Discover Cornwall

There are several distinct reasons to visit Cornwall: river recreation on the Housatonic, hikes with different trail profiles, and the West Cornwall Covered Bridge. This lets you shape your plans around what you want your vacation to focus on—nature and outdoor activities, or a historic structure. This question can also help you search for a vacation rental: which experiences interest you most?

A covered bridge in West Cornwall

The West Cornwall Covered Bridge is one of the last covered bridges in Connecticut and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is 172 feet long and 15 feet wide. It is located in West Cornwall. For travelers who want to include history and architecture in their stay, it offers a different perspective on Cornwall than the recreational opportunities by the water and in the woods.

River recreation at Housatonic Meadows State Park

Housatonic Meadows State Park is a 452-acre public recreation area on the Housatonic River in the towns of Sharon and Cornwall. It offers opportunities for camping, hiking, picnicking, canoeing, and fly-fishing. The Appalachian Trail also passes through the state park. The park offers several ways to spend time outdoors. In the Cornwall section of the Housatonic River, you can paddle, fish, and hike. When planning, you can decide whether to focus on the state park’s broader range of activities or specifically on river recreation in Cornwall.

Hiking trails with different profiles

Nearby, Welles Preserve has an easy, one-mile trail over Bloody Mountain. It passes through the woods, has a very short climb, and offers views of Cornwall Village. The walk takes 15 to 20 minutes; there is a picnic table at the top. The parking lot is on Town Street, four-tenths of a mile from the intersection with Route 128.

Also nearby is the Pine Knob Loop Trail in Housatonic Meadows State Park and Housatonic State Forest, west of the Housatonic River and north of Cornwall Bridge. The 2.6-mile loop offers views over the river valley and shares part of its route with the Appalachian Trail. The trail is short and challenging. Another point of comparison is the nearby section of the Appalachian Trail from Falls Village to West Cornwall Road: it is 18.2 miles long, includes a river, and has some challenging climbs. The trails therefore differ not only in length, but also in the level of difficulty and format described: from a walk to a loop trail to a longer section of trail.

Forest trails and seasonal products

The Mohawk Blue Blazed Trail runs through the pines and is a popular starting point and destination in Cornwall. Its explicitly noted pine forest setting adds a woodland experience to the river and valley views. In West Cornwall, the seasonal farmers’ market offers products and other local goods from farms and artisan vendors. Since the schedule may change, check the dates before visiting.

When searching for a vacation rental in Cornwall, you can first decide what matters most to you: river recreation, hikes of varying lengths and difficulty, or the historic bridge.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Warren, Canaan, Plymouth, New Milford, Litchfield, Sharon, Northfield, Torrington.

For the overview of the wider area: Litchfield.