Harkness Memorial State Park
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- $15 ($10 nonresident)Annual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- ctparks.com(860) 443-5725
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Harkness Memorial State Park is a park in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region County, about 2 miles southwest of New London.
Visitors come for historic sites, biking, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
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
Open Daily (8:00 a.m. – Sunset)
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| FREE – In-State Registered Vehicles (resident) | Free |
| $15 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Weekends/Holidays) (nonresident) | $15 |
| $10 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Weekdays) (nonresident) | $10 |
| $112 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Season Pass) (nonresident) | $112 · year |
Official wording
FREE – In-State Registered Vehicles $15 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Weekends/Holidays) $10 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Weekdays) $112 – Out-of-State Vehicles (Season Pass)
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.
Things to do
BikingFishingHikingHistoric sites and toursPicnicking
Trails
Harkness Memorial Loop
- 1.3-mile loop trail
- Level of difficulty: Easy
- Walk this beautiful park and grounds and see all this park has to offer — the mansion, boardwalk, wildlife viewing platform, gardens and the views of Long Island Sound. The popular loop takes an average of 25 minutes to complete.
Niering Walk
- 0.25-mile
- Take this easy stroll for prime bird watching and exceptional views of Goshen Cove. Try to spot some of the rare species found along the shoreline and in the marshes of the nature preserve. About halfway through the loop, take a short detour to the wildlife viewing platform. Don’t forget your binoculars!
Know Before You Go
Trail Map
Fishing
Types of fish: Blackfish, bluefish, and striped bass can be caught off the rocky point, and summer flounder off the beach.
Know Before You Go
- Saltwater Fishing in Connecticut’s State Parks
- Saltwater Fishing Resource Map
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
✓ 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
Mansion Tours
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
- Bus Permits are required for mid-size and full-size buses seating 30 or more passengers
- Swimming is not allowed at this park
- Looking for Camp Harkness? Visit this link.
- Park Map
Getting there
- Address
- 275 Great Neck Road
Waterford, CT 06385 - Nearest town
- New London — about 2 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 41.3066, -72.1169
- Phone
- (860) 443-5725
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: Waterford Water Tower.jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Apextrancelike
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology