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Oenoke Lane GreenLink Trail

 

Location: Paralleling Oenoke Lane

Access: The trail enters/exits the woods across from 67 and 129 Oenoke Lane. Parking is available on a small pull-off across from 129 Oenoke Lane, but we recommend walking to this trail.

Date Protected: 1996, 2006     Acreage: 6     Trail Length: 0.25 miles

Visitation Hours: Dawn to Dusk     Dogs Allowed? Yes, on leash

 

 

Conservation History: In the mid 1990s, a 9-acre parcel of land on Oenoke Lane was put up for sale. Plans were made to clear the land and build nine new homes, effectively destroying one of the few patches of woodlands near New Canaan’s town center. Thanks to the vision of an anonymous New Canaan resident, the land was purchased, and in 1996, 3.5 acres were donated to the Land Trust. A few years later, an additional 2.5 acres were placed under a conservation easement held by the land trust. Today, these six acres remain permanently protected as open space. 

Plans for a Trail: The idea of linking New Canaan’s various parcels of open space has been around for decades, with the original “Green Links Organization” working on this goal since the 1980s. While the Green Links Organization dissolved in the early 2000s, NCLT continues to carry on their work by creating new trail systems.

The plans for the Oenoke Lane GreenLink Trail began in early 2020, when Land Trust supporters Larry Berger and Anouk Markovitz made a generous donation towards the trail in honor of their friend Rachel Walsh. Having enjoyed the walking trails that crisscross European towns, Larry and Anouk wanted to help create similar trails here, in New Canaan. By June of the 2020, the bridge and trail had been constructed, and in July of 2020, the public was welcomed to use the new trail.

Recreation Opportunities: NCLT maintains its GreenLink Trails for pedestrian use. Visitors to this trail will enjoy the beautiful bridge that traverses a gently flowing stream, the meandering trail through towering tulip poplars, and the dozens of bird species that reside on the preserve.

Historic Features: Visitors to the trail will observe a historic well, as well as numerous stone walls crisscrossing the property. These historic artifacts were constructed by farmers over 100 years ago, and remind us of the extensive farms that once covered the landscape.