Skiff Mountain Coop Wildlife Management Area
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Northwest Corner Summit — Cooperative WMA on Skiff Mountain in the Northwest Corner — CT’s most remote and beautiful region
Skiff Mountain Coop Wildlife Management Area is a cooperative conservation area on Skiff Mountain in the “Northwest Corner” — Connecticut’s most remote, wild, and beautiful region. The area borders the Appalachian Trail and includes ridge-top habitats with panoramic views of the Taconic and Litchfield Hills. The Northwest Corner includes Kent, Sharon, Salisbury, and Canaan — towns that have attracted artists, writers, and diplomats for generations, including Henry Kissinger and Meryl Streep.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Northwest Corner, Litchfield County, CT |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Near | Appalachian Trail! |
| Region | CT’s most remote corner |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access the Appalachian Trail from here?
The Appalachian Trail passes through Connecticut’s Northwest Corner for about 50 miles — some of the most scenic hiking in the state. Several trailheads are accessible near Skiff Mountain.
About Skiff Mountain
Skiff Mountain Cooperative Wildlife Management Area in Sharon and Kent covers forested hillside in the most scenic corner of northwestern Connecticut — the Litchfield Hills. The area’s elevation (1,400+ feet) and northern latitude create habitat with a distinctly northern character, supporting nesting species like hermit thrush and winter wren more typical of Vermont.
Things to Do
Hunting (deer, turkey, bear), hiking, birdwatching for northern forest species, and fall foliage viewing. The Sharon-Kent area is considered the most beautiful in Connecticut, with covered bridges, classic New England villages, and the Appalachian Trail.
Insider Tips
Elevation views: Skiff Mountain offers some of the highest terrain in Connecticut’s Litchfield County — the hilltop provides panoramic views across the Housatonic River valley. Pro tip: The Appalachian Trail passes through nearby — combine a WMA visit with an AT section hike. Fall tip: The Housatonic Valley below produces stunning foliage viewed from above.
Best Time to Visit
October: Peak foliage from the elevated vantage point. Spring: Wildflowers and spring hawk migration. Summer: Cooler hilltop temperatures. Winter: Clear-day views extend for miles across the valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Appalachian Trail nearby?
Yes — the AT passes through northwestern Connecticut, crossing the Housatonic Valley. The Kent and Sharon sections offer some of the trail’s most scenic Connecticut miles.
Wildlife & Nature
Skiff Mountain Cooperative WMA in Kent preserves highland habitat in the Litchfield Hills at elevations exceeding 1,300 feet. The cooperative management model involves state wildlife agencies working with private landowners — extending conservation benefits beyond public land boundaries. At this elevation, the forest transitions to northern hardwoods with sugar maple, yellow birch, and American beech — species more typical of Vermont. Black bears are regular visitors — the Litchfield Hills support Connecticut’s largest bear population. The mountain’s cleared areas provide habitat for golden-winged warblers — one of North America’s most rapidly declining songbirds (declined 66% since 1966). Their preferred habitat of young, shrubby growth with scattered trees is increasingly rare.
Nearby Attractions
Kent village offers art galleries, the Eric Sloane Museum, and bookshops. Kent Falls State Park — Connecticut’s tallest waterfall — is nearby. Bulls Bridge — one of Connecticut’s two surviving covered bridges — spans a dramatic Housatonic gorge. Macedonia Brook State Park provides challenging hiking with Catskill Mountain views. Appalachian Trail — the section over St. Johns Ledges is one of the most dramatic on the entire 2,190-mile trail. Schaghticoke Road follows the Housatonic through some of Connecticut’s most scenic countryside.
