About the Property

Whetten Woods is a thirty-seven acre preserve located near Downtown Storrs and the University of Connecticut.  A center loop trail is accessed by a parking lot on Hanks Hill Road and by a trail across town property from Downtown Storrs, by the high school athletic fields.

The loop trail crosses a stream over several bridges. Stone walls, emphasizing the area’s agricultural heritage, cross the terrain.  The trail passes stands of beech, oak, maple, ash and birch, and features two groves of hemlock, home to barred owls. 

The adjacent town preserve contains a vernal pool.  The University of Connecticut conducts several ecology studies in the area. The preserve offers a recreational opportunity to walkers and trail runners, and also serves as a conservation resource for the broader community.

Location: Mansfield, Connecticut. Access from Hanks Hill Road 
Donors: Nate And Theora Whetten
Acres: 37
Preserved: Initial gift in 1998. In 2009, a gift from the Clark family added five acres. Eight acres were added in 2015
Stewards: John Morey, Rob & Susan Beach