February’s “Can You Guess The Location?” mystery Middlebury Land Trust property. (Middlebury Land Trust photo)
By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY
Middlebury residents may not know about gems of land preserved in perpetuity by the Middlebury Land Trust (MLT). These interesting places – located all around the town – can be used and enjoyed through “passive recreation” activities such as walking, hiking, birding, geocaching, photography, outdoor educational projects by schools, and more. To raise awareness about these properties and the opportunities they afford, this column will feature one property a month with a “Can You Guess the Location?” picture for the following month. You can find information on MLT properties and more on the MLT website, www.middleburylandtrust.org.
Lake Elise, a Middlebury Land Trust property. (Janine Sullivan-Wiley photo)
One of the best known of these properties is the beautiful Lake Elise tract. It includes Lake Elise itself and is surrounded by woodland and fields covering just over 50 acres. It is along Route 64 northwest of Meadowview Park. You may have spotted this beautiful lake from the road but not known that you could enjoy it for yourself. The trail is easily accessed from the entrance on Long Meadow Road, across from the cemetery and the park.
One special feature of this property is the opportunity for catch-and-release fishing in season with a MLT fishing permit and a Connecticut fishing license. Fishing is easily done (that is, if the fish cooperate!) from the wooded banks or from the dam that runs along the south side of the lake.
A trail that rings the lake offers lovely views in all four seasons. While level, the eastern section of the trail is somewhat bumpy, though gravel has been added between the largest tree roots to make passage smoother. Good walking shoes are suggested for comfort. The opposite side has a stretch that is typically covered with pine needles – a fragrant treat to walk on.
For those interested in a peaceful place to rest, a memorial bench on the western shore provides the perfect setting for some quiet contemplation. Each season has its own unique profile of plant, animal and bird life. In the winter, you often will be entertained by ducks and geese enjoying the open stretches of water, and snow tracing the branches is part of the quiet beauty of winter. We hope you soon take an opportunity to visit beautiful Lake Elise!
Can you guess where the mystery property is? If you think you know, email mbisubmit@gmail.com with “Guess the location” in the subject line. Good luck!
There is no monetary prize for guessing correctly, but we will name the winner in next month’s article. It will be interesting to see how well readers know these MLT properties.
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