List of Connecticut state parks
Appearance
(Redirected from Connecticut state park)
Connecticut’s 106 State Parks
This is a list of state parks, reserves, forests and wildlife management areas (WMAs) in the Connecticut state park and forest system, shown in five tables. The first table lists state parks and reserves, the second lists state park trails, the third lists state forests, the fourth lists Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and the fifth lists other state-owned, recreation-related areas. It is possible to faintly view the Milky Way in 10 state parks.[1]
Connecticut state parks
[edit]Name | Town | County | Area[2] | Estab- lished | River / lake / other | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | |||||||
Above All State Park | Warren | Litchfield | 31 | 13 | 1927 | ![]() |
Undeveloped site with Cold War defense installation remnants | |
Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve | Bloomfield | Hartford | 40 | 16 | 2015 | ![]() |
Farmland gifted to state | |
Beaver Brook State Park | Chaplin, Windham | Windham | 401 | 162 | 1955 | Bibbins Pond | ![]() |
Fishing; abuts Air Line State Park Trail |
Becket Hill State Park Reserve | Lyme | New London | 260 | 110 | 1961 | Uncas Pond | ![]() |
Adjacent to Nehantic State Forest |
Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument | North Canaan | Litchfield | 12 | 4.9 | 1946 | Historic iron-making furnace dating from 1847 | ||
Bennett's Pond State Park | Ridgefield, Danbury | Fairfield | 460 | 190 | 2002 | ![]() |
Former estate and nursery called Outpost Farm | |
Bigelow Hollow State Park | Union | Tolland | 516 | 209 | 1949 | Bigelow Pond, Mashapaug Lake |
![]() |
Adjoins Nipmuck State Forest and borders Mashapaug Lake; boat launch, swimming |
Black Rock State Park | Watertown | Litchfield | 444 | 180 | 1926 | Black Rock Pond | ![]() |
Camping, pond fishing, Mattatuck Trail |
Bluff Point State Park | Groton | New London | 806 | 326 | 1963 | Long Island Sound | ![]() |
Ocean access, boat launch; near Haley Farm State Park |
Bolton Notch State Park | Bolton | Tolland | 95 | 38 | 1918 | ![]() |
Rock climbing | |
Brainard Homestead State Park | East Haddam | Middlesex | 25 | 10 | 1929 | ![]() |
Undeveloped | |
Burr Pond State Park | Torrington | Litchfield | 438 | 177 | 1949 | Burr Pond | Boating, fishing, swimming | |
Camp Columbia State Park/State Forest | Morris | Litchfield | 600 | 240 | 2000 | ![]() |
Former rural campus of Columbia University Engineering Department | |
Campbell Falls State Park Reserve | Norfolk | Litchfield | 102 | 41 | 1923 | Whiting River | ![]() |
On the Massachusetts border |
Chatfield Hollow State Park | Killingworth | Middlesex | 412 | 167 | 1949 | ![]() |
Swimming, fishing | |
Collis P. Huntington State Park | Redding, Newtown, Bethel | Fairfield | 878 | 355 | 1973 | ![]() |
Former estate with ponds for fishing and canoeing and multipurpose trails | |
Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park | Essex | Middlesex | 136 | 55 | 1969 | ![]() |
Essex Steam Train from Essex to Chester up the Connecticut River valley | |
Dart Island State Park | Middletown | Middlesex | 19 | 7.7 | 1918 | Connecticut River | Accessible by water only | |
Day Pond State Park | Colchester | New London | 180 | 73 | 1949 | Day Pond | ![]() |
Swimming, pond fishing |
Dennis Hill State Park | Norfolk | Litchfield | 240 | 97 | 1935 | ![]() |
Former estate with hiking, picnicking and scenic views | |
Devil's Hopyard State Park | East Haddam | Middlesex | 860 | 350 | 1919 | Eightmile River | ![]() |
Historic millsite with camping, stream fishing, waterfall |
Dinosaur State Park | Rocky Hill | Hartford | 60 | 24 | 1968 | Natural history museum, arboretum | ||
Eagle Landing State Park | Haddam | Middlesex | 16 | 6.5 | 2003 | Connecticut River | ![]() |
Boat dock, fishing pier, winter eagle viewing |
Farm River State Park | East Haven | New Haven | 61 | 25 | 1998 | Farm River | Boat launch, fishing | |
Ferry Landing State Park | Old Lyme | New London | 1 | 0.40 | Unknown | Connecticut River | ![]() |
Boat launch, fishing, Crabbing |
Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park | Groton | New London | 16 | 6.5 | 1953 | Thames River | Site of the 1781 massacre led by Benedict Arnold; American Revolutionary War museum and artifacts | |
Fort Trumbull State Park | New London | New London | 16 | 6.5 | 2000 | Long Island Sound | ![]() |
19th-century fort with museum, fishing pier |
Gardner Lake State Park | Salem | New London | 10 | 4.0 | 2001 | Gardner Lake | ![]() |
Boating, fishing, swimming |
Gay City State Park | Hebron | Tolland | 1,569 | 635 | 1944 | Blackledge River | Former mill-town ruins; pond fishing, swimming, youth group camping; bordered by Meshomasic State Forest | |
George Dudley Seymour State Park | Haddam | Middlesex | 222 | 90 | 1960 | Connecticut River | Abuts Hurd State Park and Higganum Meadows Wildlife Area; fishing, hunting | |
George Waldo State Park | Southbury | New Haven | 150 | 61 | 1960 | Lake Lillinonah | Undeveloped; multi-use trails | |
Gillette Castle State Park | East Haddam | Middlesex | 184 | 74 | 1943 | Connecticut River | ![]() |
Castle house museum; boat camping |
Haddam Island State Park | Haddam | Middlesex | 14 | 5.7 | 1944 | Connecticut River | Accessible only by boat | |
Haddam Meadows State Park | Haddam | Middlesex | 175 | 71 | 1944 | Connecticut River | ![]() |
Boating, fishing |
Haley Farm State Park | Groton | New London | 198 | 80 | 1970 | ![]() |
Bike trail, near Bluff Point State Park | |
Hammonasset Beach State Park | Madison | New Haven | 919 | 372 | 1920 | Beach, swimming, fishing, camping, nature center, carry-in boating | ||
Harkness Memorial State Park | Waterford | New London | 116 | 47 | 1952 | Long Island Sound | ![]() |
42-room mansion museum, formal gardens, fishing |
Haystack Mountain State Park | Norfolk | Litchfield | 292 | 118 | 1917 | Observation tower | ||
Higganum Reservoir State Park | Haddam | Middlesex | 147 | 59 | 1955 | Higganum Reservoir | ![]() |
Car-top boating, fishing, hunting |
Hopemead State Park | Bozrah, Montville | New London | 70 | 28 | 1954 | Gardner Lake | ![]() |
Fishing, hiking |
Hopeville Pond State Park | Griswold | New London | 544 | 220 | 1938 | Pachaug River | ![]() |
Camping, boating, swimming, pond fishing, field sports |
Horse Guard State Park | Avon | Hartford | 105 | 42 | 1964 | Undeveloped | ||
Housatonic Meadows State Park | Sharon | Litchfield | 451 | 183 | 1927 | Housatonic River | Camping, canoeing, fly fishing | |
Humaston Brook State Park | Litchfield | Litchfield | 141 | 57 | 1920 | Fishing | ||
Hurd State Park | East Hampton | Middlesex | 991 | 401 | 1914 | Connecticut River | Boat camping, mountain biking, scenic views | |
Indian Well State Park | Shelton | Fairfield | 153 | 62 | 1928 | Lake Housatonic | Boating, swimming, fishing, waterfalls | |
John A. Minetto State Park | Torrington | Litchfield | 715 | 289 | 1965 | Pond and stream fishing, cross-country skiing | ||
Kent Falls State Park | Kent | Litchfield | 307 | 124 | 1919 | Falls Brook | Waterfalls, replica covered bridge | |
Kettletown State Park | Southbury | New Haven | 599 | 242 | 1950 | Lake Zoar | ![]() |
Camping, swimming, fishing |
Killingly Pond State Park | Killingly | Windham | 162 | 66 | Killingly Pond | ![]() |
Boating, fishing | |
Lake Waramaug State Park | Kent | Litchfield | 95 | 38 | 1920 | Lake Waramaug | ![]() |
Camping, car-top boating, swimming, fishing |
Lamentation Mountain State Park | Berlin | Hartford | 47 | 19 | 1936 | Hiking, scenic vistas | ||
Lovers Leap State Park | New Milford | Litchfield | 127 | 51 | 1971 | Housatonic River | ![]() |
Scenic river vistas |
Macedonia Brook State Park | Kent | Litchfield | 2,300 | 930 | 1918 | Camping, stream fishing | ||
Machimoodus State Park | East Haddam | Middlesex | 300 | 120 | 1998 | Salmon River | ![]() |
Fishing, horseback riding |
Mansfield Hollow State Park | Mansfield | Tolland | 251 | 102 | 1952 | Mansfield Hollow Lake | ![]() |
Boating, fishing, field sports, mountain biking, cross-country skiing |
Mashamoquet Brook State Park | Pomfret | Windham | 917 | 371 | 1924 | ![]() |
Camping, swimming, stream fishing | |
Mianus River State Park | Stamford | Fairfield | 94 | 38 | 2001 | Mianus River | Biking, fishing, horseback riding | |
Millers Pond State Park | Durham, Haddam | Middlesex | 280 | 110 | 1955 | Millers Pond | ![]() |
Fishing, hunting, mountain biking |
Minnie Island State Park | Salem, Montville | New London | 1 | 0.40 | 1925 | Gardner Lake | Boating, fishing, accessible only by boat | |
Mohawk Forest/Mohawk Mountain State Park | Cornwall, Goshen, Litchfield | Litchfield | 4,016 | 1,625 | 1921 | ![]() |
Includes Mohawk Mountain Ski Area | |
Mono Pond State Park Reserve | Columbia | Tolland | 218 | 88 | 2008 | Mono Pond | ![]() |
Boating, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing |
Mooween State Park | Lebanon | New London | 577 | 234 | 1989 | Red Cedar Lake | ![]() |
Boating, fishing |
Mount Bushnell State Park | Washington | Litchfield | 214 | 87 | 1916 | ![]() |
Hiking | |
Mount Riga State Park | Salisbury | Litchfield | 276 | 112 | 1954 | ![]() |
Hiking | |
Mount Tom State Park | Litchfield, Washington, Morris | Litchfield | 231 | 93 | 1915 | Mount Tom Pond | Historic lookout tower | |
Nathaniel Lyon Memorial State Park | Eastford | Windham | 1920 | ![]() |
Located in Natchaug State Forest | |||
Old Furnace State Park | Killingly | Windham | 367 | 149 | 1918 | Ross Pond | ![]() |
Site of an 18th-century iron furnace; hiking, boating, fishing, hunting |
Osbornedale State Park | Derby | New Haven | 350 | 140 | 1956 | ![]() |
Former Osbornedale Farms; hiking, pond fishing | |
Penwood State Park | Bloomfield | Hartford | 787 | 318 | 1944 | Lake Louise | ![]() |
Metacomet Trail, hiking, cross-country skiing |
Platt Hill State Park | Winchester | Litchfield | 159 | 64 | 1960 | Scenic vistas | ||
Pomeroy State Park | Lebanon | New London | 200 | 81 | 1953 | Undeveloped; hiking, hunting | ||
Putnam Memorial State Park | Bethel, Redding | Fairfield | 183 | 74 | 1887 | Lake MdDougall | ![]() |
American Revolutionary War museum, interpretive trail, youth group camping |
Quaddick State Park | Thompson | Windham | 116 | 47 | 1951 | Quaddick Reservoir | Boat launch, swimming, fishing, field sports | |
Quinebaug Lake State Park | Killingly | Windham | 181 | 73 | 1964 | Quinebaug Lake | Boating, fishing | |
Quinnipiac River State Park | North Haven | New Haven | 323 | 131 | 1951 | Quinnipiac River | Car-top boating, fishing, hunting | |
River Highlands State Park | Cromwell | Middlesex | 177 | 72 | 2001 | Connecticut River | Boat camping | |
Rocky Glen State Park | Newtown | Fairfield | 46 | 19 | 1943 | Pootatuck River | Hiking | |
Rocky Neck State Park | East Lyme | New London | 710 | 290 | 1931 | Long Island Sound | ![]() |
Beach, swimming, camping, saltwater fishing |
Ross Pond State Park | Killingly | Windham | 314 | 127 | 1964 | Ross Pond | Boating, fishing, hunting | |
Salt Rock State Campground | Sprague | New London | 149 | 60 | 2001 | Shetucket River | Camping, fishing, pool swimming, access to Shetucket River | |
Satan's Kingdom State Recreation Area | New Hartford | Litchfield | 1 | 0.40 | 2012 | Farmington River | ![]() |
Canoeing, kayaking, tubing |
Scantic River State Park | Enfield, East Windsor, Somers | Hartford | 784 | 317 | 1967 | Scantic River | ![]() |
Fishing, hunting |
Selden Neck State Park | Lyme | New London | 607 | 246 | 1917 | Connecticut River | Accessible only by boat; camping, fishing, hunting | |
Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve | Ridgefield | Fairfield | 305 | 123 | 1956 | Lake Naraneka | ![]() |
Car-top boating, fishing |
Seaside State Park | Waterford | New London | 36 | 15 | 2014 | Long Island Sound | Sanatorium remains, fishing | |
Sherwood Island State Park | Westport | Fairfield | 238 | 96 | 1932 | Long Island Sound | Beach, swimming, nature center, field sports, saltwater fishing | |
Silver Sands State Park | Milford | New Haven | 297 | 120 | 1960 | Long Island Sound | ![]() |
Beach, swimming, saltwater fishing |
Sleeping Giant State Park | Hamden | New Haven | 1,439 | 582 | 1924 | ![]() |
Quinnipiac Trail, lookout tower, stream fishing, youth group camping | |
Southford Falls State Park | Oxford | New Haven | 126 | 51 | 1932 | Eightmile Brook | ![]() |
