Ethel Walker Woods

The Ethel Walker Woods is a lush mosaic of forest, fields, and wetlands in Simsbury, a quintessential New England community near Hartford. It's a favorite spot for hiking and horseback riding—and the land's tremendous importance to local water quality, wildlife habit, and community character made it a longtime conservation priority for both the town and the state.

For more than five years, The Trust for Public Land worked with the community to safeguard the property, piece by piece. In May 2014, the town voted to approve the final funding needed to permanently protect the entire 427 acres. Now, the woods form a valuable link between parks, town forests, and the Farmington River Greenway—all part of the Connecticut River watershed.