Connecticut State Parks
Connecticut State Parks and Forests, run by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Bureau of Outdoor Recreation – State Parks Division, has 103 state parks, 1 historic site, 1 natural area or preserve, 4 state trails, 32 state forests in this directory. 32 units offer camping and 3 allow dogs under park rules. 34 parks list no entrance fee.
The state reports 142 units (source); counts differ when the state includes or excludes areas such as trails, boat launches or undeveloped land. See coverage notes.
Fees, passes and reservations
Entrance fees and passes
- Passport to the Parks — free parking for CT-registered vehicles (funded by an $8/yr vehicle registration fee from July 1, 2025). Day-use parking at all CT State Parks and Forests Details
- Out-of-state vehicle season pass — $112. Season parking for out-of-state vehicles (as listed on park fee boxes) Details
Reservations
Bookings use ReserveAmerica (connecticutstateparks.reserveamerica.com).
Not required for day use; picnic shelters are bookable ('Book Picnic Shelter' buttons on park pages).
Browse Connecticut parks by activity
Camping 32Cabins and lodging 8Swimming 21Fishing 92Boating and paddling 53Hiking 120Free entry 34Historic sites 48Horseback riding 20Winter recreation 5
All 141 parks and units
Listed by designation. Fees shown are the main entrance fee where the park posts one.
State parks (103)
Beaver Brook State ParkState Park · Windham/Chaplin · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Bennett's Ponds State ParkState Park · Ridgefield
Black Rock State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Watertown · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
Bolton Notch State ParkState Park · Bolton · Hiking, Boating
Brainard Homestead State ParkState Park · East Haddam · Hiking
Burr Pond State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Torrington · Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
C.P. Huntington State ParkState Park · Redding/Bethel/Newtown · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Camp Columbia State ParkState Park · Morris
Chatfield Hollow State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Killingworth · Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
Connecticut Valley Railroad State ParkState Park · Essex
Day Pond State ParkState Park · Colchester · Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
Dennis Hill State ParkState Park · Norfolk · Hiking
Devil's Hopyard State ParkState Park · East Haddam · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Dinosaur State ParkState Park · Rocky Hill · Hiking
Eagle Landing State ParkState Park · Haddam · Boating, Fishing
Farm River State ParkState Park · East Haven · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Farmington Canal Greenway State ParkState Park · Cheshire/Hamden · Hiking
Fort Griswold Battlefield State ParkState Park · Groton · Hiking, Boating
Fort Trumbull State ParkState Park · New London · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Gardner Lake State ParkState Park · Salem · Swimming, Boating, Fishing
George Dudley Seymour State ParkState Park · Haddam
Gillette Castle State ParkState Park · East Haddam · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Haddam Island State ParkState Park · Haddam · Boating, Fishing
Haddam Meadows State ParkState Park · Haddam · Boating, Fishing
Haley Farm State ParkState Park · Groton · Hiking
Hammonasset Beach State Park$22 ($15 nonresident)State Park · Madison · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Haystack Mountain State ParkState Park · Norfolk · Hiking
Hopemead State ParkState Park · Montville/Bozrah · Hiking, Fishing
Hopeville Pond State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Griswold · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Housatonic Meadows State ParkState Park · Sharon · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Hurd State ParkState Park · East Hampton · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Indian Well State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Shelton · Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
John A. Minetto State ParkState Park · Torrington · Hiking, Fishing
Kettletown State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Southbury · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Lake Waramaug State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Kent/New Preston · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Lamentation Mountain State ParkState Park · Berlin · Hiking
Lovers Leap State ParkState Park · New Milford · Hiking
Macedonia Brook State ParkState Park · Kent · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Machimoodus State ParkState Park · Moodus · Hiking, Fishing
Mansfield Hollow State ParkState Park · Mansfield · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Mashamoquet Brook State ParkState Park · Pomfret · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Millers Pond State ParkState Park · Durham · Hiking, Fishing
Minnie Island State ParkState Park · Bozrah/Montville · Boating, Fishing
Mohawk State Park/Forest$15 ($22 nonresident)State Park and State Forest · Goshen/Cornwall · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Mono Pond State ParkState Park · Columbia · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Mooween State ParkState Park · Lebanon · Hiking, Boating
Mount Tom State Park$15 ($10 nonresident)State Park · Litchfield · Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Old Furnace State ParkState Park · Killingly
