Williams Woods may be the best remaining mature valley clay plain forest in the Champlain Valley. This forest type is composed of white oak, red oak, red maple, white pine, shagbark hickory, and white ash. Associated species include hemlock, sugar maple, beech, and bur oak. Although this forest type once covered thousands of acres in the Champlain Valley, woodlands like these are now rare.

Recently we named the 1-mile trail at William Woods the “Hamilton Trail,” after our long-serving trustee, Dr. Lawrence S. Hamilton, who passed in the fall of 2016. His contributions to the conservation arena are too many to list but his impact as a professor, writer, nature advocate, community member, and friend made an indelible impact both locally and globally.

There are five different natural community types within Williams Woods: a valley clay plain forest, a white pine and hemlock stand, mixed hardwoods, a marshy area along Thorp Brook, and a regenerating field.

What to See: Animals

Vernal pools associated with Thorp Brook are important breeding sites for amphibians. Williams Woods is home to a number of amphibians such as the blue-spotted salamander, the grey tree frog, and the red-spotted newt. Barred owls have been sighted in the forest as well.

The TrailFinder website has a description and map of a hike at Williams Woods Natural Area.