Bridges into the Past

Begin this getaway on Route 7 just south of the center of Kent, where you can take a turn on Bulls Bridge Road and cross Bulls Bridge, a covered timber truss built in 1842. The 109-foot-bridge spans a rocky section of the Housatonic River. There are trails that lead up and down the river if you want to take a short hike. Next, explore the village of Kent and pick up a takeout lunch at one of several spots, such as The Kent Market.

Take your picnic to Macedonia Brook State Park, which offers hiking trails and splendid views of the Catskill and Taconic Mountains. Visitors can camp in a 51-site campground, picnic, fish, and hike the blue-blazed Macedonia Ridge Trail, which crosses Cobble Mountain and other peaks, offering outstanding views and vistas particularly in the fall.

After your picnic, head further up Route 7 and then to Route 128, where you can drive across the West Cornwall Covered Bridge, built in 1841. The 242-foot-long covered wooden lattice truss bridge spans the Housatonic River, and its red paint has made it a Connecticut postcard pinup for decades.

From Cornwall Bridge, find your way south along Route 45 to New Preston. Spend the night on 680-acre Lake Waramaug, one of the state’s most photogenic lakes. Watch the sunset from the Hopkins Inn , a serene lakeside locale. Be sure to bring your appetite; the Inn has a highly acclaimed restaurant.

If the weather is right, rise and shine for a most memorable early-morning hot-air balloon ride over the Litchfield Hills. Aer Blarney Balloons in Bethlehem offers customized flights. You’ll never forget it as the perfect way to view fall foliage.