Project Description
About Caroline Tuthill Preserve
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
NOTICE REGARDING CAROLINE TUTHILL PRESERVE (3/31/25)
Sheriff’s Meadow received a Habitat Management Grant from Mass Wildlife for a pitch pine thinning project at the Caroline Tuthill Preserve. The purposes of the thinning are twofold: first, to prepare the forest to better withstand a future southern pine beetle outbreak and second, to reduce the wildfire hazard in the event of a crown fire. The forest cutting plan has been reviewed and approved by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. The area to be thinned is approximately 15 acres in size and is contained within the yellow trail loop. We will be working on this project from now until June 30, 2025. We may periodically need to close sections of the trail network to perform the tree cutting safely.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 508-693-5207 or info@sheriffsmeadow.org.
————————————————————————————-The Caroline Tuthill Preserve is an expanse of over 150 acres of oak and pitch pine forest, wooded wetlands, salt marsh and open meadow. Sengekontacket Pond and Beach Road flank the Preserve to the north; the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road flanks the Preserve to the south. Generously given to Sheriff’s Meadow by John and Nora Tuthill between 1972 and 1983, the Caroline Tuthill Preserve is the largest single gift of land received by Sheriff’s Meadow in its history.
The public is invited to enjoy the Preserve by walking or bicycling on the Garrett Family Trail and the many other trails on the property. The Garrett Family Trail was established in memory of Caroline Garrett Tuthill and is a self-guided nature walk. The trail follows a circuitous path through the forest, and includes expansive views of the salt marshes along Sengekontacket Pond. The 1.35 mile purple trail, south of the Garrett Familly Trail, was designed specifically with mountain bicyclists in mind. Bicyclists will enjoy 200 feet of elevation change and a challenging, winding course on this trail. The blue trail, the white trail, and the red trail all make connections to the bicycle path along Beach Road.
DIRECTIONS
From the Triangle intersection in Edgartown, travel 0.5 miles west on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road to the trailhead located on the right. From the rotary at the junction of the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road and Barnes road, travel east 3.6 miles on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road to the trailhead located on your left.
