Gillette Castle State Park
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- See fee details
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- ctparks.com(860) 526-2336
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 122 acres, Gillette Castle State Park lies in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region County, about 15 miles southeast of Middletown.
Popular activities here are historic sites, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
Official wording
Park Grounds Open Daily (8:00 a.m. – Sunset) Castle Interior Only Open for Scheduled Tours (See Tours button below for specific dates & times - click the right arrow to see additional buttons)
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Park Grounds & Trails | Free |
| Under 5 | Free · child |
| Ages 6-12 | $2 · child |
| Ages 13+ | $6 |
Official wording
Park Grounds & Trails Free Castle Tours Under 5: Free Ages 6-12: $2 Ages 13+: $6
Connecticut park 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
From the Connecticut state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (connecticutstateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Phone
- 1-877-668-CAMP (2267)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
Soak in the river views and bask in the solitude with an unforgettable experience boating to your campsite along the Connecticut River — one of just four river camping sites in the state!
Gillette Castle State Park River Camping
2026 Season: Opens Friday, May 1 and closes Columbus Day
2027 Season: Opens Friday, May 1 and closes Columbus Day
Campsite Map
- One primitive, riverside site with pit toilet
- Available for overnight stops by those traveling on the river
- Campers must arrive and depart by boat (canoe or kayak only). Vehicle access is not available.
- 20-person maximum
- Maximum stay: 1 day
- Daily Rate: $5/person/night
Know Before You Go
- No fires permitted
- No mooring or docking facilities
- Break camp by 9:00 a.m.
- No pets permitted
- Camping in Connecticut State Parks and Forests
- Connecticut River Paddler’s Trail
Reserve a Campsite
- Online: Visit Reserve America
- By phone: 1-877-668-CAMP (2267)
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
CampingFishingHikingHistoric sites and toursPicnicking
Trails
Many trails follow the former path of the actor’s three-mile-long, quarter-scale, narrow-gauge railroad that he used to ferry his friends around the estate. Gillette's own walking paths were constructed with near-vertical steps, stone-arch bridges, and wooded trestles spanning up to forty feet.
Train Trail (Purple Blaze) to Blue Trail (Blue Blaze)
- 1.5-mile trail along converted railroad path and former driveway
- Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Wind through the park along the purple trail, the original path of Gillette’s miniature railroad, over footbridges and trestles and through an abandoned 75-foot train tunnel. A word of warning – the tunnel is very dark and, depending on your idea of fun, either exhilarating or a little creepy. Then link up with the blue trail, which leads to the home of Gillette’s closest confidant, Yukitaka Osaki, and the wreckage of the Aunt Polly, Gillette’s houseboat that was destroyed by fire in 1932 (best viewing is during low tide).
Read more from the park
Know Before You Go
- Park Trail Map | Mobile
- Friends of Gillette Castle’s Hiking and History Map
- Watch Archival Footage of William Gillette on his train
- Watch “Yukitaka Osaki: William, Gillette’s Right Hand Man”
- Watch “The Aunt Polly, William Gillette’s Houseboat”
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
Camping
- Tent camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Castle First Floor
Parking
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
All-Terrain Wheelchairs (advance reservations required)
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Rules and permits
- Castle Tours are available daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day. After Labor Day, fall tours are held on weekends and holidays only through Columbus Day. After Columbus Day, the castle is closed while we prepare for our Holiday Tour Program, which is offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Castle tours are self-guided and take approximately one hour. Due to the limited number of daily tour tickets, we strongly recommend that you book your tickets in advance. Please use the arrow above to scroll to the right and select the 'Tour' button for more information.
- Bus Permits are required for mid-size and full-size buses seating 30 or more passengers
- Trail Map
- Trail Map - Mobile
Getting there
- Address
- 67 River Rd.
East Haddam, CT 06423 - Nearest town
- Middletown — about 15 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 41.4230, -72.4284
- Phone
- (860) 526-2336
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Connecticut State Parks and Forests — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- DEEP 'Find a Park or Forest by Name' list (portal.ct.gov) merged with the ctparks.com ParkFinder search service
- Wikidata
- Photo: Gilettes Castle KevinPepin 01.jpg — Public domain (released by the author), Original uploader was Kevinpepin at en.wikipedia
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology