1. Cathedral Pines Farm
City: Cornwall, CT
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (860) 672-6747
Address: 10 Valley Rd.
Description: After a long drive through fenced meadows, you’ll reach a house on a hillside with a view of this hanging valley on the Mohawk plateau. This 18th-century-style farmhouse with big wood beams on the ceiling of the kitchen is owned by the Calhoun family, who has lived in Litchfield County since 1740. It is one of the oldest llama farms in New England, starting in 1977. There’s a relaxing greenhouse porch, and a house full of period antiques that has been featured in several magazines. But for many the attraction is watching llama babies frolic in the pasture just outside. Two rooms, each with private bath, are available. If you’re tall, make sure to ask for the one with a higher ceiling. After blueberry pancakes in the morning, walk down the road and up the blue trail into the forest, where you’ll see the Cathedral Pines, an old-growth stand of high white pines, of which many were knocked down by a tornado 30 years ago.
2. Housatonic River
City: Cornwall, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 485-0226
Insider Pick:
Description: Fishing the Housatonic is a lot like fishing a river out west. It’s large and full of fish, and since the PCB level from factories upriver has waned, it has become one of the state’s three or four great fishing areas. If you’re looking for trout, the 10-mile Management Area by Cornwall Bridge is your best bet, though it’s fly fishing only (use the always reliable Blue-Winged Olives or Muddler Minnows; no need for tricks here). The state stocks large brown trout here, and during lower-flow months, it is wadeable. However, expect smallmouth bass to hit your line hard and often, too. Most months this river can be fished from a canoe or float, and there are sections available to fish all the way from its mouth in Milford to the Massachusetts state line. In the autumn, stand in the river or sit by the shore and watch barn swallows catch bugs high above, shaded by trees with leaves of gorgeous red, yellow, and orange.
3. Mohawk Mountain
City: Cornwall, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (800) 895-5222
Address: 46 Great Hollow Rd.
Description: Mohawk is the largest and oldest ski area in the state, with 23 trails, 5 lifts, and state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment. There are also cross-country ski trails in the Mohawk State Forest, and some of them are very challenging, heading all the way to the top. If you’re interested in snowmobiling, the park also has designated areas for your use. On the western slopes, the ski area has a retail shop, rentals, waxing and repair services, and a learning center that provides lessons for all ages and skill levels. The trails interconnect, so you can create new paths and feel like you’re skiing a much larger mountain. Relax in Pine Lodge and get hot chocolate from their ski-in restaurant. Mohawk Mountain State Forest is a huge destination in the summer, too (see “Hiking, Biking & Walking”).