Trail Guide
The new 2026 edition of the Guide to Essex Open Space Preserves includes all properties acquired through 2025. All trails, significant stone walls, access points and points of interest have been mapped out via GPS location to improve overall. In addition to bringing map information and trails up to date, the guide adds new preserves and revises property descriptions. Some preserves such as Thatchbed Island and the marshlands of the Great Meadow are inaccessible. They have no trails and are set aside as wildlife habitat.
Our new 2026 trail guide can be purchased for $19.95 from various local outlets: The Connecticut River Museum, The Griswold Inn Shop, Gracie’s Corner, Essex Hardware, Wild Birds Unlimited in Old Saybrook, and Essex Library. Individual preserve trail maps and brochures are available to download from our website. Click HERE to access individual preserve profiles. Some of our preserves are also on Connecticut Trail Finder.