Waterfalls, covered bridge, pond and stream fishing, cross-country skiing, field sports |
Squantz Pond State Park | New Fairfield | Fairfield | 172 | 70 | 1926 | Squantz Pond | Boating, swimming, pond fishing, scuba diving | |
Stillwater Pond State Park | Torrington | Litchfield | 226 | 91 | Stillwater Pond | Boating, fishing | ||
Stoddard Hill State Park | Ledyard | New London | 55 | 22 | 1954 | Thames River | Boating, fishing | |
Stratton Brook State Park | Simsbury | Hartford | 145 | 59 | 1949 | Stratton Brook | ![]() |
Swimming, fishing, biking, cross-country skiing |
Sunnybrook State Park | Torrington | Litchfield | 464 | 188 | 1970 | Naugatuck River | Fishing, hunting | |
Sunrise State Park | East Haddam | Middlesex | 143 | 58 | 2009 | Salmon River | ![]() |
Undeveloped |
Talcott Mountain State Park | Simsbury, Avon, Bloomfield |
Hartford | 574 | 232 | 1965 | ![]() |
Observation tower, scenic vistas, Metacomet Trail | |
Tri-Mountain State Park | Durham, Wallingford |
Middlesex, New Haven |
157 | 64 | 1925 | Hiking | ||
Trout Brook Valley State Park Reserve | Easton | Fairfield | 300 | 120 | 1999 | ![]() |
Hiking | |
Wadsworth Falls State Park | Middlefield, Middletown |
Middlesex | 285 | 115 | 1942 | Coginchaug River | ![]() |
Waterfall, swimming, stream fishing, mountain biking |
West Rock Ridge State Park | Hamden, New Haven, Woodbridge, Bethany |
New Haven | 1,691 | 684 | 1975 | Lake Wintergreen | ![]() |
Features the Regicides Trail, scenic vistas, fishing, car-top boating, horseback riding |
Wharton Brook State Park | Wallingford, North Haven |
New Haven | 96 | 39 | 1918 | Allen Brook Pond | ![]() |
Fishing, swimming |
Whittemore Glen State Park | Naugatuck, Middlebury | New Haven | 242 | 98 | 1945 | ![]() |
Horseback riding, hiking | |
Windsor Meadows State Park | Windsor | Hartford | 155 | 63 | 1968 | Connecticut River | Boat launch, fishing, bicycling | |
Wooster Mountain State Park | Danbury | Fairfield | 444 | 180 | 1920 | ![]() |
Skeet, trap and target shooting, hunting |
Connecticut state park trails
[edit]Name | Towns | Counties | Length | Estab- lished | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi | km | ||||||
Air Line State Park Trail |
East Hampton, Colchester, Hebron, Columbia, Lebanon, Windham, Chaplin, Hampton, Pomfret, Putnam, Thompson | Middlesex, New London, Tolland, Windham |
50 | 80 | 1969 | ![]() |
Nearly fifty miles of converted rail-trail |
Farmington Canal State Park Trail |
Cheshire, Hamden | New Haven | 5.5 | 8.9 | ![]() |
Part of the Farmington Canal Trail | |
Hop River State Park Trail |
Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Coventry, Manchester, Vernon | Hartford, Tolland | 19 | 31 | ![]() |
Nineteen miles of rail-trail from Manchester to Willimantic | |
Larkin State Park Trail |
Southbury, Oxford, Middlebury, Naugatuck | New Haven | 10 | 16 | 1943 | Ten-mile-long rail-trail | |
Moosup Valley State Park Trail |
Plainfield, Sterling | Windham | 6 | 9.7 | 1987 | ![]() |
Six miles of rail-trail |
Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail |
Windsor Locks, Suffield | Hartford | 4.5 | 7.2 | ![]() |
4.5 mile bike trail, fishing along the canal |
Connecticut state forests
[edit]Connecticut Wildlife Management Areas
[edit]Other state areas
[edit]Name | Town | County | Established | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
Burlington Trout Hatchery | Burlington | Hartford | 1923 | website, information, located within Nassahegon State Forest |
Quinebaug Valley Trout Hatchery | Plainfield | Windham | website, information |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ R, Mike (August 13, 2021). "State Parks Light Pollution Map And Statistics". CosmosPNW. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Appendix A: List of State Parks and Forests" (PDF). State Parks and Forests: Funding. Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. January 23, 2014. pp. A–1 – A–4. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to State parks of Connecticut.
- Connecticut State Parks and Forests Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection