Stony Brook All Persons Trail Repair

Designed and built in 2007, the All Persons Sensory Trail at Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary features flat and even paths, wheelchair-friendly bridges, and sensory elements for individuals with visual or auditory impairments. This 2,000-foot (round trip) trail leads to the marsh and pond, continues through a pine forest, travels over a wetland boardwalk, and ends at a deck overlooking Teal Marsh and Kingfisher Pond. 

Years of wear and tear, worsened by poor drainage, made a large section of the popular trail nearly impassable after rainstorms, necessitating major repairs. Mass Audubon’s entire statewide property team worked on November 15 to ensure the trail could withstand another 20 years of heavy use and harsh weather.

Step 1: Narrowing the Trail

Over time, visitors inadvertently widened the trail trying to avoid the flooded areas. To counter this, the team narrowed the trail by raking the edges a few feet on both sides. This will allow the native plants a chance to regrow. A fresh layer of gravel helped reshape the trail while  ensuring proper water drainage and preventing future erosion.

Step 2: Creating Better Drainage

In the area rendered impassable by flooding, the team employed what is known as a geotextile drainage burrito. This wrapped system of gravel encased in a permeable, non-woven synthetic fabric, channels water away while preventing soil intrusion and maintaining structural stability.

To create the burrito, staff covered geotextile material, a durable, permeable fabric, with 1.5-foot stones. They then folded the material over the stones to form a drainage layer that directs water away from the trail and into newly dug channels on the sides of the trail. Finally, they covered the material with smaller gravel, leveled it out, and compacted it to match the smoothness of the rest of the trail.

Visit the Newly Refreshed Trail

Take a walk out to the boardwalk to see the newly refurbished trail. Look for the burrito before the first spillway and come back next spring to see how the plants along the trail fare. Be sure to download the trail guide and learn more about Stony Brook’s additional accessibility features on Stony Brook’s Accessibility Page