page_title: Housatonic Range Trail
section_title: Historic sites
hierarchical_section_title: Housatonic Range Trail / History and folklore / Historic sites
caption_attribution_description: Housatonic Range Blue-Blazed Trail. Blue-Blazed CFPA linear foot path from Candlewood Mountain in New Milford and to Gaylordsville Cemetary in Gaylordsville. Housatonic Range CFPA Blue-Blazed Trail in New Milford. Tory's Cave sign at Tory's Cave on side trail.
context_page_description: The Housatonic Range Trail is a 6.2-mile Blue-Blazed hiking trail in the Housatonic Valley Region of Litchfield County in the town of New Milford in the Candlewood Mountain and Gaylordsville Connecticut sections.The north-south axis of the trail parallels the Housatonic River through private land and land trust parcels.The Housatonic Range Trail is maintained largely through the efforts of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, which provides online Blue Trail maps.
  The Housatonic Range Trail is primarily used as a through-hike or bird-watching. The trail consists of several quiet woodland segments, with terrain ranging from riparian valley to ridgeline escarpments; it is intersected in a handful of places by small country lanes where car-parking slots are very convenient but of limited size. Thus, the trail is taken as one through-hike, or a series of shorter hikes. The northern end of the trail veers slightly westward away from the Housatonic River.
context_section_description: The Tory's Cave is the only natural "marble" true cave (created by water dripping and wearing away rock rather than by upheavals in the earth and rock) in Connecticut.    A legend that Tories hid in the cave during the Revolutionary war has no factual basis.  The cave is narrow at the opening, parts of it are physically closed off and it is wet inside with parts occupied by bats with "White Nose Syndrome". There is a warning sign outside the cave opening with safety rules including one that only experienced spelunkers should enter it; however, it is CLOSED indefinitely to protect the bats. Do not enter.
  There are several public recreational areas close to the Housatonic Range Trail which have historic significance and are worth visiting for visitors to the area.
  Candlewood Lake was the first man-made body of water created just for water stored as potential energy.  It was created using several dams, one river and water pumped in from the Housatonic River.  Today it is the largest lake in Connecticut and a major recreation area. As the average depth of the lake is only forty (40) feet scuba divers can find submerged houses, cars and airplane wrecks.
  Candlewood Lake is named after Candlewood Mountain which was named for the bright burning strips of pine which Native Americans taught the early settlers to make as wax candle substitutes.
  Squantz Pond State Park and the neighboring Pootatuck State Forest are located on the opposite side of Candlewood Lake from the Housatonic Range Trail.
  Lover's Leap State Park at the northern shore of Lake Lillinonah contains many historic ruins and is the legendary location for the suicide leap of Princess Lillinonah.
caption: Tory's Cave Sign.
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