State Forest

Tunxis State Forest

Connecticut
Status
Status not posted
Entrance fee
Free entryAnnual pass available
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
None listed
Official site
portal.ct.gov

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Tunxis State Forest is a forest.

Visitors come for cross-country skiing, mountain biking, winter sports, hunting in season, and boating. Water access includes a boat ramp.

Fees and passes

The park lists no entrance fee.

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)

Check availability and book

We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.

Things to do

Winter sportsCross-country skiingFishingHikingBikingMountain bikingHuntingBoating

Amenities

Facilities

  • Parking

Water

  • Boat ramp

✓ 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.

Getting there

Directions from the park

All of the major features of Tunxis State Forest are located on or near Routes 20 and 179. From the junction of Route 20 and Route 181 in Hartland, proceed east on Route 20. For Howell's Pond, proceed east 1.0 mile and turn left on West Street; follow for 1.4 miles and turn left on Old Mill Road (on some maps as Dish Mill Road); follow 0.2 mile and turn right at the dam. For the Falls Brook Trail proceed 3.4 miles and park in the small pull-off on the right. For the Tunxis Trail, proceed 7.4 miles and park at the trail marker. For Hurricane Brook, follow 7.7 miles and turn left on Hurricane Brook Road; park so as not to block the gate, and follow the path uphill. For the CCC ski area, follow 8.0 miles and turn right on Balance Rock Road. Follow to the end of the road and park, being careful not to block the cul-de-sac (used by school buses to turn around). Follow the roadbed into the woods. After crossing the Blue Blazed Tunxis Trail, look for the ski cabin on the right. For the northern terminus of the Tunxis Trail, follow Route 20 8.8 miles and turn left on Old Town Road. Follow Old Town Road 0.6 miles, and turn left on Pell Road and go about 2.5 miles north to the end of road.

Sources and freshness

“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

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