Part of the Prospect Ridge properties

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CLT's first acquisition was a gift of Helen Russell, 40 acres of mountainous forested property she bequeathed to the Trust in 1970. (This property was first offered to the town but was declined) This set the table for ridge top protection efforts. This was followed by the trust's strong support for the town's acquisition of Roaring Brook Falls in 1978. In 1979

 

CLT member Linda Carmichael donated Nettleton's Ravine, a 14 acre property characterized by a deep ravine with rain forest-like flora and fauna populations. This fragile environment is under careful protection of the trust and public access is limited.

 

The final piece of CLT ridge property is the 24-acre Thomas Pool Memorial donated by Percy Goodsell in 1981. This property is off the Blue Trail and features rocky outcrops, steep slopes and beautiful views of Cheshire and the Hanging Hills of Meriden. 

 

In 2015 the Trust welcomed the donation of 4.7 acres known as Inverness Glen. This property provides a direct connection to the Russell property. The land is rugged forest punctuated by a deep ravine cut by a winding stream that ultimately reaches Willow brook. Willow brook parallels the Canal Line Linear Trail.

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The town embarked on a community supported program of land acquisition in 1986. Much of the early acquisitions focused on Propect Ridge where 264 acres have been purchased by town and state funds.These properties together with the 85 acres of Roaring Brook Falls represent a significant effort towards the preservation of irreplaceable natural resources.

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Description: Ridge top properties forested by dense stands of hardwoods including beech, red oak, white oak, sugar maple, black cherry, hemlock, white pine, mountain laurel and more. The forests are populated by deer, raccoons, squirrels, red fox, coyote,fisher, bobcat, black bear and an occasional moose. The diversity of wildlife is impressive. Rocky outcrops reveal the beautiful vistas to the north, south and east.

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The Quinnipiac (Blue) Trail connects the public and private properties that make up this stunning landform. One of the most noteworthy places along the trail is Roaring Brook Falls, the state's highest single drop waterfall (80 feet)