Crystal Cove Preserve
A short, easy walk to a bench overlooking Crystal Cove — and one of the only spots on the island with legal clamming access from an IHT preserve. Bring your license.
Crystal Cove Preserve is one of the smaller Island Heritage Trust properties in Stonington: 0.4 miles of trail, easy terrain, and a direct connection to the water. The trail runs 0.2 miles along the shoreline to a small loop, with a bench positioned for bird-watching over the cove. The habitat is a mix of coastal forest and marsh, and the birding is quiet but consistent.
The practical draw for many locals is the clamming access. The preserve parking lot adjoins a separate clammer's access lot, and the cove offers good clam flats — but you need a valid local clamming license to dig. Check with the town before you go.
Getting there takes some commitment: from Route 15, you follow Oceanville Road nearly three miles as it narrows to a dirt road, then keep left onto Cat Cove Road. The parking lot is easy to miss. Accessibility is rated Very Hard — the road alone is a barrier for most visitors.
What Visitors Say
"Lovely little preserve well off the main drag, with a short loop trail at the end of a long and unassuming dirt road. I wouldn't recommend attempting it in bad weather without 4 wheel drive. It's a bit of a drive to get there for a relatively short hike, but you're likely to have the place to yourself! I recommend also stopping at Settlement Quarry Preserve while you're in the area, to extend your hiking time."
"Cute nature walk around Inner cove across from Cat cove. Mossy pine forest with views of the cove. Check for ticks after walk."
"Quiet, cute... beautiful. Easy but squishy ground so watch your step. No people or car traffic whatsoever. Found tick on us though!"
Local Tips
- Bring your clamming license — the access is here, the flats are good, but no license means no digging.
- The dirt road section is narrow and can be muddy after rain; low-clearance vehicles may struggle.
- Check tide tables before going — clamming is best at low tide, and the cove views change dramatically with the water level.
- Pets allowed under voice control.
Connected To
- Settlement Quarry Preserve — about a mile up Oceanville Road (before it narrows), a much more popular IHT destination with big views and easy parking
- Stonington Public Landing — the working waterfront in Stonington, useful reference point for Stonington-area logistics
- Sand Beach — the island's best sandy beach; also on the Stonington side