Connecticut Forest and Park Association

http://www.ctwoodlands.org

Geoffrey Meissner –

geoffmeissner@gmail.com Please reach out to me if you have questions or

need assistance!! References to CT Walk Books (East or West Edition) WB-E or WB-W. Cub Scouts: Easier trails with activities interesting to younger scouts including nature or history. Activities:

World Water Monitoring Day (Sept 18, but year round water activities). Picnics - Bring camp stoves – cook up noodles or hot dogs for lunch. Scavenger hunts, especially in state parks Geocaching, letter boxing, or map and compass activities Museums – Goodwin Conservation Ctr (Hampton, CT – Natchaug Trail WB-E p185 & Airline trail), American

Legion St Park (WB-E p6), Sessions Woods (WB-E p319) Combine a hike / swim (Gay City, Cockaponset, Scofield, AT) Beaver houses – Mattatuck Trail – White Memorial

Possible Hikes: Sleeping Giant (WB-W p257) is wonderful (castle, originally a volcano) - for cubs avoid blue/white trails,

favor green, yellow, violet Regicides trail (WB-E p239) – Entrance across the street from Camp Whiting OR in New Haven by West Rock

up to view, Judges cave and air ducts for Wilber Cross Parkway. North Regicides / Quinnipiac intersection (York Mtn) is beautiful spot for viewing large birds (Coopers

Hawks, turkey vultures) (WB-W p248) Quinnipiac Trail (Mt Sanford Loop – WB-W p237) – loop with great views, streams. Mattabesett Trail (WB-E p19) – Caves, lakes, trail loops

Boy Scouts: Hikes and Activities:

o CT National Guard camp in Lyme CT has a land navigation course (Nayantaquit trail –WB-E P97). Orienteering MB.

o Orienteering at Rocky Neck State Park. o Metacomet trail to Heublein tower, or Castle Craig, or Plainville to Pinnacle Rock (Nike Missile base). o Deer Lake - Chatfield Trail (WB-E p83) passes through – Fatman’s squeeze. o Eagle Scout Projects – Numerous opportunities – Contact CFPA to get in touch with trail maintainers.

Hiking Merit Badge Options: o Lone Pine Trail (WB-W p96) 10 loop trail o Sleeping Giant loops (WB-W p257). Many cross trails and opportunities for loops. o American Legion St Forest (WB-W p15) – Many loop trails, views, camping opportunities o Shenipsit Trail (WB-E p107) 10 or 20 miles – Connect to Gay City trails, and Case Mtn

Youth Camping opportunities in CT at many state parks and forests o Sleeping Giant (Cascade Trail area) o Mohawk trail area (above the ski area - lean-tos) o Cheshire lean-tos on Quinnipiac trail (near YMCA camp)

Caves: o Rattlesnake Mountain, Farmington – Will Warton’s cave o Tory’s Cave on Tunxis and Natchaug trails. o Leatherman’s cave off the Mattatuck Trail near Black Rock State Park o Judges Cave on Regicide’s

Tyler Mill Conservation Area

Interpretive Trail Guide

Prepared for the

Town of Wallingford Conservation Commission

By M. Kasinskas, Ferrucci & Walicki, LLC 2011

SPECIAL NOTE

This guide makes extensive use of text by Lisa M. Toman’s 1999 “Tyler Mill Trails: A

Guide and Natural History”, available at the Wallingford Public Library and the

Environmental Planning Office, Town Hall. Ms. Toman wished that her work might one

day be used as part of a guidebook for Tyler Mill.

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How to Use This Interpretive Trail Guide

The Tyler Mill Interpretive Trail is a 1.25 mile walk through the southern portion of the

Town of Wallingford’s Tyler Mill Conservation Area. The Interpretive Trail follows

portions of the Red, Blue, and Green Trails, and an unblazed portion of Tyler Mill Road.

Numbered items within this guide correspond with numbers along the trail.

Different items are best viewed at different times of the year, so be sure to come back

and hike the trail again in every season!

Introduction

The Tyler Mill Conservation Area,

approximately 900 acres, contains a

variety of terrain and habitats. It is an

area of rugged topographic features,

with elevations of valleys, hills, and

ridges varying from 130 feet to 380 feet

above sea level. Much of the area

contains second growth forest, and

there are about 260 acres of various

types of inland wetlands. The Muddy

River, a tributary of the Quinnipiac

River, flows south through Tyler Mill.

The Tyler Mill area is a cross section of

the Muddy River drainage basin,

including the river itself, floodplains,

valley bottom, and uplands. Keeping

undeveloped open space along the river

is crucial to the protection of the river

and its watershed.

Tyler Mill is valuable for its diverse

habitats, including forest, traprock

ridges, agricultural fields, wetlands,

watercourses, and the ecotones, or

margins, between them. Different plant

and animal groups are adapted to

particular habitats that are suitable for

them. Habitats are shaped by geological

history, the environmental influences of

sun, wind, and precipitation, and by

human land use.

The animals most frequently seen in the

forest depend on its food resources.

These include deer, wild turkey, flying

squirrels, gray squirrels, and chipmunks

that feed on seeds, acorns, and nuts.

Many songbirds feed on the insects that

live in the forest canopy. Predatory

birds like hawks and owls hunt as

effectively in the forest as they do in the

fields and brushy area.

Approximately 575 acres of Tyler Mill is

woodland, with trees ranging in age

from seedlings and saplings to mature

specimens over eighty years old. This

area was forested when English settlers

arrived in the 1600's, but was soon

cleared for fields and pastures. When

the farms at Tyler Mill were purchased

by the New Haven Water Company in

the late 1800s, the fields soon reverted

to shrubs and saplings, then later to

larger trees. Some portions of this

second growth forest have been logged

in the last hundred years, resulting in

areas of third growth forest.

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1. Old Tyler Mill Road

Tyler Mill Road was originally a main

road to Tyler's Mill. Note the stone walls

on each side of this road. There were

once several houses along Tyler Mill

Road south of the Interpretive Trail, as

evidenced by a profusion of myrtle, now

seen as invasive, growing in several

patches. It was originally planted and

has since run wild.

The road was paved in the 1980s and

closed to traffic in the 1990s. Some old

paved areas are still visible.

2. Wire & Walls

Wire fences and stonewalls are

commonly found throughout

Connecticut’s woodlands. Farmers built

these remnants of New England’s

agricultural past during an era when the

land was almost completely cleared of

forest and used to grow crops or

pasture livestock. The stones were left

by retreating glacial ice that covered

Connecticut about 18,000 years ago. As

temperatures rose and the ice sheet

melted, stones that had been pushed or

picked up by the ice were deposited

along with soil in a layer known as “till”.

The English colonists who began to farm

here over 300 years ago built stone

walls to divide their fields from those of

their neighbors and to keep livestock

out of crops. They did not do it just to

remove the stones they found, for

making a simple pile would have been

easier than the proper balancing act

that makes a lasting wall. Nor did they

enclose all fields with stone walls

because it was all they knew how to do.

Stone walls were constructed because

stone was a good choice of material.

Wood was often scarce after the

original clearing of the land, and a

wooden fence would eventually rot and

have to be replaced. Although a stone

wall was labor intensive, once complete

it would have been practically

permanent, and it made use of

materials all too available. Occasional

strands of barbed wire can be found

sticking out of large, old trees. Barbed

wire indicates that land was still farmed

after 1870. Bark can grow right over a

wire strung to a young tree, and years

later the wire will seem to coming out

of the middle of the tree itself.

Chipmunks become very active in

March and are often seen in the vicinity

of stone walls or brush piles. These

lively little rodents scamper around

checking out last autumn's food caches.

Their chattering call can be mistaken for

that of a bird.

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Keep a count of wire fences and stone

walls as you walk.

3. Corduroy

The road of parallel sticks in this area is

called corduroy, which is commonly

used by loggers to protect wet soils

during timber harvests. This corduroy

was built to improve the trail, but it

serves the same purpose of keeping

feet and wheels out of the mud.

4. Old Red Cedar

The forest in this area contains many

dead and dying eastern red cedar trees

that can not survive in the shade that

has been created by the taller oaks and

maples. After an agricultural field or

pasture is abandoned, fast-growing

cedar trees will often take hold first.

Such tree species are called “pioneers”.

Hardwood trees such as maples and

oaks are slower to become established,

but grow taller than the cedars. The

sun-loving cedars begin to die once they

are in the shade. This process is called

“forest succession”. Each stage of

forest succession will attract different

wildlife species.

Cedar wood is quite durable and rot

resistant, so it is prized for fence posts.

5. Opposite Sides of Wall

The trees found in a forest can be a

result of the soils or climate, but land

use history can also play a role –

especially in New England. It is common

to find different forest types on

different sides of a stone wall, which

suggests the land was abandoned at

different times or was used for different

purposes (such as pasture vs. woodlot).

One side of this wall is cedar forest,

while the other is brushy understory. As

you walk through Tyler Mill, keep an

eye out for changes in the forest

whenever you see a wall!

The reasons why particular trees grow

where they do are many and complex.

One reason has to do with each place's

unique micro-climate (elevation,

exposure to precipitation, sun, and

wind). Another reason has to do with

the soil type and the kind of bedrock

underneath. Wetness or dryness of the

soil and proximity to water are

important factors, as is the presence of

seed bearing trees. Previous use of the

land whether it was cultivated, hayfield,

or pasture, also figures in the equation.

6. Intermittent Stream

Streams that flow all year, such as the

Muddy River, are called “perennial”.

