QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 18.4 acres
- Trail Mileage: ~1 miles in network
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Sights: Lily Pond
Close to this popular swimming spot, protected by the Island Heritage Trust, you can amble along a few short, wide gravel trails around the beach and along a loop that swings out from the parking area. They are easy enough for most wheelchairs and strollers.
There are other narrower footpaths that edge part of the pond. The ends of these trail spurs are clearly marked—one stops at a stone wall (along the north edge of the pond), and the other ends with a trust map. Both lead to pretty spots along alongside the pond.
The Island Heritage Trust has also protected additional acres on the other side of the lake. Check out their website and look for a map for Church Land Preserve.
On a hot summer afternoon, the grassy area at the tip of the pond turns into an idyllic scene. People relax on blankets and read books, kids and dogs play, and swimmers do strokes out beyond the lily pads to the more open water of the clean, clear, warm pond. The town has set up a changing area and bathroom.
Directions: The best place to access the park is off Quaco Road, where there is a large parking area. You can also access the park from Deer Run, but there is less parking here. Both streets can be reached via Route 15, the main thoroughfare of the island.
