About the Property
The Forest Society primarily manages this property for sustainable forestry, productive wildlife habitat, and other conservation benefits in support of the greater Sutton community. While all of our reservations are open to the public, this property may be difficult to access due to a lack of developed recreation features and resources such as signage, parking, established trails, and a detailed Forest Reservation Guide map.
Please see our Visitor Use Guidelines page for a complete list of rules and regulations for Forest Society reservations.
If you are looking to explore a unique forest in this area that offers a wider array of recreational opportunities, we encourage you to visit any of our “recommended properties nearby” featured below.
Recommended Properties Nearby
More than 100 years ago, the rugged natural beauty of Land Sunapee’s shores inspired American author and diplomat John M. Hay to build a summer retreat in Newbury. John Hay had been a private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and secretary of state under two presidents (William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt).
***Note: All trails on Reney Forest are temporarily closed and are not expected to be open again until December 2024 due to a forest management project. To learn more about this and other forest management projects, visit Recent Forestry Projects or Cutting for Conservation***
Like much of the region, the slopes of Barton Hill were cleared for farm pastures and timber by the mid 1800s. The abandonment of hill farms allowed this land to gradually revert to a forest of poplar, white birch, and pine.