Details

The Mattabesett section of the New England Trail at the Highland Pond Preserve in Middletown, managed by the Middlesex Land Trust between Bell St and Atkins St, will be closed from June 1- Fall 2025. Construction will begin to remove the aging dam and restore Sawmill Brook’s natural stream system at the Preserve. This closure is necessary to ensure public safety during the construction process and to allow for safe and efficient restoration work on the site.

The only alternative for hikers to bypass this section is to roadwalk around the property utilizing Saw Mill Rd.

Why Remove the Dam? Highland Pond is a peaceful, cherished space. For many, it’s the only version of this landscape they’ve ever known. However, the dam—over a century old—is rated by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection as a Significant Hazard (Class B) structure. That designation means that failure could result in serious downstream impacts, including risk to human life, and damage to infrastructure and property.