Sessions Woods Wildlife Management — Attraction in Burlington

To get the most from this place in the colder seasons you need to treat this mainly as a trail. I say this as I visited for the first time in early Dec 2020 and initially only wanted to walk the main trail to the marsh/ pond area and backtrack again. I ended up walking the whole main trail after talking to one of the volunteer staff members at the pond area as he described a number of features I wasn't aware of at the start. And I'm glad I changed my mind.

Beaver Pond trail, the trail I walked, is around 3 miles and can be considered a crushed stone path - so it can be considered varying from easy to moderate/easy for the hiking difficulty mainly due to slope variation. Except for the pond, the other features this park boasts are usually off this main path - and these access paths need to be considered as 'not easy' (but some probably are easy). Accessing the waterfall area is probably the most difficult detour and I would have to grade it as moderate/difficult. And here-in is why I say it's best to treat this whole affair as a trail. How many of these features you visit will depend on your ability and stamina.

So if you're able to get to all the features and you're in the middle of autumn or spring you'll likely feel richly blessed. The reason I felt my experience was rewarding has all to do with going off the beaten path. Provided you're not harming or destroying habitat or creature, there are some areas near the main path that have an appeal of their own. For me Freeman Hill Brook was the best of these - wild but some very picturesque views if you moved closer to the banks. The morning I was there a frosted grassy area just south of the pond also proved to capture the first sunrays really magically.

So, yes, if you're able to pause here and there on your walk, the sum of the parts of this park can turn into a really enjoyable and...

A great walking/hiking/biking trail! Our hiking book lists this trail as a 3 mile, 2 hour, 200 foot elevation, easy hike with moderate sections through a "demonstration area for wilderness management". It is essentially a large (766 acre) trailed woodlands area with wetland sections and informative interpretive signs/look offs noting trees, wildlife, habitats, etc. Beautiful! The main trail is wide and groomed, with rugged short side trails and (maybe?) connector trails. We checked out two of the short side trails. The "waterfall", very cool but perhaps a loose use of the term. And the fire tower, a short tower with a small but very cool piece at the top naming the mountains/hills in the distance (love that!). Both were well worth checking out, even if they are on the small side. There are a few steep sections that "get the blood flowing" and I suspect they could be an challenge for anyone with mobility issues. There is a large building by the parking lot, it was closed when we arrived at 5pm but I suspect it had bathrooms in addition to education information about the park area. When we arrive around 5pm the large parking lot was almost full and the smaller lot was full. We thought the trails might be crowded, but we only saw about 20 other hikers during the 2 hours we were there. Overall a...

Today, I stopped by the office to renew my trapping license and after inquiring about becoming a member of the Friends of Sessions Woods, I went inside the main building to where the exhibits are. Now, I've been here before taking classes - but I do not ever recall spending time in the main exhibit room, and I was completely mesmerized by all the specimens on display. I considered what I saw not only to be of utmost importance when it comes to conservation and wildlife welfare, but possibly the absolute best exhibit I have ever seen on this level. It was that good, and that through... and because these are real specimens, of great importance for anyone who is truly interested in learning more about wildlife. I highly recommend paying this place a visit for the learning aspect, and after spending sometime here myself today, I got the forms I need to join the Friends Of Sessions Woods, because to me it is very important to not only tell folks about this place, but to also directly support it as well, by becoming a member. Again, Highly Recommended. I look forwards to stopping back soon, and perhaps I'll check out the...