Mohawk State Forest
Encyclopedia
Mohawk State Forest is the sixth oldest forest
in the Connecticut
state forest system. It is located in the southern Berkshires of Litchfield County, in the towns of Cornwall
, Goshen
, and Litchfield
. Beginning in 1921, 2900 acres (11.7 km²) of land was donated by the White Memorial Trust. Today, the park encompasses 3703 acres (15 km²).
The name only comes indirectly from the Mohawk Indians, who did not live in the area. It is said that the local tribes would light fires at the top of the mountain to warn neighboring communities further south of approaching Mohawks.
The area is most popular in the winter for cross-country skiing
, and skiers and snowboarders
using the nearby Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
. It is also popular in the fall for leaf-peeping and offers hiking and camping opportunities. It is one of the few forests in Connecticut where hunting is prohibited.
. Plants such as Sheep Laurel, Leatherleaf, Sphagnum Moss, Sundew
, and Pitcher plant
are found here, with White Pine
, Black Spruce
, Eastern Hemlock
, and Tamarack comprising the overstory. A boardwalk leads visitors into the bog, and there is a separate area for disabled visitors.
and Berkshire Mountains to north and northwest, with peaks well into New York
and Massachusetts
being visible. On a clear day, Mount Greylock
and the eastern Catskills can be seen. The blue-blazed Mattatuck trail crosses the mountain.
Some peaks visible from the top of the mountain are:
, brook trout
, and rainbow trout
.
), Red Mountain (elev. 1652') occupies the northernmost section of Mohawk State Forest. Due to the shallow bedrock of the peak, the higher elevations of the mountain are home to shrubby oak
trees and several scenic views.
See also: List of Connecticut state forests
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
in the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
state forest system. It is located in the southern Berkshires of Litchfield County, in the towns of Cornwall
Cornwall, Connecticut
Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", a short poem in which the beauties of the countryside were portrayed as seductive:The town was also home to the Foreign...
, Goshen
Goshen, Connecticut
Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.Each July, the Connecticut Agricultural Fair is held in town. It is also home to the Goshen players.-Geography:...
, and Litchfield
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
. Beginning in 1921, 2900 acres (11.7 km²) of land was donated by the White Memorial Trust. Today, the park encompasses 3703 acres (15 km²).
The name only comes indirectly from the Mohawk Indians, who did not live in the area. It is said that the local tribes would light fires at the top of the mountain to warn neighboring communities further south of approaching Mohawks.
The area is most popular in the winter for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, and skiers and snowboarders
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
using the nearby Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
Mohawk Mountain is a small ski area located in Cornwall, Connecticut. The ski area was built on the northeast slope of Mohawk Mountain by Walt Schoenknecht in 1947. It is a popular destination for both day and night skiers and snowboarders in the Connecticut area...
. It is also popular in the fall for leaf-peeping and offers hiking and camping opportunities. It is one of the few forests in Connecticut where hunting is prohibited.
Black Spruce Bog
Mohawk State Forest is home to one of the few bogs in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Plants such as Sheep Laurel, Leatherleaf, Sphagnum Moss, Sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
, and Pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
are found here, with White Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
, Black Spruce
Black Spruce
Picea mariana is a species of spruce native to northern North America, from Newfoundland west to Alaska, and south to northern New York, Minnesota and central British Columbia...
, Eastern Hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
, and Tamarack comprising the overstory. A boardwalk leads visitors into the bog, and there is a separate area for disabled visitors.
Cunningham Tower
An old gutted stone tower stands along the blue trail in the northern section of the forest.Mohawk Mountain
The top of Mohawk Mountain (elev. 1683 feet) offers sweeping views of the Taconic MountainsTaconic Mountains
The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range are a physiographic section of the larger New England province and part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western...
and Berkshire Mountains to north and northwest, with peaks well into New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
being visible. On a clear day, Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock is the highest natural point in Massachusetts at . Its peak is located in the northwest corner of the state in the western part of the town of Adams in Berkshire County. Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting...
and the eastern Catskills can be seen. The blue-blazed Mattatuck trail crosses the mountain.
Some peaks visible from the top of the mountain are:
- Bear MountainBear Mountain (Connecticut)Bear Mountain, is prominent peak of the southern Taconic Mountains. It lies within the town of Salisbury, Connecticut, in the United States, and is the highest mountain summit in the state of Connecticut. The highest point in the state, however, is located on the south slope of Mount Frissell to...
(CT) - Race Mountain (MA)
- Mount EverettMount EverettMount Everett at 2,624 ft - or 800 m - is the highest peak in the south Taconic Mountains of Massachusetts. The mountain is known for its expansive views of the southern Taconics and Berkshires; for its fragile ecosystem of old growth pitch pine and scrub oak; and for its rare plant and animal...
(MA) - Canaan Mountain (CT)
- Cream Hill (CT)
- Wetuwanchu Mountain (CT)
Mohawk Pond
The southern section of the state forest borders Mohawk Pond, a small kettle pond. It is stocked with brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
.
Red Mountain
Accessible on on foot via the blue-blazed Mohawk Trail (formerly the Appalachian TrailAppalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
), Red Mountain (elev. 1652') occupies the northernmost section of Mohawk State Forest. Due to the shallow bedrock of the peak, the higher elevations of the mountain are home to shrubby oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees and several scenic views.
See also: List of Connecticut state forests