Tyler Mill also contains many

“intermittent streams” which flow

during the wet seasons of the winter,

spring, and early summer when the

water table is high. They are usually dry

in summer and in autumn. Observing

such differences is one reason why it is

interesting to walk the same paths in

different seasons.

The Muddy River, its tributaries, and the

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intermittent streams of Tyler Mill are

important habitat because they provide

a strong food chain foundation for

invertebrates like flies, beetles, and

crustaceans that feed larger animals

such as salamanders, frogs, toads,

snakes, turtles, birds, muskrats,

raccoons, and river otters. Scientists

will often study intermittent streams for

early signs of water pollution in a river

system.

7. Wolf Tree

On the downhill side of the trail is a

large sugar maple tree called a “wolf

tree.” Throughout the Tyler Mill forest,

there are scattered wolf trees, which

are mature, tall trees with broad

crowns. These trees grew up in open

pastures, were left by the farmers to

shade their farm animals, and are now

surrounded by smaller, younger trees

growing on the formerly open lands.

They are the “lone wolf” trees of the

forest. Wolf trees are often black oak,

white oak, red oak, and sugar maple.

8. Slope With Ferns

Which trees grow where depends on

several conditions. Location on a slope

and the availability of soil moisture are

significant. Low on the slope where

moisture is retained and readily

available, red maple, sweet birch, white

ash, and red oak predominate, and the

trees here are likely to reach their

greatest size. Maple-leaved viburnum,

flowering dogwood, witch hazel,

hornbeam, and hop hornbeam form the

elements of the understory. In the

middle of the slope, where there is less

available moisture, there will be scarlet

oak, black oak, white oak, pignut

hickory, red maple, and sweet birch.

Maple-leaved viburnum will again be in

the shrub layer. At the top of the hill

where soils are thin and wind

evaporates moisture, there is a

predominance of chestnut oak, scarlet

oak, black oak, and some red maple.

This slope also contains seasonally

moist areas that are loved by both

Christmas fern (with its leathery-

looking, stocking-shaped dark green

fronds) and more feathery hayscented

fern.

9. Ecotones

The old farm road that runs along a

portion of Tyler Mill’s Blue and Green

Trails runs along the borders of several

different habitat types.

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These marginal areas (between various

habitat types) are call “ecotones”.

Roadsides, hedgerows, shrubby edges

of fields, thickets, wetlands, and stream

borders all combine elements of

different habitats. Such places provide

attractive aspects of color and food

sources for various species, so they are

likely to be used by a variety of animals

and their predators.

Ecotones tend to be richer than a single

habitat by itself. For example, a hayfield

or a forest contains particular plants, so

it provides protection and food to

specific animals. The shrubby margin

between fields and forest attracts more

species of animals than either of the

other habitats alone. This idea also

applies to other habitats, such as

wetlands.

10. Traprock Ridges

Evidence of the ancient geological past

is still visible in bedrock outcrops to the

south of the Interpretive Trail.

The Tyler Mill Blue Trail follows a kind of

traprock ridge that is the eroded

remnant of a volcanic dike, a stream of

hot magma that intruded across planes

of sedimentary rock and then hardened

into huge traprock lumps. Other ridges

formed this way include Sleeping Giant,

East Rock, and West Rock. These

traprock ridges are similar in

appearance to the Metacomet Ridge,

which consists of basalt layers formed

on the surface.

Fragrant Dutchmen's breeches

proliferate on the rocky slopes of

traprock ridges. These white pantaloon-

shaped flowers hang on an arching

leafless stem like tiny bloomers set out

to dry on a miniature clothesline. This

wildflower is in the same family as the

familiar pink garden favorite, bleeding

heart. Their feathery leaves are quite

similar. Bloodroot is a white flower of

April. It is a low-growing small flower

with eight to ten petals arranged

around an orange center. If picked, the

stem and roots yield a reddish juice

used by Native Americans as a dye and

insect repellent. Its scientific name,

Sanguinaria canadensis, comes from the

Latin word for "bleeding".

Also found on rocky ridges and slopes is

the beautiful red and yellow flower of

the wild columbine, with its striking

spurred and curving petals and colored

sepals. The nodding, bell-like flowers

attract long-tongued insects. Wild

ginger, with a dark red flower blooming

close to the base of the plant, and colt's

foot, with a dandelion-like flower, are

other common spring blooms.

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If you hike quietly, and are very lucky,

you may see an owl in Tyler Mill,

especially in late January or early

February.

11. Complex Forest Diversity

The forest on the north side of the trail

contains a complex mix of deciduous

and coniferous tree species in a small

area, including eastern hemlock, red

oak, sugar maple, hickory, black birch,

and American beech. Several of the

dead or dying large hemlock trees

contain cavities, providing roosts and

habitat for bird species to occupy next

to the large adjacent wetland. While

small in size, this area in between the

trail and the wetland gives a glimpse of

the complex mixture of species that

would have been present across much

of Tyler Mill’s forest prior to European

settlement.

12. Wetlands

Wetlands abound in New England, and

they have several functions important

to environmental quality, including

flood control, water table recharge,

pollution filtration, oxygen production,

and reduction of harmful nitrogen

compounds. The presence of wetlands

at Tyler Mill has limited past agricultural

use in certain places and is part of the

reason (along with the presence of the

Muddy River) that the area is

considered a potential site for a public

water supply reservoir. Wetlands are

important aesthetically for the scenic

beauty they provide and are crucial

biologically for the diversity of plant and

animal species they support.

Wetlands are also the preferred habitat

of many amphibians and some reptiles.

Toads, frogs, newts, and salamanders

are either primarily aquatic or depend

on an aquatic environment for part of

their life cycle. Turtles and snakes also

need access to wetlands. Near the end

of March, turtles begin to emerge from

hibernation. On warm days they can be

seen sunning themselves on floating

logs or on rocks near wetlands. A wide

variety of waterfowl, wading birds, and

songbirds are associated with wetlands.

Some spend their lives in wetland

environments, while others use

wetlands primarily for breeding or

feeding.

Tyler Mill contains three wetland types:

swamp, floodplain, and bog. In all,

there are approximately 260 acres of

inland wetlands at Tyler Mill.

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13. Homestead & Autumn Colors

The cluster of large sugar maple trees in

this area is a clue that there are old

stone foundations nearby. Sugar

maples were commonly planted around

colonial homes and barns to provide

shade and sap for springtime syrup

making. The stone walls that you’ve

been seeing as you hike the trail marked

the boundaries that were once a part of

this farm.

New England’s hardwood forests have a

different look in autumn as the trees

begin their annual color changes. If you

walk in successive weeks, you will note

which trees first exchange their green

leaves for more showy colors. Reds,

oranges, and yellows predominate.

Most oak leaves turn reddish with

bronze or brown tones, but the scarlet

oak turns very scarlet. White oak, silver

maple, and gray birch leaves turn

orange, while shagbark hickory, sweet

birch and yellow birch, American beech,

tulip poplar, and sassafras turn various

shades of gold and yellow. The needles

of the tamarack turn yellow at this time

as well because, although it is a pine

tree, the tamarack is deciduous, and its

needles drop.

Sugar maple leaves turn shades of deep

red, yellow, and orange all on the same

tree. Be sure to come back to this part

of Tyler Mill next autumn to see the

colors!

14. White Ash With Wire

Notice the very large white ash tree

with large, wide-spreading limbs. This

wolf tree has strands of old barbed wire

imbedded in it, so you know that it once

served as the boundary of a pasture.

Like all trees, this one will eventually

die. But even old, dead trees, called

snags, have an important function in the

forest: They provide insect food for

woodpeckers, and the woodpecker

holes serve as nesting cavities for some

birds and for flying squirrels.

15. Wetland Seep

A wetland seep crosses the trail in this

location, appearing as a wetland to the

east and a small watercourse to the

west. These areas and the small

seasonally ponded area next to the trail

are all attractive to many amphibians.

Salamanders, frogs, newts and toads

spend most of their lives in or near

water. Salamanders have streamlined

bodies and long tails, while frogs are

tail-less and have well-developed hind

legs for jumping. Salamanders may be

seen in ponds during the breeding

season but may also be found under

streamside logs or rocks. Toads breed in

shallow water but spend their lives in

woodlands, where they eat earthworms

and insects. Frogs found at Tyler Mill

range from the tiny, one-inch spring

peeper to the six to eight inch bullfrog.

The spring peeper makes a well-known

cricket-like call. The bullfrog's call is

"jug-o-rum." A careful observer in the

swamps may see pickerel frogs, wood

frogs, and green frogs, too. The green

frog makes a "gung" sound like a

plucked rubber band.

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16. Oak Forest

Summer is a good time to identify trees

because the leaves are the most

obvious clue. Trees can be identified by

examining the shape of the tree, by

autumn leaf color, by looking at acorns,

by bark color and texture, or by

analyzing twigs, but looking at the leaf

shapes is far easier. With a good field

guide to trees and shrubs, it is possible

to learn the various species at Tyler Mill.

Binoculars are useful for seeing the

leaves of tall trees.

This area contains a deciduous forest

dominated by oak trees. The forest

floor under an oak is often rather bare

because it is covered with a thick carpet

of decaying oak leaves. Oak leaves in

particular break down very slowly and

prevent seeds from reaching the soil

below and germinating. Oak leaves

contain tannin and tend to make the

soil underneath quite acidic.

Among plants that do manage to

establish themselves are such spring

wildflowers as Solomon's seal, false

Solomon's seal, wild oats, pink lady's

slipper, hepaticas and anemones. There

are also bunches of Indian pipes,

partridgeberry, and white wood aster.

Non-flowering plants that survive this

habitat are club mosses and such ferns

as bracken, Christmas fern, common

polypody, marginal wood fern, hay

scented fern, and New York fern.

Like other areas along the Interpretive

Trail, the network of stone walls in this

area bears silent witness that this area

was once farmland, fields, and pastures.

17. Mixed Hardwood Forest

This “mixed hardwood” stand contains a

diverse mix of sugar maple, red maple,

white oak, red oak, shagbark hickory,

white ash, black cherry, and some red

cedar. Forest types such as this are

commonly home to the white-tailed

deer, the largest animal at Tyler Mill.

Deer browse on twigs, grass, shrubs,

apples, acorns, and bark, but they will

also eat ornamental plantings in

residential areas and do damage to

apple orchards if populations are

squeezed by development into ever-

smaller parcels of remaining open

space. Deer feed at dusk, at night, and

at dawn, so look for them in hayfields

and open areas. Deer also bed down at

night in tall grass, so you might see

flattened spots in a pasture, their

unmade beds. They spend their days in

dense thickets. You may occasionally

frighten a hidden deer into flight as you

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walk down the trail. You will be even

more startled than the deer when you

hear the sudden commotion of

snapping branches. Probably all you will

see is the trademark white tail raised in

alarm as the elegant animal bounds

away.

18. Vernal Pools

The small wet areas in the vicinity of the

trail exhibit some characteristics of

“vernal pools”. These are wetland areas

that are most evident in the spring and

will oftentimes dry up during other

times of the year. Vernal pools are

essential habitat for many species of

amphibians and invertebrates. Some of

these species breed only in these pools,

and/or may be rare, threatened or

endangered species, such as the wood

frog.

Following a New England winter, Tyler

Mill begins to come alive in March.

Clouds of newly hatched insects are

visible in the air and in the water,

making a convenient and abundant food

source for returning songbirds as well as

for emerging reptiles and amphibians.

Near wetlands, spring peepers and

other frogs can be heard beginning the

chorus of spring sounds. Wood frogs

emerge early and make a characteristic

"quack" call. Salamanders can be found

under rocks and woody debris near

water.

On warm nights these amphibians travel

to breed in vernal ponds. Such small

seasonal pools-dry up by summer, but

are a good place for amphibian eggs

because they have fewer predators than

ponds and streams.

19. Duck Box

The large wooden box hung on a tree by

the river has been installed to attract

wood ducks. Look for ducks and other

boxes as you walk along the river, but

please, DO NOT DISTURB!

Tyler Mill’s wetlands and watercourses

are also host to many other bird

species.

Keep your ears and eyes open as you

hike through the preserve, as there are

many species of woodpecker living

here. You will often here their loud

pecking as they hunt for insects, try to

attract mates, or excavate cavities in

tree trunks for homes.

20. Pillow & Cradle

A large sugar maple tree was uprooted

by the wind in 2011 to create a "pillow

and cradle". The pillow is the dirt that

was hauled up with the tree's roots; the

cradle is the shallow depression where

the tree stood. The pillow and cradle

will be visible long after the wood from

the tree and its roots have rotted and

disappeared. Numerous pillows and

cradles in an area suggest historic

windstorms or hurricanes.

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21. Riffles & Insects

Walking along the Muddy River, many

areas with riffles are visible, especially

during times of low flow. These are

areas where the water tends to be

shallow, fast moving, and somewhat

turbulent. Alternating shallow and

deep areas within a stream can provide

valuable insect habitat.

Whirligigs seem to spin over the surface

of ponds and streams, while water

striders literally walk on water. Other

insects are more elusive, but

overturning an occasional rock or log

can reveal an opportunity for

interesting observations. Often the area

underneath may be seething with the

activities of such creatures as ants,

earwigs, pillbugs, millipedes,

centipedes, and beetles.

The Muddy River collects water from a

21.7 square mile “watershed”. It flows

into the Quinnipiac River, which runs to

Long Island Sound. The portion of the

Muddy River that flows through Tyler

Mill is stocked with trout each spring

and is a popular fishing spot.

22. Three Wetland Features

This area contains three types of

wetland features. The wet area right at

the base of the steep slope is fed by wet

seeps coming from the tall rocks. The

wet area just to the west of the trail is

isolated during parts of the year, but is

connected to the Muddy River during

floods. The Muddy River’s main

channel flows further to the west.

Different wetlands contain different

habitats and species.

Wetland trees such as red maple

predominate, along with such shrubs as

spicebush, sweet pepperbush, highbush

blueberry, alders, willows, and

buttonbush. Tussock sedge and skunk

cabbage are typical plants of wooded

swamps. Wildflowers that bloom here

include marsh marigold, jewelweed, and

cardinal flower.

23. Floodplain Forest

Floodplains are the flat lowlands just

above the edges of watercourses. There

are floodplains along much of the

Muddy River where it overflows during

heavy spring rains. The floodplains

handle the overflow volume of water,

and the plants that live there can

survive periodic inundation.

Red maple, silver maple, elm, ash, and

sycamore are adapted to this habitat.

Understory plants found here include

Virginia creeper, poison ivy, silky

dogwood, false hellebore, and skunk

cabbage, jack-in-the-pulpit, and

Solomon seal. Spicebush blooms with

such a profusion of tiny yellow flowers

that it is often called "wild forsythia".

Twigs of this plant give off a pleasant

spicy aroma when crushed. Wildflowers

that bloom here in the floodplain

include marsh marigold, jewelweed, and

cardinal flower.

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24. Muddy River & Bridge

The Muddy River is a predominant

natural feature of Tyler Mill. It wanders

from one end of the open space to the

other, entering from the north near the

intersection of Northford Road and

Tyler Mill Road and flowing south

through the eastern side of the area. At

the bridge, the river runs under Tyler

Mill Road and continues its meandering

south to where it passes under

Woodhouse Avenue and on through

Bertini Park. It eventually empties into

the Quinnipiac River in North Haven.

On some maps from the early 1900's,

the Muddy River is called the Pine River,

but this attempt to improve its image by

a name change did not last. However,

the Muddy River is not muddy at all

except after severe rainstorms when

runoff brings silt from upland areas.

Normally it is a clean, clear stream.

Bass, perch, and minnows are still to be

found in the small pond where the river

widens just south of the bridge. The

State Department of Energy and

Environmental Protection stocks the

river with trout but the spring fishing

season removes most of them before

hot weather.

When you need a rest from your hike,

take a few minutes to watch the small

fish in the Muddy River. They are visible

in the pool at the bridge or you can sit

on a shaded rock and look in the river.

25. Mill & Raceway

Stretching upstream from the Muddy

River bridge are old mill foundation and

mill race of Tyler’s Mill, the mill from

which Tyler Mill Road and the area

obtained its name. The mill’s raceway is

directly in front of you, and both the

dam and mill foundation are about 125

feet to the east. The dam across the

Muddy River was constructed to store

water and channel it into the raceway,

forcing it to turn a wheel that powered

the mill. The stone blocks are local

sandstone and conglomerates trimmed

to fit tightly.

Further upstream is the old millpond,

which now resembles a swampy

wetland more than a pond due to

sedimentation over time. The dam

created the millpond by backing up the

river and providing storage capacity.

Old maps list the millpond site, and the

extent of the man-made pond can still

be seen.

12

TREES AT TYLER MILL

eastern white pine tall evergreen conifer with long needles in

bundles of five

eastern hemlock evergreen seen in several areas, threatened by woolly

adelgid, a non-native insect pest

eastern red cedar evergreen with aromatic wood, found along roads and

trails, also a pioneer in unused fields

tamarack a deciduous tree with needles which drop in winter

pignut hickory common hickory with a thick-shelled nut

shagbark hickory shaggy bark is in long, loosely attached, curving strips,

edible nut

yellow birch slightly aromatic twigs

black birch aromatic, with odor of wintergreen from crushed leaves

or twigs, birch beer made from sap

gray birch small tree, pioneer on abandoned fields

American hornbeam small tree with smooth, gray, muscle-like bark

hop hornbeam small tree with shaggy bark in long, narrow, loose strips

American beech large tree with smooth gray bark reminiscent of elephant

legs found in stands because it sprouts from roots

swamp white oak deeply furrowed bark

white oak light colored bark, leaves light green with rounded lobes

scarlet oak large tree with leaves shiny, dark green above and pale

below, leaves brilliant red in fall

pin oak pin-like twigs, drooping lower branches

chestnut oak oval leaf with many rounded teeth

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northern red oak dark gray bark has long ridges

black oak rough, blackish bark, leaves fuzzy, often found on ridges

and near tops of slopes

American elm tall, graceful tree formerly abundant until advent of

Dutch elm disease

tulip tree (yellow poplar) leaves have a broad tip and look like a

tulip tall, straight trunk, bears tulip-like orange and green

flowers

sassafras aromatic roots used to make root beer, some lobed

leaves resemble mittens

eastern dogwood small deciduous tree, pioneer species, white flower

clusters in spring

chokecherry white flowers in late spring, dark red to black berries

eaten by birds but toxic to ruminants

sycamore bark mottled and peeling, grows along stream banks

basswood large, heart-shaped leaves

American chestnut exists as saplings only, mature trees have been

killed by chestnut blight

VINES AT TYLER MILL

wild grape long, woody vines twining around trees or hanging

on shrubs, old stems quite stout dark purple fruits

woodbine (Virginia creeper) a clinging vine sometimes

mistaken for poison ivy but having five leaves

bittersweet a twining, woody vine that produces orange fruits

which open to expose red interior in autumn

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poison ivy mostly climbing, but also masquerades as low

