A 30-acre Sterling Land Trust wetland preserve on Kendall Hill Road, gifted in 2003, protecting roughly half of the open meadow wetland and red maple swamp that surrounds landlocked Fitch Pond. It is a wetland buffer for walking and nature observation, not a swim beach; the pond itself is reached separately and allows foot-only public access under the state's Great Pond law.
What to expect
Dogs
Must be under restraint and control off the owner's property, either on a leash held by a competent person or under the owner's direct control, per the townwide animal-control bylaw.
Worth knowing
- The land was donated to the Trust in 2003 by Gary Griffin as trustee of the Great Pond Realty Trust, and protects about half of Sterling's largest wetland (roughly 100 acres total).
Common questions
No maintained trail network; it's an open wetland meadow best explored on foot, ideally in winter when the swamp is frozen.
No property-specific rule is posted, so the townwide leash law applies.
Can I bring my dog to Fitch Pond Floodplain?
Must be under restraint and control off the owner's property, either on a leash held by a competent person or under the owner's direct control, per the townwide animal-control bylaw.