Cornish has many scenic roads and viewpoints, with some roads being specifically designated as ‘scenic’ by the Selectboard. Any road in Cornish, other than a Class I or Class II highway, may be designated as a scenic road with a petition signed by 10 people who are either voters of the Town or who own land which abuts the road, and approval by the voters at any annual or special meeting.
Currently, the following roads have been designated as “scenic” at previous Town meetings:
- Lang Road
- St. Gaudens Road
- Whitten Road
- Gap Road
- Paget Road
- Platt Road
When you drive along these roads (except in mud season!), the beautiful forestlands, historic stonewalls, and scenic viewpoints are evident.
After a road is designated as “scenic”, any repair, maintenance, reconstruction, utility, or paving work done by the state or the Town of Cornish may not involve the cutting, damage or removal of trees, or the tearing down or destruction of stone walls except with the prior written consent of the Cornish Planning Board. One exception to this is that trees may be removed by the Cornish Road Agent with written permission by the Selectboard or a public utility company may remove trees for safety reasons and/or to restore power.
The Connecticut River Byway, a tri-state scenic drive in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, follows the Connecticut River through Cornish along Route 12A. Cornish is also included in the Connecticut River Heritage Trail, a 77-mile driving/biking/walking tour of history and architecture in Claremont, Cornish, Plainfield, Windsor and Hartland. The tour guide brochure was published in 1999 by the Connecticut River Joint Commissions.
Almost every road in Cornish has a place along it that offers a beautiful view. Some examples include looking west toward Mt. Ascutney from the top of Dingleton Hill and Lang Roads, along route 12A looking over the Connecticut River at the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, looking up the valley from route 120 in front of the Cornish Flat Fire Station, along Cornish Stage Road looking toward lush farmlands, verdant fields, and wetlands, and along East Road looking toward the distant hills and forests.