plant or shrub has flowers and berry-like fruits, all

parts of plant cause skin inflammation, red foliage

in autumn, fruits are a food source for birds, which

spread the seeds, vine is brown and hairy

Oriental bittersweet (Asiatic bittersweet) a non-native species similar

to climbing bittersweet, invasive, berries red with

yellow caps

Japanese honeysuckle fragrant, white, tubular flowers that become

yellowish as they age non-native, invasive

SHRUBS AT TYLER MILL

common juniper attractive powder blue berries small, sharp needles

highbush blueberry common tall shrub with sweet, blue-black berry

pussy willow many-stemmed shrub or small tree with gray, furry catkins in

late winter/early spring, grows near streams and in swamps

speckled alder low shrub that grows in a clump shape near water or in wet

soil, female flowers develop into small cones, wildlife cover

and food source

mountain laurel Connecticut's state flower, an evergreen shrub with clusters

of pink buds that become white flowers in early summer

spicebush blooms in early spring with dense clusters of small, yellow

flowers, called "wild forsythia", tea can be made from its

aromatic twigs and leaves

witch hazel tall shrub of the woods which blooms in autumn with spidery,

yellow flowers whose petals curl back into a bud if

temperature drops and reopen when it rises, bark and leaves

used in the manufacture of an astringent, branches

sometimes used as dowsing wands to locate water

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sweet pepperbush blooms in summer with long upright spikes of fragrant

flowers, grows on wet ground or in swamps, common along

streams

buttonbush balls of narrow, tubular, white flowers bloom in summer, fruit

forms in autumn as rough, brown balls like buttons, grows in

wet soils

elderberry flat-topped clusters of white flowers in summer develop into

sweet, purplish-black berries; edible, good wildlife food

source

Russian olive Invasive non-native shrub or small tree with spiny twigs,

masses of tiny yellow flowers in late spring, yellowish, berry-

like fruits; edible, food source for birds

multiflora rose invasive non-native, profuse fragrant white flowers in late

spring, arching stems with many thorns, wildlife cover and

food source

burning bush shrub with purple, berry-like fruit, twigs and branches are

winged with corky ridges, invasive non-native

black alder (winter berry holly ), white flowers in late spring, birds feed

on berries in winter, unlike true holly, leaves drop

serviceberry silvery buds in spring, birds and mammals eat berries in early

summer, thick canopy provides good nesting area for small

birds

autumn olive invasive shrub or small tree, leaves are green above and gray

underneath, white/yellow flower clusters, birds eat pink

berries and spread the seeds

Japanese knotweed large bushy plant with hollow jointed stems responsible for

its other name- Japanese bamboo, flowers in long white

clusters in late summer, invasive non-native

maple-leaved viburnum common shrub in moist woods, maple shaped leaves

are purple in fall, small white flowers in flat-topped

clusters

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WILDFLOWERS & FLOWERING SHRUBS AT TYLER MILL

Spring Wildflowers yellow star grass

periwinkle

myrtle

Jack-in-the-pulpit

smaller pussytoes

common dandelion

blue cohosh

May apple

highbush blueberry

wild geranium

blue flag

spicebush

trout lily

Canada Mayflower

smooth Solomon's seal

purple trillium

wake robin

wild oats

sessile bellwort

false hellebore

wild flax

pink lady's slipper

Dutchmen's breeches

bloodroot

wood anemone

rue anemone

wild columbine

marsh marigold

round-lobed hepatica

common strawberry

bluets

pussywillow

common blue violet

cinqfoil

Gill-over-the-ground

bladder campion

coltsfoot

wild ginger

white starflower

baneberry early saxafrage

Summer Wildflowers

bunchberry

mountain laurel

crown vetch

blue vetch

false Solomon's seal

yellow star grass

New England aster

New York aster

smaller pussytoes

common dandelion

white wood aster

tickseed sunflower

spotted Joe Pye weed

spotted knapweed

blue flag

evening lychnis

oxeye daisy

chicory

bull thistle

daisy

leabane

black-eyed Susan

false hellebore

wild flax

viper's bugloss

black mustard

harebell

cardinal flower

sweet pepperbush

wild columbine

Asiatic dayflower

hedge bindweed

red clover

white clover

Indian pipe

pokeweed

common buttercup

bladder campion

meadowsweet

steeplebush

buttonbush

blue toadflax

butter-and-eggs

monkey flower

common tansy

common barberry

Japanese honeysuckle

elderberry

maple-leaved viburnum

climbing bittersweet

milkweed

wintergreen wild leek

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Late Summer, Early Fall Wildflowers

