Haystack Mountain, Campbell Falls & Little Red Barn Brewers
One of the things that I love most about Connecticut is how diverse the landscape is. From mountain ranges to forests, rivers to lakes, there is no shortage of things to explore.
Craving some quiet time outdoors, we drove up to a little town called Norfolk in the northwest corner of the state. Within a few mile radius, we hiked up a historic tower with sweeping views (Haystack Mountain), climbed a beautiful natural waterfall (Campbell Falls) and topped it off with some seriously good food and drinks at a local brewery (Little Red Barn Brewers). It was just what we needed, and we look forward to returning to this area of the state every summer.
If you’re looking for a day trip within Connecticut that feels like a mini getaway, re-create this day below! I recommend going in this order (I know I started with the waterfall picture on IG, but like I had to…) but you can’t go wrong with any of these spots. They’re definitely best experienced on a bright sunny day so you can really take in all the views and spend a lot of time at each place.
STOP #1: HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK (1-2 HOURS)
Route 272, Norfolk, CT 06058
All Trails • Directions • Parking
✔ Dog-friendly
✔ Free parking
✖ No restrooms or facilities
✖ No water fountain
The Haystack Mountain trail is a quick one-mile out and back that leads to a historic tower with panoramic views. In the early 1880s, Litchfield resident Robbins Battell wanted to disprove the Encyclopedia’s statement that Connecticut had no elevations 1,000 feet above sea level. He hired a surveyor, documented that several locations topped that elevation and built towers on those sites for the public to enjoy the views. The original Haystack Mountain tower was destroyed in 1895 by a heavy wind storm, but was rebuilt in the early 1900s with the help of Battell’s family and the community to preserve the park for generations to come.
The trail is relatively easy, well marked and leads right to the footsteps of the tower. Several staircases will bring you to 360 degree views of the Berkshires and peaks in Massachusetts, New York, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Be sure to bring your camera, some bug spray and water.
STOP #2: CAMPBELL FALLS (2-3 HOURS)
Old, Spaulding Rd, Norfolk Historic District, CT 06058
All Trails • Directions • Parking
✔ Dog-friendly
✔ Free parking
✖ No restrooms or facilities
✖ No water fountain
There’s just something about Campbell Falls that makes you feel like you're a thousand miles away from it all. A 1.4 mile hike through the forest, crossing over the Connecticut/Massachusetts border, opens up to a picturesque 50-foot waterfall. While it's not a long hike and the waterfall won’t rival Niagara, it’s a beautiful place to spend the day. I recommend getting there early to grab a spot for the day as there aren’t any designated picnic tables or sitting areas, just large rocks that you can lay a towel down on.
For the best seat in the house, follow the path to the right about halfway up the waterfall (which is where this picture was taken). There’s a large L-shaped rock with plenty of room for 3-4 people to spread out and have a picnic, which is exactly what we did. Enjoy the sunshine and close up view of waterfall, and then hop in to cool off and do some exploring.
STOP #3: LITTLE RED BARN BREWERS (1-2 HOURS)
32 Lake St, Winsted, CT 06098
Website • Directions • Tap list
✔ Dog-friendly outside at the picnic tables (they even brought ours a bowl of water!)
✔ Food trucks — schedule
✔ Live music — schedule
I love a good winery or brewery, especially after spending the day outdoors. Little Red Barn Brewers is on your way back to central CT, about 15 minutes from Campbell Falls. It has a great rustic taproom indoors, several picnic tables outdoors and there are almost always food trucks in the parking lot (including one of my favorites — Lobster Tails Food Truck from Wallingford).
The brewery was started by two brothers and their best friend who grew up in the area and remain committed to serving the local community, and you can feel the positive hometown vibes when you’re there. Check out their website for a currently beer listing and upcoming live music line up.
