Bantam Lake near Torrington CT: Tichnor Brothers, Publisher, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Litchfield Hills region is the only landlocked region in Connecticut and makes no hesitation in embracing the inland beauty of New England. With postcard perfect towns, rolling hills, covered bridges, and forested trails dotted with waterfalls, this is quintessential New England.
It’s all about the outdoors. The Appalachian Trail runs through here, and entertainment consists of canoeing, kayaking, hiking or picking fruit at local farms. Nightlife is a firepit with stars overhead. Summer and fall are the peak seasons – there are a couple ski resorts in the region, but winter is quieter.
There are a few sizable towns. Danbury is an attractive city to the southwest of the region, and home to Western Connecticut State University, once known for its hat making. Waterbury, a city to the southeast of the region with a dense suburban feel, was once the center of the American brass industry. Torrington, in the north of the region, is a small city, once a mill town, and has a dense suburban feel.
Beyond these, the region is pretty much small towns and villages. Litchfield (the town) is a must stop. Here you can shop the boutiques along West Street, dine at one of the several restaurants, and stroll around this charming community and its pretty homes. Other picturesque towns of note include New Preston, Kent, Washington, and Woodbury.
Favorite hikes can be found at Kent Falls State Park, Dennis Hill State Park and Haystack Mountain State Park in Norfolk, White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, Cathedral Pines Trail in Cornwall, and Mine Hill Preserve in Roxbury. Canoe or kayak on Lake Waramaug, Bantam Lake, Mount Tom State Park, Candlewood Lake, or Lake Lillinonah.
There are so many areas in New England that lend themselves to scenic drives, and the Litchfield Hills is one of these. A drive connecting New Preston, Litchfield, Goshen, Winsted, North Canaan, West Cornwall, Kent and Warren will pretty much take you through all the beauty that is this region. The Connecticut Wine Trail will also take you to a number of wineries in the area.
So there’s only one question left – why aren’t you here yet?
