Iron Mountain Reservation
Kent, Litchfield County, Connecticut
303 acres

Source: Cooley #12

Directions:

From the junction of Routes 7 and 341 in Kent; drive east on Route 341 to South Road; drive 0.6 of a mile on South Road and turn east (left) on Treasure Hill Road; drive 0.5 mile to the entrance on the west (right) side of the road.

There is a beautiful view from the western end of Flat Rock Road, a short distance from the preserve entrance.

Another version

Directions
From south and east:
Take Interstate 84 to exit 7 for Routes 7 north and 202 east.
11.8 miles later, the two routes divide in New Milford; stay on 7 north toward Kent.
Take Route 7 north to the junction of Routes 7 and 341 in Kent
Drive 13.5 miles, then take Route 341 east for 3 miles; turn right on South Road and proceed as below.
From the north:
Take Route 7 to Cornwall Bridge; continue south on 7 one mile to Route 45.
Turn left on Route 45 and drive 4.7 miles to Route 341; turn right (west).
Drive 5 miles to South Road; turn left.
From South Road:
Take South Road 0.6 mile and turn east (left) to Treasure Hill Road for 0.5 mile.
The parking lot and entrance sign are on the west (right) side of the road.

Geology:

Iron Mountain is one of the many hills in the Housatonic River Valley (this one situated east of the river above the village of Kent). Here there is grey-to-pink gneiss along with black mica (biotite).

History:

The area was used for agriculture. 

The area was reforested following this agricultural use.

Iron Mountain is named for one of the iron mines of the area. 

mid- to late-1800s  --  the charcoal industry cleared nearly all the drier forest.

Remnants of charcoal pits are still visible

1974  --  Mrs. Walter E. Irving donated 257 acres.  Subsequent gifts totaling 26 acres were given by Brigitta Lieberson and Joseph Gitterman.

1991  --  the Nature Conservancy received a gift of 20.3 acres of undisturbed upland forest at Iron Mountain from Vilma Kurzer of Kent.

http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/connecticut/preserves/art5375.html

Annabel G. Irving donated 257 acres in 1974; Brigitta Lieberson, 19 acres in 1983; Joseph Gitterman, 6.9 acres in 1987; and Vilma Kurzer, 39.8 acres in 1991.

Wildlife:

27 bird species have been sighted here.

Trails:

This is a 1.5 mile long walk over the summit of Ore Hill. The path goes through an old apple orchard and across a charcoal pit. The trail heads generally southwest and then begins a counter circular walk around the summit of Ore Hill, and then back to the entrance.

From the north of the parking area the trail leads west downhill, then turns south to an abandoned orchard. The trail exits through a stone wall, turns west (right) and meets the loop-trail junction.

PLANT LIST:

Trees:
Acer pensylvanicum (goose-foot maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Amelanchier arborea (shadbush)
Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch)
Betula lenta (black birch)
Betula papyrifera (white birch)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Castanea dentata (American chestnut)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Fraxinus sp. (ash)
Ostrya virginiana (American hop hornbeam)
Pyrus malus (apple)
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock)

Shrubs:
Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry)
Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel)
Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Rubus sp. (blackberry)
Rubus sp. (raspberry)
Vaccinium sp. (low bush blueberry)
Viburnum acerifolium (maple-leaf viburnum)

Vines:
Vitis spp. (grapes)

Herbs:
Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)
Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)
Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)
Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage)
Trientalis borealis (starflower)
Viola spp. (violets)

Sedges:
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)

Ferns and Fern Allies:
Lycopodium spp. (club mosses)
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (hay-scented fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Polypodium sp. (rock cap fern)

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