Medicine Rock Trail

We at the Litchfield Land Trust are pleased to have so many neighbors enjoying exercise, fresh air, a change of scenery and respite on our trails.  Please stay safe, remain on the trail, pack out what you pack in and stay connected.  In the coming weeks, we will be featuring each of our trails and hope you will explore them, take photos and please send them to us!

This week we would like to feature one of our newest trails - The Medicine Rock Trail  on the Upper Bantam River Preserve. The Medicine Rock Trail is located on the west side of route 202.  The trail head parking is about 1000 feet south of the Town Farm Road.  Starting from the route 202 trail entrance, the trail follows a 500-foot access path that includes bog bridging and leads to a kiosk with a trail map. The yellow trail marks an old woods road and heads west to the Bantam River.  The Upper Bantam River Preserve is an excellent example of a diverse mixed New England forest. The mature forest contains a wide variety of tree species including oak, birch, hickory, hemlock, beech, and maple. The trail along the river passes through an enchanting mature hemlock grove. The 0.8-mile southern loop follows the Bantam River south for less than a half mile and then ascends the hill and reconnects with the yellow trail. Look for scattered outcroppings of white quartzite which inspired the trail name. White quartzite was considered a special gift to native Americans who believed that it held healing powers. White quartzite was also used extensively in forming arrow heads and tools. 

Medicine Rock Trail and parking was completed in 2020 with financial assistance from the Seherr-Thoss Foundation. The Upper Bantam Preserve River was gifted to the Litchfield Land Trust for permanent preservation in four parcels: 20.4 acres from Courthouse Facility LLC, 55.2 acres from the Nature Conservancy of Connecticut, 10.2 acres from Elizabeth R. McGhee, and 4.0 acres from John Bolus for access off Rt. 202.

For a link to the trail map - Click Here.

To access the trail entrance, look for the LLT sign and new parking area on Route 202 just south of Litchfield Hills Nursery.  Be Safe and Social Distance!