Mohawk State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
2,268 acres13.2 mi of trail
Black Spruce Bog Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Cornwall
44% of Cornwall’s land is conserved: 12,925 acres
320 acres are parks and preserves, 225 per 1,000 residents. 56 miles of mapped trail cross Cornwall, 1.2 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Mohawk State Forest (13.2 mi), Housatonic State Forest (9.4 mi), Wyantenock State Forest (7.2 mi).
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
44%
12,925 acres · of 46.1 sq mi of land
Trails
56 mi
1.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
320 ac
225 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
42%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,683 ft
Mohawk Mountain
Lakes & rivers
19
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Cornwall?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild44% of the land is conserved; a typical Connecticut town, 15%.Room to roam225 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.A trail town1.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 85% of U.S. towns.History along the way9 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cornwall have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cornwall is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Cornwall’s overall grade.
Conserved land44% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (56 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land225 acres of park per 1,000 residents (320 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home42% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Cornwall’s 44% is ahead of 99% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 44% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Mohawk State Forest, with 13.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Housatonic State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
2,600 acres9.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wyantenock State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
2,100 acres7.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Dobbs Preserve
Managed by Cornwall Conservation Trust
118 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Trinity Forest Preserve
Managed by Cornwall Conservation Trust
303 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Rattlesnake Preserve
Managed by Cornwall Conservation Trust
95 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Day Preserve
Managed by Cornwall Conservation Trust
179 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Evans Preserve
Managed by Cornwall Conservation Trust
91 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 21 parks & preserves
Mohawk State Forest2,268 acres · 13.2 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHousatonic State Forest2,600 acres · 9.4 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsWyantenock State Forest2,100 acres · 7.2 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsDobbs Preserve118 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
Trinity Forest Preserve303 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsRattlesnake Preserve95 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsDay Preserve179 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsEvans Preserve91 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsRed Mountain Preserve66 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
Audrey and Robert Tobin Preserve65 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Kent Land Trust
Trinity Retreat Center141 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBoyum Preserve31 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsRobinson Preserve60 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
Ballyhack Preserve - Cornwall Conservation Trust, Inc.52 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsCathedral Pines Preserve46 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Cornwall Conservation Trust
DirectionsTown Open Space (Route 128)29 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCCT Walker-Cobble Easement15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Appalachian Trail Scenic Open Space130 acres · National Park Service
Kent Falls State Park76 acres
Brokaw Preserve51 acres · Cornwall Conservation Trust
CCT Walker-Cobble5 acres
Who protects it
12,925 conserved acres
44% of Cornwall’s land. Who manages Cornwall’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,833 ac
Private owners1,372 ac
Other state land790 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)479 ac
National Park Service156 ac
State conservation99 ac
Not recorded10,639 ac
State Resource Management Area · 7,275 acPrivate Conservation · 2,732 acUnknown Easement · 2,709 acConservation Easement · 1,637 acAgricultural Easement · 575 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,474 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 140 of 198 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housatonic State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 2,575 | Unknown |
| Mohawk State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 2,473 | Unknown |
| Wyantenock State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 2,157 | Unknown |
| Unknown Private Conservation | Not recorded | 1,678 | Unknown |
| Dark Entry Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 803 | Unknown |
| Evans Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 90 | Unknown |
| Matland Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 72 | Unknown |
| Unspecified State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 70 | Unknown |
| Tobin Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 69 | Unknown |
| Kent Falls State Park State Park | Not recorded | 64 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
48 places to go in Cornwall
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Cornwall
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Cornwall
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Cornwall
Mohawk Pond Boat LaunchIn Mohawk State Forest
DirectionsWaterfalls in Cornwall
4 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Cornwall
6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Cornwall
Mohawk Mountain1,683 ft elevation · In Mohawk State Forest
DirectionsThe Pinnacle1,647 ft elevation
DirectionsRed Mountain1,637 ft elevation · In Mohawk State Forest
DirectionsSedgwick Mountain1,624 ft elevation
DirectionsHowe Mountain1,552 ft elevation
DirectionsTitus Mountain1,522 ft elevation · In Housatonic State Forest
DirectionsWoodbury Mountain1,522 ft elevation
DirectionsDudleytown Hill1,512 ft elevation
Directions21 more peaks
Whitcomb Hill1,506 ft elevation · In Wyantenock State Forest
DirectionsCream Hill1,483 ft elevation
DirectionsPeck Mountain1,467 ft elevation · In Wyantenock State Forest
DirectionsHogshead1,463 ft elevation
DirectionsColtsfoot Mountain1,450 ft elevation · In Wyantenock State Forest
DirectionsPond Hill1,450 ft elevation
DirectionsBald Mountain1,407 ft elevation · In Wyantenock State Forest
DirectionsBuck Mountain1,368 ft elevation
DirectionsJennings Hill1,329 ft elevation
DirectionsRattlesnake Hill1,325 ft elevation
DirectionsGreen Mountain1,280 ft elevation
DirectionsWaller Hill1,266 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Cobble1,263 ft elevation · In CCT Walker-Cobble Easement
DirectionsMusic Mountain1,250 ft elevation · In Housatonic State Forest
DirectionsTarradiddle1,237 ft elevation
DirectionsHough Mountain1,227 ft elevation · In Housatonic State Forest
DirectionsBloody Mountain1,220 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Hogback1,194 ft elevation
DirectionsMine Mountain1,165 ft elevation
DirectionsCherry Hill1,161 ft elevation
DirectionsQuarry Hill1,161 ft elevation
Directions34 peaks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 19 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.6 miUnpaved · 34.1 mi
Great Hollow Road South0.3 mi
Black Spruce Bog Trail0.1 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
5Tennis
1Baseball
1Basketball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →9 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Cornwall Bridge Railroad StationBuilding · listed 1972
About itWest Cornwall BridgeStructure · listed 1975
About itCream Hill Agricultural SchoolBuilding · listed 1976
About itCream Hill ShelterBuilding · listed 1986
About itRed Mountain ShelterBuilding · listed 1986
About itRumsey HallBuilding · listed 1990
About itMaj. Gen. John Sedgwick HouseBuilding · listed 1992
About itStephen and Helen Foster HouseBuilding · listed 2017
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Cornwall: May to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 36 | 44 | 57 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 60 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.9 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Cornwall →
Next door
Cornwall and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Kent66 miSharon65 miCornwall56 miCanaan26 miGoshen20 miWarren15 miWest Cornwall3.2 miCornwall Bridge0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 44% | 1.2 | 225 | 42% | A |
| Sharon | 37% | 1.1 | 434 | 32% | A |
| West Cornwall | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Goshen | 23% | 0.5 | 145 | 30% | A− |
| Cornwall Bridge | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Canaan | 51% | 0.8 | 1,205 | 60% | A |
| Kent | 46% | 1.4 | 954 | 67% | A+ |
| Warren | 21% | 0.6 | 582 | 68% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cornwall
Where can I hike in Cornwall?
The longest trail networks: Mohawk State Forest, 13.2 miles; Housatonic State Forest, 9.4 miles; Wyantenock State Forest, 7.2 miles; Dobbs Preserve, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cornwall is conserved land?
44% of its land, against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Cornwall’s trails?
Mohawk State Forest and Housatonic State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Cornwall?
23,706 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cornwall or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 695 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Cornwall have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Cornwall neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →