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See, smell and touch the extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life that lives year-round within these predominantly oak forests and wooded wetlands, a part of the larger Manchester-Essex Woods.
White, red, scarlet and black oaks are interspersed with black birch, red maple, beech, hemlock, white pine, and shagbark and pignut hickories. Pink lady slipper, pipsissewa and wood anemone appear in spring.
Catbriar and low-bush blueberries provide food for many species and make it an excellent location to observe wildlife. Deadwood hemlocks provide shelter for cavity-nesting animals like flying squirrels and Saw-whet Owls. Opossum, red fox, skunk, otter, deer and other mammals make their home in these woods. Several natural ecosystems thrive here, contributing to a varied bird population.
A shrub swamp holds several vernal pools that provide breeding areas for amphibians, including spotted salamanders, spring peepers and wood frogs. Spotted turtles can also be found here in spring, sunning on sedge or feeding on egg masses in the pond.
Latitude 42.620033, Longitude -70.782650
From Route 128/Exit 15/School Street/Southern Avenue:
Go on School Street/Southern Ave towards Essex. In 2.2 miles, bear left onto Apple Street. Trailhead and parking are 0.6 miles ahead on the left.
From intersection of Route 22 and Route 133 in Essex:
Go south on Route 22. In 0.8 miles, turn left onto Apple Street. Trailhead and parking are 0.7 miles ahead on the right.
Parking is limited to 4 cars. Park in the small turnout on your left.
