Hidden Valley Farm Preserve

In 2013, East Haddam Land Trust acquired an easement on about 45 acres of land along the Moodus River from Gary and Donna Bogan and thus helped fulfill a 30-year EHLT goal of protecting property along the Moodus River. At this time EHLT also purchased 1-1/2 acres from the Bogans to use as a trailhead, for parking, and for fishing access.

The easement acreage protects approximately 4200 feet of the Moodus River, two historic former dams and mill races that were once part of the twine industry in Moodus, and provides fishing access along the river.

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East Haddam Land Trust was able to conserve these acres through an Open Space and Watershed grant from the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, a grant from the Bafflin Foundation, The Town of East Haddam, and generous donations from our supporters.

In exchange for a $200,000 grant from the Town of East Haddam to East Haddam Land Trust, the Town has an additional easement on the property that provides further protection that this acreage will remain protected and also have public access.

Hidden Valley Farm is accessible from Grist Mill Road. Parking is available in a small lot adjacent to the Moodus River

Easy hiking trails meander through woods, meadows, wetlands, along the Moodus River for fishing and wildlife observation, and connect Grist Mill Road with Clark Gates Road.

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Counting steps as part of your exercise routine? 
Preserve-like terrain averages about 2080 steps per mile. The length of each trail is listed on the printed maps for each preserve available at the trailheads and downloadable from the interactive trail map and from each preserve webpage.