Monica's Woods Preserve​

Monica's Woods encompasses three lots, 23.23 acres purchased from Ira M. Sakolsky and two lots of 12.56 and 8.41 acres donated by Marti Smith and Thomas P. Smith, Jr. Together these form the 44.2-acre Monica's Woods, named in memory of Ira Sakolsky's wife who loved spending time hiking through the woods of oaks, tulip trees, beeches, birches, maples, and many ferns.

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Monica's Woods was purchased, in part, with a State of Connecticut Department of Energy and the Environment Open Space and Watershed grant with remaining funds from individual donations made to the Land Trust's Land Acquisition Fund.

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The trail through Monica's Woods is moderately difficult only because of the elevation changes. The preserve also offers opportunities for nature study, snowshoeing, birding, painting, photography, and other passive activities. The northwestern and western portions of this preserve are wetlands, rich with wildlife plus winterberry, summersweet, maple-leaf viburnum, and other wetland flora.

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Monica's Woods is also part of the 99-acre Moodus Forest. This preserve encompasses the Town of East Haddam's Robbie Road Preserve, and East Haddam Land Trust's Monica's Woods, Bloch Preserve, and the Snell-Talbot Preserve. The Moodus Forest is jointly managed by East Haddam Land Trust and the East Haddam Conservation Commission.

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The best parking for The Moodus Forest preserves is along Robbie Road. Future parking is also planned off of East Haddam-Colchester Turnpike at the Snell-Talbot Preserve. Pedestrian access via the Bloch Preserve is along Southwinds Road in the Moodus section of East Haddam.

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Counting steps as part of your exercise routine? 
Preserve-like terrain averages about 2080 steps per mile. The length of each trail is listed on the printed maps for each preserve available at the trailheads and downloadable from the interactive trail map and from each preserve webpage.

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