The Oil Mill Brook Trail is an easy trail through Land Trust land and State Forest and is a cross-over between Jefferson Park Road and Route 79. The trail crosses Oil Mill Brook twice, skirts a wetland, and passes through a fine example of oak-hickory forest under management. Because the trail joins the northern trailhead of the Jefferson Park Trail, an extended hike is possible.
From the trailhead, the trail heads east across a small wetland and then passes through a forest of beech, oaks, and red maple with mixtures of yellow and black birch and hickories. The trail then brushes past a wetland to the south and enters State Forest. The trail follows the blue blazes only.
The trail divides at the base of the first of two loops. The south (right) branch passes through a sapling thicket of young black birch, beech, oaks, and red maples that have developed in areas opened during earlier timber harvests. This block of state forest is under active management and was thinned to stimulate tree regeneration. The left (north) branch can be taken on the return back to the trailhead.
The two sides of the loop rejoin by an old hemlock snag. Continuing east, will pass through a stone wall, and cross a low knoll dominated by large tulip-poplar and oaks. Oil Mill Brook flows northward out of a small pond lined with skunk cabbage, sedges and grasses, and ferns. A few yards to the east, the trail divides once again at the base of the second loop. The south branch (sharp right) passes through another stone wall, and over a gentle knoll. Once across the knoll, the trail passes through an old woods road on the north (left) and the loop trail joins the woods road in a few yards. Continuing along the road, will lead to Oil Mill Brook (this time flowing south). Some white pines in the understory add diversity and winter cover for birds.
This trail grouping is best reached via I-95 to Exit 61 Durham Hill Road (Route 79). Proceed north on Route 79 then travel west on Green Hill Road to Copse Road and north to Warpas Road. Depending on where you would like to begin and end your hike, parking is available at many of the trailhead locations for each of the trails either on Opening Hill Road, Warpas Road, or Jefferson Park Road.
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