Ranging in elevation from 607 feet to a high of 758 feet, more than two miles of trails traverse forest, wetland, ledge, and meadow at Highstead. Special features include native plant collections, deer management demonstrations, a boardwalk, and three-acre man-made pond. Informational signage, plant labels, and walking tours provide opportunities for visitors to acquaint themselves with Highstead's flora, landscape history, and conservation projects.
Highstead offers guided tours which coincide with many of its educational programs and the peak bloom of the native flora and special collections. For a current schedule please see our calendar of events .
Trails are open for self-guided tours from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Monday through Friday by appointment only. Visitors may call the Highstead Barn at 203-938-8809 or email info@highstead.net.
Self-guided tours
- Native Tree & Shrub Walk: The Native Tree and Shrub Walk is an hour and a half tour of the Arboretum, and a wonderful way to acquaint one's self with the flora and topography found at Highstead.
- The Laurel Collection: In addition to the natural growth of mountain laurel on the property, three of the seven laurel species are represented in Highstead's collection. June will find the laurel at peak bloom, with over seventy cultivars to admire.
- The Azalea Collection: Ideally suited to the dappled shade of the woodland understory, the fourteen species of deciduous azaleas (three native) planted in this collection provide color and fragrance from April through June.
- The Sweet Pepperbush Collection: Extremely fragrant and flowering in early August, this native shrub grows abundantly throughout Highstead's swampland. A collection of cultivars planted at the pond display the range of attributes that make the sweet pepperbush a welcome addition to home landscapes and natural areas.
