Tucked alongside US-7’s busy corridor, this Urban Wild attests that rich stories and peaceful retreats hide in even the smallest of Burlington’s open spaces. Just beyond the sweet scent of black locust trees lining the street, a clandestine entrance through a brambly hedge welcomes explorers into a small forested oasis. The footpath follows fox and raccoon tracks to the edge of Englesby Brook, where the sound of traffic is replaced by tinkling water and wind sweeping through monarch pines above. The path continues over an enchanting stone bridge, through a garden of ostrich ferns, and between large maple, ash, and oak trees. Old, gnarly black willows sink their roots into the rich, wet soils at the edge of the brook. In the spring, rivulets form trickling waterfalls over the deep redstone quartzite formations exposed in the ravine edges.

Crescent Woods is best understood as a remnant of its surroundings. Englesby Brook originates from tributary springs seeping from cracks in the redstone bedrock around the hillsides of the neighborhoods just beyond the park. The waters collect and flow through the park’s namesake crescent-shaped forested ravine connecting South Prospect Street to Shelburne Road. The brook once extended all the way to Oakledge Park, but has since been sunk under fill and culverts for most of its journey to the lake. Early-morning joggers and dog walkers enjoy sauntering through this protected stretch of this historic ravine. Beloved by its neighbors, Crescent Woods has even been the site of Halloween-haunted forests for youngsters in the vicinity.