial activity (including photoshoots)
Pack it in, pack it out. No littering
Dogs must be leashed at all times and cleaned up after
No motorized vehicles or drones
No events without written permission
No Firearms
Horseback riding and mountain biking only permitted where posted
No loud music, fireworks, or any other disruptive activity
With over 1,400 acres of protected open space under our protection, there is tons of exciting preserves open to the public for exploration. Here we have highlighted the properties that you are invited to explore.
Explore Our Lands!
Holcombe Hill Wildlife Preserve | Hattertown Pond Preserve | Brunot Preserve | Cherry Grove Farm Preserve | Greenleaf Preserve | Fosdick Preserve | Kalas Preserve | Cullens Key Rock Preserve | Cavanaugh Pond Preserve | Jay Preserve | Bloom Preserve | Knotts Preserve | Mulholland Preserve | Nettleton Preserve | Newtown Town Forest | The Glen | Wasserman Preserve | Additional Lands
Enjoy a Variety of Activities:
Dog Walking
Hiking
Bird Watching
Scenic Route
Picnic
Fishing
Canoeing
Mountain Biking
Horse Back Riding
Holcombe Hill Wildlife Preserve
65 Great Hill Road, Newtown CT
This 86 acre parcel is situated on the southerly side of Great Hill Road and was donated to NFA in 1997 through the estate of Josephine Holcombe. The property boasts an elevation of 830 ft above sea level, it is the highest point in town, and affords spectacular views of three counties from the 30 acres of wildflower meadows on the property. The buildings on the property are now occupied by NFA offices, maintenance equipment garages, and a caretaker’s residence.
Mr. and Mrs. Holcombe moved to Newtown in 1934 purchasing land on Great Hill Road where she resided until her death in 1997. Mrs. Holcombe operated a crawler tractor and raised livestock, including pigs on the property. Her husband served as First Selectman of Newtown in the 1940’s and was a member of the first Council. Mrs. Holcombe maintained over a mile of trails on her property where she walked her beloved dogs. In addition to this parcel she donated 14 acres on Birch Hill Road and an additional 64 acre parcel on Birch Hill Road with an antique barn known as the Holcombe Memorial Trail.
Hattertown Pond Preserve
32 Castle Meadow Road, Newtown CT
The majority of this 119 acre parcel was donated by Ann Lord Strauss in 1967, with another portion of the property exchanged by Don Zemo in 1989 in exchange for a corridor of land adjacent to the rest of his property. The highlight of the property isa 27 acre pond, sometimes locally referred to as Morgan Pond or Maltbie Pond.. The man-made pond was created in 1867 to provide power supply for Peck’s Saw Mill and a succession of further downstream mills. On the backside of the pond can still be seen an old foundation speculated to have been an ice house.
Brunot Preserve
124 Taunton Hill Road, Newtown CT
The entrance from Taunton Hill Road would never let on the beautiful meadow that awaits after walking through the woods over some rolling hills. Although no trails take you out to the northly most section of this property it does continue out to Plum Tree Road. To the west the property will take you in and out of Bethel, where this property abuts another 75 acres of open space owned by the Bethel Land Trust.
Donated to the NFA at the bequest of James and Helen Brunot in 1970, as well as smaller parcels contributed by Joan Moore Southworth in 1978 and Aubret Justis in 1979. James Brunot is best known as the creator of the popular board game Scrabble, and even produced the wooden game pieces locally for many years!
Cherry Grove Farm Preserve
15 Palestine Road, Newtown CT
Cherry Grove Preserve is one of our most recently acquired properties, purchased in 2019 following a community fundraiser to purchase this 45.8 acre parcel. With a storied history as both a cattle farm and a gravel quarry at various times in the last two centuries, Cherry Grove Farm Preserve has a charm that cannot be ignored. With various meandering stream crossings and pockets of gorgeous red cedars, this property is a pleasure to explore.
Greenleaf Preserve
20 Greenleaf Farms Road, Newtown, CT
Greenleaf Preserve is 33 acre wildlife sanctuary consisting of a diverse assemblage of meadows, wetlands, and forest. The property was protected and set aside as a preserve in the early 1990s when the historic farm in which it was located was subdivided. The NFA’s goal for the property is “to safeguard and enhance the natural resources of the property, with an emphasis on wildlife habitat diversity management.”
The piece of land on which Greenleaf Preserve now is located is part of a larger historic farm that still exists in remnants along Poverty Hollow Road. The Platt family homestead dates back to 1800 and still stands on the present day Atlasta farm.
Fosdick Preserve
110 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown CT
The Fosdick Preserve is an assemblage of six properties that straddle Boggs Hill Road near the intersection of Willow Brook Road. On the west side of Boggs Hill Road visitors will find excellent hiking along two miles of trails over pleasant woodland and hilly terrain. As one climbs the hill from the Head O’Meadow School parking lot, a full-flowing brook offers waterfall scenes to photo-buffs. Hikers will be treated to several stonewalls, interesting rock outcroppings and varied and interesting terrain. A mixture of various hardwood trees comprise this relatively young, aggrading forest. The absence of larger, older trees belies its former use as pastureland.
Kalas Preserve
High Bridge Road, Newtown CT
This unique parcel, despite being just 17 acres is one of the most alluring amongst all of the NFA’s holdings. A black spruce bog, most commonly found throughout Maine, Canada, and Alaska, is home to an unusual ecosystem unlike any others found in Newtown. Although there are no trails, there is a small knoll near the road where you can observe the bog (and stay dry!)
