The Evolving Boehm Pond Trail System

A new map for 2026
(click image to enlarge)

There are new orange blazes at Boehm Pond this year with the addition of an access trail to Corn Hill Road. The access trail had been requested by the neighborhood so they wouldn't have to walk or drive down Far Mill Street to get on the trail system. There's a sharp descent down the embankment at the end of the cul-de-sac that was tricky to build (a few steps were needed), but after that it's a quick walk of 0.2 mile to get to the loops. 

The new access trail descends
steeply off of Corn Hill Road

After updating the trail map, I looked back at the history of this park and trail system. It's a great example of how parks and trail system evolve bit by bit over the years, explaining quirks that might leave you scratching your head.  

What we now call Boehm Pond Preserve has two parts. The older and larger section along Far Mill Street was acquired from the water company BHC about 50 years ago. The specifics have been lost to time, but it was likely excess watershed, because although it's located close to their Far Mill Reservoir (aka Isinglass Res.), it does not drain to it. It may have been a donation or used to pay taxes*. The water company probably owned the property for many decades and the usual signs of farming, like stone walls, are absent. Instead, we have several old mounds left behind from the making of charcoal, which was commonly used by the brass mills of the region.   

This 31-acre property was acquired
from BHC in 1976. The section to the north
was added in 2006.

The second part, about 20 acres, was added in 2006 when the old Boehm family farm was subdivided. This part is located mostly north of Winthrop Woods Road and includes the man-made pond for which the park is named.  

The original trail system in 2008
Note the network of ATV trails
(click image to enlarge)

2008 The trail system begins: The Trails Committee blazed an official white loop around on some old ATV tracks. For year, the open space property had been overlooked and was heavily impacted by ATVs, bike jump ramps and pits, firewood harvesting, and a maze of unauthorized trails.  A yellow spur trail to the newly acquired pond was also constructed, along with a bridge over Boehm Brook. 

2011 map showing the new yellow extension

2010 Yellow loop added: The Trails Committee cut a new trail in order to make a larger loop for hiking and blazed it yellow. 

2019 map showing the new red trail
and the active beaver pond.
Note the old ATV trails removed from the map as 
they began to recover

2019 Red trail added: While collecting city-wide data on conservation and pedestrian easements, a pedestrian easement involving Boehm Circle was noted. This is a private road, but during the subdivision process, a pedestrian easement was granted over the road for access to the new parkland. Beyond the paved road, the easement followed an old farm road that lead to the Boehm Pond, the same old road the official yellow spur trail followed for a short ways. The Trails Committee made a decision to clear out the old farm road and blaze it. At this time we noted that there was confusion while hiking because there were two intersections of the white and yellow trails. People didn't know where they were on the trail system. To clear up that problem, part of the yellow trail was reblazed red, and this red trail was extended all the way to Boehm Circle. Shortly after the trail was extended, beaver dammed up the pond outlet and the red trail became a fun shoreline trail for a couple years. 

2024  Microburst hits the park: One problem at this park up near Far Mill Street (which is at the top of  a hill) was how bare it was, for multiple reasons.  Oak-beech forests tend to be pretty sparse when it comes to shrubs and other plants, but there are also way too many deer eating any plant that tries to grow, and years of firewood harvesting that cleared out every stick of dead wood. The 2024 microburst dropped many trees near the top of the hill just below Far Mill Street. Although it looks messy, it also looks more natural now and helps shield the view of houses from the trail. In nature, messy is good. As a bonus, extra light should be reaching the forest floor, hopefully leading to new growth. 

* The filed deed states that the premises are "subject to the statutory lien for taxes payable to the City of Shelton on the Grand List of Oct. 1, 1975 which the grantee shall be responsible for."