Bye Preserve
Preserve Details
Amenities
Information kiosk at parking area, dramatic rock outcroppings
Features and size
The 26-acre Bye Preserve anchors a large forest tract to the east and across the Connecticut state line. The trail begins in deciduous forest dominated by oak and beech trees, and descends through a rocky gorge to a mossy, fern-filled streambed. There are dramatic views of cracked bedrock and glacier-tumbled boulders. Look for outcrops of pinkish white quartz and shining chips of mica. The trail turns right and runs along a rock wall to an intersection with an unmarked trail to private property. Hikers may turn left here to explore this floodplain of the Mill River. Stay straight to remain on the Bye Preserve and complete a loop through evergreen hemlock forest.
History of the Preserve
Mr. and Mrs. George Bye of the Bye and Bye Foundation donated the preserve in 1972 to The Nature Conservancy. Trails were built in the early 1980’s under the direction of Walter Medwin, who also documented rich flora on the preserve. It was transferred to the PRLC in 2004.
Flora & Fauna
Abundant large oak and beech trees provide rich food sources to birds and mammals including Wild turkey, White-tailed deer, Red fox, squirrels, and mice. Chipmunks take refuge in the stone walls of the preserve, hiding from resident hawks and owls. In winter, wildlife congregates in the lowland hemlock grove, close to running water.
The dense fern cover of the streambed also harbors regionally rare woodland shrubs like Red elderberry and Bladdernut, which are protected from deer browse by the rocky topography. Keep an eye out for Mountain Laurel, Solomon’s seal, and Pink ladyslipper amid the upland boulders.