Some days, you just want to disappear and totally forget about the hustle and bustle of today’s society. No traffic, no cell phones, no LAPTOP. One thing I truly enjoy is finding a nice trail or state park, and just walk. Westwoods Trail in Guilford allows you to do exactly that. Located on over 1200 acres near the center of town, Westwoods is a combination of private, town, state, and Guilford Land Conservation Trust properties. It features over 20 miles of mapped trails, and 39 miles of trails all together.

The great thing about Westwoods, is that you can see a variety of environments.  Within the first mile or so, you will come on a salt marsh that we all call “Lost Lake”. This is a tidal lake where you will see a great variety of birds from mergansers to white egrets, and even ospreys. As you venture further inland, you will come across your typical northeast deciduous forest consisting of red,white, brown oaks, maples, and tulip trees. Because of all these trees, I highly recommend a walk through here in late fall, as there are many locations where you will be able to see the vivid colors of the leaves that New England is known for.

Now, just a few points for you when you venture into new trail systems as large as this. Just because you are still in a populated area, never take your safety for granted. Always have your cell phone on you, and let someone know where you are going to be, and for how long.

Keep yourself hydrated, and always have some water on you. Even in the winter. Just because you don’t feel yourself sweat, does not mean that you are not losing fluids.

Me, I always have a pocket knife, and a lighter. Like I said, you may be in an inhabited area, but never take anything for granted.

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