Lake Lillinonah is located between the boundaries of Bridgewater, Brookfield, New Milford, Newtown, Roxbury and Southbury. Lake Lillinonah is part of the Housatonic River system. It begins at Lover’s Leap in New Milford and ends at the Shepaug Dam in Southbury. The lake was formed in 1955 by Connecticut Light and Power for hydroelectricity. The land that was flooded to form Lake Lillinonah was virtually a canyon with extremely steep hills on all sides. These steep hillsides still exist around the water and rise 200 ft or more along the lake. From New Milford the lake extends 12 miles to the Shepaug Dam; covers 1900 acres; has 45 miles of shoreline; and has a maximum water depth of 110 feet.

The shoreline of Lake Lillinonah is beautifully lined with primarily deciduous forests. Of the 45 miles of shoreline, 43 are wooded. Lake Lillinonah is the winter home to as many as 40 Bald Eagles. The eagles have discovered that the tailrace below the Shepaug Dam is a good source for fish and feed here from November to March. The eagles roost along the steep shores of the lake. One of the major roosting areas is the west shore line of the Shepaug River branch on the lake 3 ½ miles from the dam.

The lake ranks as one of Connecticut’s premier fishing lakes with excellent Bass fishing. The Connecticut state record for Northern Pike was caught in Lake Lillinonah.  Lake Lillinonah ranks first in the state for bass growth rates and among the highest in the state for bass population densities. Lake Lillinonah is a hidden treasure that has become a true asset for the towns adjoining the lake, regional residents, and the state of Connecticut.