David Weld Sanctuary

The David Weld Sanctuary is a wonderful place for birders, geology buffs and wildflower-lovers to hike and explore nature. There’s just enough elevation change to make the trails interesting but not too daunting for little legs and family nature excursions. The 3-mile trail at David Weld Sanctuary is open for hiking and observation from dawn to dusk.

Parking lot available for about six vehicles. There is no roadside parking available at this preserve.

Thanks to sculpting by glaciers during the last Ice Age, the sanctuary’s landscape supports a remarkable diversity of trees, shrubs, vines, ferns and wildflowers, as well as a variety of birds and small mammals. In spring, the giant tulip trees display magnificent blooms. Look for their long, straight trunks, which were once used for masts on ships. Their large, greenish-yellow blooms are full of nectar sipped by orioles and hummingbirds. You may also see eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies fluttering about since tulip tree leaves are one of their caterpillars’ favorite foods.

In summer as you walk along the bluff, observe the burrow holes in the top two or so feet of sediment. These were created by bank swallows that patrol the coastline. Take the side trail to the beach for a closer look at the large boulders exposed along the shore, especially during low tide. Autumn brings two simultaneous spectacles: The woodlands become a kaleidoscope of red, burgundy, orange and yellow foliage as the deciduous trees prepare to shed their leaves, while waves of shorebirds, songbirds and other migrants stop to feed and rest on their long journeys south. In winter, if you’re lucky, you can see a common loon swimming offshore, as well as huge rafts of brant, American black duck, and other waterfowl.