About the Roarng Brook Nature Center

In 1964, the State of Connecticut assumed ownership of the 100-acre Werner farm adjacent to the Nature Center property. Through an informal arrangement with the CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Nature Center utilizes the Werner's Woods property as an outdoor classroom, maintaining hiking trails, bluebird boxes, and wildlife habitats. The trails are used for educational programs, as well as by the community for passive recreational activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing, birding and nature photography.

In 2002, the CT DEP purchased an additional 65 acres from an abutting property owner, addition to Werner's Woods and increasing the size of this State Wildlife Refuge.

This refuge is home to a variety of native wildlife species and over 150 bird species have been sighted on the property.
Self-guiding trail guide, trail maps, animal track cards and wildlife field guides are available in our store

For online clues for the
Lower Cut-Across Letterbox
click here or here

Native Plant Gardens

For checklists of the animals seen at the Nature Center trails or in the vicinity, click on the following:

Roaring Brook Nature Center has made an asssessment of the various trails in the adjacent Werner's Woods property as well as the orange trail on the Nature Center property to determine whether and to what extent power dirven mobiltiy devices (as defined in Department of Justice regulations) can be safely operated on them. The assessment concluded that the trails have steep slopes, narrow and irregular routes, uneven and sometimes muddy terrain and occasionally narrow bridges that make operation of such equipment unsafe throughout. These trails were designed as hiking paths for pedestrian travel only and are not safe for wheeled vehicles of any kind. All wheeled vehicles are discouraged from these trails.

The Mer's Native Plant Butterfly Garden, the Native Plant Bird Garden, and Vernal Pool Observation Deck and trails, as well as the Animal Senses and Geology gardens on the Nature Center property may be more accessible to wheeled vehicles and provide opportunities to view wildlife.

The Trails at Roaring Brook Trails are open dawn to dusk
		In 1964, the State of Connecticut assumed ownership of the 100-acre Werner farm adjacent to the Nature Center property. Through an informal arrangement with the CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Nature Center utilizes the Werner's Woods property as an outdoor classroom, maintaining hiking trails, bluebird boxes, and wildlife habitats. The trails are used for educational programs, as well as by the community for passive recreational activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing, birding and nature photography. In 2002, the CT DEP purchased an additional 65 acres from an abutting property owner, addition to Werner's Woods and increasing the size of this State Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is home to a variety of native wildlife species and over 150 bird species have been sighted on the property. Self-guiding trail guide, trail maps, animal track cards and wildlife field guides are available in our store For our trail map, click here For COVID Hiking Guidelines, click here For suggestions on how to preserve nature while hiking, click here Letterboxing There are letterboxes along our trails. Click here for clues For online clues for the Werner Pond Letterbox click here or here For online clues for the Lower Cut-Across Letterbox click here or here There are three otther letterboxes hidden along the trails: Werner's Woods What We Saw A Froggy Went a Hiking To learn more about letterboxing, visit Letterboxing.org Native Plant Gardens Our native plant gardens as well as our birds of prey viewing area provide opportunities for visitors to view wildflowers, birds and butterflies in season. Click here for a list of native plants in our bird and butterfly gardens. For checklists of the animals seen at the Nature Center trails or in the vicinity, click on the following: mammals reptiles/amphibians birds Americans with Disabilities Act Notice Roaring Brook Nature Center has made an asssessment of the various trails in the adjacent Werner's Woods property as well as the orange trail on the Nature Center property to determine whether and to what extent power dirven mobiltiy devices (as defined in Department of Justice regulations) can be safely operated on them. The assessment concluded that the trails have steep slopes, narrow and irregular routes, uneven and sometimes muddy terrain and occasionally narrow bridges that make operation of such equipment unsafe throughout. These trails were designed as hiking paths for pedestrian travel only and are not safe for wheeled vehicles of any kind. All wheeled vehicles are discouraged from these trails. The Mer's Native Plant Butterfly Garden, the Native Plant Bird Garden, and Vernal Pool Observation Deck and trails, as well as the Animal Senses and Geology gardens on the Nature Center property may be more accessible to wheeled vehicles and provide opportunities to view wildlife.
Jim Brook (red trail)

The old quarry on the Quarry Trail (yellow trail)

Along the Quarry Trail (yellow trail)

The Porritt Wildflower Trail

The old dish mill dam (light blue trail)

The old Werner barn and field at the top of the Hillside Trail (blue trail)

Vernal pool observation deck

Letterboxing

Native Plant Gardens