Great Marsh Trail

Rating/Terrain: Easy/level terrain
Distance: 2 miles (one way) along bike trail from Route 20 to Copper Hill Road, Pine Bowl loop trail is under ¼ mile
Parking: Farmington Canal Heritage Trail parking lot on Copper Hill Road or Newgate Wildlife Management Area parking lot on Route 20 in East Granby
Trail Access: Access to Pine Bowl trail is about ¾ mile south of the Copper Hill Road parking lot and a little less than 1 mile northwest of Route 20 parking lot
Feature: Farmington Canal Heritage Trail (bike trail), island with grove of very large pine trees

Location
This 115-acre property in East Granby abuts the Newgate Wildlife Management Area to the southeast. Parking is available at both the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail lot on Copper Hill Road and the Newgate Wildlife Management Area lot on Route 20. A park bench beside the bike trail marks the trail to an island in the midst of the swamp that has a grove of large pine and hemlock known as the Pine Bowl.

Features
Flat, heavily wooded swamp that drains into Beaverdam Marsh and eventually flows into Hungary Brook. Vegetation includes cat tail, skunk cabbage, red maple, button bush, willow, dogwood, high blueberry, viburnums, sweet gale, ash, hickory, elm and patches of evergreen. The little side trail loop near the bench is known as the Pine Bowl loop. Occasional yoga classes have been held in the grove and the wind blowing through the trees gives the most wonderful background music. In warm weather, an abundance of biting insects makes protective clothing and insect repellent advisable. Look for wild orchids around Mother’s Day.

History
This property was combined from 4 separate properties acquired between June 1978 and September 2001 as part of the town open space requirements for the Rolling Green and Country Club Lane subdivisions. Sand and gravel were quarried from the island in the past, perhaps used as fill for the railway embankment and nearby roads. The Penn Central Railroad Line originally ran where the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail is now located.