New England aster

New York aster

tall goldenrod

jewelweed

white wood aster

tickseed sunflower

spotted Joe Pye weed

rough-stemmed

goldenrod

witch hazel

evening lychnis

New York ironweed

Chicory

bull thistle

daisy

fleabane

black-eyed Susan

viper's bugloss

black mustard

harebell

cardinal flower

sweet pepperbush

Asiatic dayflower

hedge bindweed

red clover

white clover

Indian pipe

pokeweed

common buttercup

meadowsweet

steeplebush

buttonbush

blue toadflax

butter-and-eggs

selfheal

monkey flower

Summer multiflora rose

rugosa rose

partridgeberry

daylily

yellow star grass

For more information on any of the plants listed in this guide, visit the

Wallingford Public Library,

or go online to:

www.ct-botanical-society.org

Please help us protect the trees, plants, wildlife, wetlands and watercourses of the

Tyler Mill Preserve � Park Closes at Sunset � NO Motorized Vehicles � Camping & Campfires Are Not Allowed � Please Carry Out Trash & Pet Waste � No Trail Work Is To Be Done Without the Authorization of the Wallingford Conservation Commission

18

19

elect a hike that is appropriate in length to the age of your children. Plan on hiking 1 to 1.5 miles per hour, depending on the age of the children and

the terrain. Before you go, look at a map and understand where you are going and how far

you will be hiking. Wear sturdy shoes for hiking, and thick socks to protect feet from blisters. For

very young children, a backpack type carrier is a great way to introduce them to the woods at an early age.

Bring layers of clothing (it is better to have a sweater and rain jacket that you don’t need than to be wet and miserable).

Bring a regular backpack with: � Plenty of drinking water for everyone (in unbreakable containers) � Snacks for energy (such as fruit, power bars and trail mix) � Map and compass � Insect repellant, first aid kit and sun screen � Flashlight (with fresh batteries) � Tissue (for toileting needs) � Bag (for carrying out any trash you generate and any you find along the

trail) � Cell phone (adds to your security when hiking with children)

Plan to be off the Trail well before sunset. Check the weather before you head out and consider a change of plans if

extreme weather is predicted. DO NOT HIKE if thunderstorms are predicted Pay attention to your body. (If you feel cold, add a layer. If you are thirsty, drink.

Too hot? Remove a layer or get out of the sun.) Plan on stopping frequently to admire a view, watch a lizard, or listen to a bird.

(There are many, many things to see in the woods, and it is exciting to let children discover them in a leisurely manner.)

Be respectful of animals and other hikers. Carry out of the woods anything that you carry in. Check everyone for ticks after leaving the trail. Enjoy sharing nature with your family!

A note on trail blazes: Keep an eye on trail blazes so that you don’t get lost. If you haven’t seen a blaze in a while, go back to where you last saw one. Different trails use different markings and colors, but they are consistent on each trail. When you see two blazes on top of one another, the top blaze will be a bit to the left or right of the lower blaze. This indicates that the trail turns. If the top blaze is to the left of the lower blaze, the trail will turn left. If it is to the right, the trail turns right. Two equal length blazes, one on top of the other, indicate the end of a trail. Please do not pick flowers or plants, do not injure or disturb wildlife, and do not damage stone

walls or foundations.

HIKING SAFELY WITH CHILDREN

Being prepared is the key to a safe and enjoyable hike.

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IMPORTANT HUNTING INFORMATION

Small game hunting is allowed in designated areas in the Preserve on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays & Thanksgiving Day from October through February. For safety reasons, the Interpretive Trail should not be used on these days.

To report any illegal activities or violations of park regulations, please call:

Wallingford Police Department 203 294-2800

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental

Protection 1 800 842-4357

This booklet was funded in part by a grant from The Connecticut Department of

Energy and Environmental Protection.

4/15/2014

Please Help Us Protect the trees, plants, wildlife, wetlands & watercourses! No dumping or littering/Carry out what you carry in No Camping or campfires Leash your dog and bag and remove pet waste Use trails for hiking, horseback riding or biking No motorized vehicle use off road No ATVs No trail blazing No digging No removal of plants, trees, rocks or historic objects Fishing by permit only CAUTION: Yield to horses PLEASE STAY ON BLAZED TRAILS!

PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE

Small game hunting by permit only in designated areas:

October – February Monday, Wednesday, Saturday &

Thanksgiving Day Other Uses

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Sunday during hunting season

Do not use on hunting days for safety reasons.

PARK CLOSES AT SUNSET!

Hunting violations: Call Wallingford Police 203 294-2800 or DEEP 800 842-4357 Other Problems: Call Wallingford Parks & Recreation Department 203 294-2121

Trails

color length*

Tyler Mill North lilac 0.2

yellow 0.15

green 0.17

orange 0.5

white 0.5

aqua 0.09

north red loop 1.2

mustard 0.2

Tyler Mill South pink 1.3

south red loop 2.4

north red side trail 0.4

south red side trail 0.2

purple 1.4

yellow 0.7

green loop 1.2

blue loop 1.3

east black trail 0.09

west black trail 0.2

south white trail 0.3

Bertini Park blue loop 1.1

green loop 0.8

yellow loop 0.3

Total 14.7

*length in miles