Cullens Key Rock Preserve
9 Key Rock Road, Newtown CT
The parcel has inherent qualities which constitute significant community value. The swamp is the headwater area of the North Branch of the Pootatuck River. As such, it is itegerant to the Pootatuck Aquifer – one of the important, stratified drift aquifers in the lower Housatonic River Basin.
One past member wrote, “Access from Key Rock Road is formidable and rapidly declines in human adaptability…” as broach through the swamp. Better access can be had from the Drummer’s Lane on the corner with Rt. 302.
Cavanaugh Pond Preserve
13 Echo Valley Road, Newtown CT
At the northeast corner of the property resides a fieldstone dam and spillway originally built in 1867. This property is split down the middle by a raised abandoned railbed that was created in 1885.
To the northern side of the railbed resides a 5+ acre lake suitable for fishing. To the southern side of the railbed resides approximately 5 acres of swampy wetlands. On both sides of the railbed and surrounding the ponds and wetlands resides 5 acres of woodlands. Cavanaugh pond is abounding with wildlife that you’re likely to spot even during a brief visit. For birders, bald eagles, osprey, blue heron, various duck species, and a wide range of songbirds can be spotted. Beavers, snapping turtles, bass, water snakes, muskrats, and river otters are among the wildlife frequently seen here.
Jay Preserve
62 Glen Road, Sandy Hook, CT
Overlooking Glen State Park, this property slopes upward off of Glen Road to Cherry Street. The property includes several aged stone walls and pockets of timber among this rocky hillside. As no structures are thought to have been located on the property, it is assumed that the Jays mostly appreciated the beauty and calming effect the natural space offered.
Bloom Preserve
17 Obtuse Road, Newtown, CT
This NFA parcel was donated in 1976 by Lewis Bloom. After a steep ascent from either Tower Road or Obtuse Road South, the property gradually continues uphill and through recently reclaimed meadow to the left and mature forest on the right to 3-4 acre grassy meadow whose northerly border is the Brookfield town line.
The northerly most portion of the eastern border abuts to the 18 acre preserve owned by the Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust (BOSL). Approximately 4 of these BOSL acres are in Newtown. The BOSL parcel in Newtown is densely wooded and slopes down from the Brookfield town line to Obtuse Road South. The Brookfield parcel is primarily meadow. Because the NFA and BOSL properties are connected, this large parcel of open space contains a complete ecosystem from wetlands and vernal pools to shrub and grass meadows and dense forest, resulting in high ecological diversity.
Knotts Preserve
112 & 139 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT
The Knott’s Preserve intersects with the popular Al’s Trail, which passes directly through it and abuts Nature Conservancy Property, which continues down to Lake Lillinonah. The donated land is split by Walnut Tree Hill Road and also abuts Albert Hill Road. In the Will of Mrs. Knotts, she donated “the land and pond” located in this area.
Mulholland Preserve
8 Pond Brook Road, Newtown, CT
This expansive property unveils a gorgeous landscape of northern woodlands intertwined with small clearings and large bedrock outcroppings. The canopy consists of mature maples, beeches, and oaks. Nestled on the original property donated in 1959 one will be drawn to a large bedrock outcropping and find the engraved placard memorializing this donation.
Nettleton Preserve
13 Castle Hill Road, Newtown, CT
This property provides a spectacular view of Newtown Center. The Flagpole, Trinity Church, and Congregational Church can all be seen. Beyond that is a horizon of rolling hills.
On this property there is an aged apple orchard which adorns the lower meadow along Castle Hill Road. One of the neighbors, Howard Bowles, spent countless hours maintaining the trails and mowing the small area for people to stop and enjoy the view. The NFA planted a tree in his memory on the property standing proud watching over the Preserve as Howard always had during his lifetime.
Newtown Town Forest
103-5 Castle Hill Road, Newtown, CT
The Association was started in 1923 when Dr. Howard Peck presented this gift of 7.2 acres of land to nine Newtown neighbors, forming “Newtown Forester’s Association.” Additional lands, added from concerned citizens including Cornelia Hawley, Charles Peck, Henry Young, and Emmet and Gladys Close, formed the 15.5-acre “Newtown Town Forest”. Of notable interest, this is believed to be the first known official Town Forest in the United States of America.
The Glen
2 Washington Avenue, Sandy Hook, CT
The Glen is by far the NFA’s smallest Preserve at 1/20th of an Acre. However, it is probably is the most frequented and viewed parcel. The property is situated at the corner of Washington Avenue and Church Hill Road in the heart of the Hook. It was once the site of the village post office and library at the turn of the last century. The property was donated to NFA in 1985 as a public meeting place to be left primarily in its natural state. For many years now, The Glen has been the location of the Sandy Hook Christmas tree lighting celebration, and it was the site of a temporary and living memorial to the tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
Wasserman Preserve
72 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT
This 7 acre wooded parcel is located off Walnut Tree Hill Road within Rocky Glen State Park. It contains typical northern forest tree species, including some very large hemlock and oak trees. The rolling topography leads to a steep cliff point overlooking the Pootatuck River. This parcel is bounded on the north side by land owned by the Town of Newtown. Al’s trail, a 10+ mile long Town of Newtown trail that connects the Old Fairfield Hills Hospital campus with Paugusset State Forest North crosses the property as well.
Additional Lands
In addition to the highlighted properties listed above, the NFA owns approximately 60 other parcels of land throughout Newtown. Many of these parcels are deemed “forever wild” for the benefits of the plants and animals who live there. For the most part, these sites do not have built infrastructure, such as parking and trails, for our human neighbors. Although they are public open spaces, subjected to the same rules and expectations as our highlighted properties, you may find traversing them to be a challenge.