Taylor Woods Preserve

On the first Saturday in Spring, the weather was nice (despite snow in the forecast 4 days later we were trying to ignore), so we decided to shake off winter and ventured out for a hike at Taylor Woods Preserve.  Our 6-year-old son Avery hadn’t been on a hike for a while, and was game to go out, but disappointed to hear that there likely wouldn’t be too many bugs to discover under rocks or frogs in the water.  Knowing that there was water in the preserve – along with the chance to throw in rocks or sticks – kept him going.  

The path in Taylor Woods is a big loop, bisected by a path that I believe is for the high tension lines.  I recommend the loop to see the most.  We came across two logs that were down that we could use as an uphill balance beam.  The slant gets steeper as you go up, so it becomes a greater and greater challenge until it’s nearly impossible.

We came to a spot where the preserve meets up with the river.  This is a great spot to sit and have a snack.  There are some big logs as well as some huge boulders.  

Post-snack, Avery commenced with the highlight of the trip: tossing sticks into the water.  There is a small waterfall on a dam upriver and the waterway is relatively narrow forcing it to come down river with significant speed.  Avery was fascinated by the foam that collected along the river bank.  He also went ‘fishing’ with a stick and caught a few leaves and a weed.

This preserve isn’t huge, but was a nice 30-45 minute walk for the three of us.  The trails are well-maintained and marked.  And most importantly for springtime: no mud.  

For maps, directions and more information about the Taylor Woods Preserve in Weston, click here. 

Sections: Exploring Preserves with Kids