Osbornedale State ParkState Park · Derby · Hiking, Fishing
Penwood State ParkState Park · Bloomfield · Hiking
Pomeroy State ParkState Park · Lebanon · Hiking
Putnam Memorial State ParkState Park · Redding · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Quaddick State Park$10 ($15 nonresident)State Park · Thompson · Camping, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Quinnipiac River State ParkState Park · North Haven
River Highlands State ParkState Park · Cromwell · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Rocky Neck State Park$15 ($22 nonresident)State Park · Niantic · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
Ross Pond State ParkState Park · Killingly · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
S.L. Pierrepont State ParkState Park · Ridgefield
Satan’s Kingdom State ParkState Park · New Hartford · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Scantic River State ParkState Park · Enfield/East Windsor/Somers · Dogs allowed, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Seaside State ParkState Park · Waterford · Hiking, Fishing
Selden Neck State ParkState Park · Lyme · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Silver Sands State Park$22 ($15 nonresident)State Park · Milford · Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Southford Falls State ParkState Park · Southbury · Hiking, Fishing
Squantz Pond State Park$15 ($22 nonresident)State Park · New Fairfield · Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Stoddard Hill State ParkState Park · Ledyard · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Sunrise State ParkState Park · East Haddam · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Tri-Mountain State ParkState Park · Durham/Wallingford · Hiking
Wadsworth Falls State Park$10 ($15 nonresident)State Park · Middlefield/Middletown · Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
West Rock Ridge State ParkState Park · Hamden/New Haven · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Wharton Brook State ParkState Park · Wallingford/North Haven · Swimming, Hiking, Fishing
Windsor Locks Canal Trail State ParkState Park · Suffield · Hiking, Fishing
Windsor Meadows State ParkState Park · Windsor · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Historic sites (1)
Beckley Furnace Industrial MonumentIndustrial Monument · East Canaan · Hiking, Fishing
Natural areas and preserves (1)
Auerfarm State Park Scenic ReserveState Park Scenic Reserve · Bloomfield · Hiking
State trails (4)
Air Line State Park TrailState Park Trail · Multi-Town · Hiking
Hop River State Park TrailState Park Trail · Multi-Town · Hiking
Larkin State Park TrailState Park Trail · Middlebury/Naugatuck/Oxford/Southbury · Hiking
Moosup Valley State Park TrailState Park Trail · Sterling/Plainfield · Hiking, Fishing
State forests (32)
American Legion State ForestState Forest · Barkhamsted · Camping, Cabins/lodging, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Camp Columbia State ForestState Forest · Morris
Cockaponset State Forest$10 ($15 nonresident)State Forest · Haddam/Chester · Camping, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Housatonic State ForestState Forest · Sharon · Camping, Hiking
James L. Goodwin State ForestState Forest · Hampton · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Massacoe State ForestState Forest · Simsbury · Hiking, Fishing
Mattatuck State ForestState Forest · Multi-Town · Hiking
Meshomasic State ForestFree entryState Forest · East Hampton/Glastonbury/Portland · Hiking, Fishing, Free entry
Natchaug State ForestState Forest · Eastford · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Naugatuck State ForestState Forest · Naugatuck/Oxford/Beacon Falls · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Nehantic State ForestState Forest · Lyme · Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Nipmuck State ForestState Forest · Stafford Springs/Union · Camping, Dogs allowed, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Nye-Holman State ForestState Forest · Tolland · Camping, Hiking, Fishing
Pachaug State ForestState Forest · Voluntown · Camping, Swimming, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Peoples State Forest$10 ($15 nonresident)State Forest · Barkhamsted · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Quaddick State ForestState Forest · Thompson · Camping, Hiking
Salmon River State ForestState Forest · Hebron/Marlborough/Colchester/East Haddam/East Hampton · Hiking, Fishing
Salt Rock State ForestState Forest · Sprague/Baltic · Camping, Hiking, Boating, Fishing
Shenipsit State ForestState Forest · Stafford/Somers/Ellington · Dogs allowed, Hiking, Fishing
Topsmead State ForestState Forest · Litchfield · Hiking
Tunxis State ForestFree entryState Forest · Granby/Barkhamsted/Hartland · Hiking, Boating, Fishing, Free entry
Recently updated
- Gillette Castle State Park — changed Oct 29, 2026
- Fort Trumbull State Park — changed Oct 29, 2026
- Dinosaur State Park — changed Oct 29, 2026
Coverage notes
Inventory source: DEEP 'Find a Park or Forest by Name' list (portal.ct.gov) merged with the ctparks.com ParkFinder search service. We re-check it weekly and keep renamed, merged and closed parks traceable.
Not included: Green Falls State Campground (Campground within Pachaug State Forest (camping section of Pachaug).); Pattaconk Lake Recreation Area (Recreation area within Cockaponset State Forest; the list links to Cockaponset's page.).
Statewide information last reviewed Oct 29, 2026.