Its name doesn’t lie; Fairchild Wildflower Sanctuary is positively bursting with wildflowers! Greenwich, Connecticut is just a stone throw away from the Westchester, New York border and makes for a delightful little day trip. You can find a really wonderful hike just a few moments out of the town center [North Porchuck Road, 0.5 miles east of Riversville Road in Greenwich]. Violets, trout lilies, wood anemone, and so many more blossoms carpet the forest floor.
There are over eight miles of trails within the sanctuary and while the map is slightly confusing [http://greenwich.audubon.org/sites/default/files/documents/fairchildwildflowergardenmap.pdf] we decided to just head right at every junction creating a perimeter, and choosing additional trails of particular interest close to the parking lot. For some time we followed a creek with a lush little waterfall.
We sat on a rock in the middle of the creek and soaked up some sun and listened to the water run. You can see a few private homes in the distance, what a lucky location to be so close to this place. We saw some garter snakes who politely posed for us, while enjoying the sun as well.
So many birds were active here, we heard the sound of woodpeckers and spotted some stunning iridescent tree swallows swooping and swaying in the meadow happily.
There are many habitats present ranging from forest, to meadow, to wetlands, and each is unique and beautiful in its own way.
Shockingly we didn’t run into any people at the preserve, just an abundance of wildlife. What a delightful place to immerse yourself into the sights, sounds, and smells of nature!