Monthly Hikes

Join us for a fun-filled BioBlitz at Whispering Pines Preserve on Sunday, July13th from 1-3!  A BioBlitz is an exciting event where teams of scientists, students, and community members come together to identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a set period of time. It's a hands-on way to engage with nature and learn about local biodiversity. During our BioBlitz, we will be surveying plants and animals that inhabit both the stream and nearby forest. Explore this beautiful spot with us and help identify its inhabitants! Your discoveries will be shared with the scientific community via iNaturalist.   This event is kid-friendly, but please note that it involves a short 0.3-mile hike to the survey site. If you're planning to explore the stream and look for critters, be sure to bring waterproof boots or shoes. No dogs allowed and inclement weather will cancel. Our Guides: - Ali Beres-Nork is an Environmental Science teacher at Amity High School holding an MS in Environmental Science from Montana State University and is a certified Connecticut Master Naturalist. - Grace Kenney is an environmental educator at Slate School in North Haven where every day she is able to connect children’s learning with the…

Come join us on our Complete the Northwest Loop Hike on the newly created Bethany Northwest Loop Trail. We will be hiking through four Bethany Land Trust preserves, two Town of Bethany recreational parcels, and the Naugatuck State Forest. This hike will be a rigorous 4 miles.   CT Trails Day, held on the first full weekend in June every year, is the largest celebration of trails in the nation. Coordinated by the Connecticut Forest & Park Association, CT Trails Day features over 200 free events throughout the state. Co-sponsored by the Bethany Conservation Commission and the Bethany Land Trust, the hike will pass through beaver habitat, upland forests, the town’s newly acquired Simpson Preserve, and then will cross over into the Naugatuck State Forest. From there, we’ll return down past some house-sized glacial erratics back to where we started.  Some rigorous uphill and downhill sections require sturdy footwear; bring water and snacks. To register: visit the Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s 2025 CT Trails Day page at trailsday.org or contact Bob Harrison by Friday, June 6 via cell at 203-506-5888 or bjh51box@gmail.com Parking: We will meet at the roadside parking area at the Van Epps Preserve at 390 Beacon Road (Route 42) in…