State Parks Near Bristol, Connecticut
152 state park units lie within 50 miles of Bristol, including 1 park across the line in Massachusetts. The closest is Mattatuck State Forest, about 8 mi west of town. 51 parks are within 25 miles, close enough for an evening visit.
- Closest park
- Mattatuck State Forest8 mi west
- Within 25 miles
- 51of 152 within 50 mi
- With camping
- 145 with cabins
- Dog-friendly
- 014 with free entry
State parks near Bristol, nearest first
Straight-line distance from central Bristol; driving distance is usually longer. Showing the nearest 60 of 152.
Mattatuck State Forest
Things to do include hunting in season and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Mattatuck State Forest →Humaston Brook State Park
Things to do include fishing and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Humaston Brook State Park →Black Rock State Park
Popular activities here are swimming, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Overnight options include 30 campsites, with RV sites and tent sites. Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Hours, fees and rules for Black Rock State Park →Horse Guard State Park
Covering about 105 acres, Horse Guard State Park lies in Capitol Planning Region County, about 9 miles northeast of Bristol.
Hours, fees and rules for Horse Guard State Park →C.P. Huntington State Park
Popular activities here are historic sites, hunting in season, boating, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for C.P. Huntington State Park →Topsmead State Forest
The park supports historic sites, hunting in season, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Topsmead State Forest →Lamentation Mountain State Park
The park supports hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Lamentation Mountain State Park →Satan’s Kingdom State Park
The park supports boating, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Satan’s Kingdom State Park →Massacoe State Forest
Popular activities here are biking, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Massacoe State Forest →Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve
Visitors come for hiking and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve →Talcott Mountain State Park
Things to do include historic sites, biking, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Talcott Mountain State Park →Whittemore Glen State Park
Things to do include horseback riding and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Whittemore Glen State Park →Stratton Brook State Park
Things to do include swimming, biking, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Stratton Brook State Park →Sunnybrook State Park
Visitors come for hunting in season, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Sunnybrook State Park →Penwood State Park
The park supports biking, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Penwood State Park →Dinosaur State Park
Popular activities here are historic sites, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Dinosaur State Park →Stillwater Pond State Park
Things to do include boating and fishing. Water access includes a boat ramp.
Hours, fees and rules for Stillwater Pond State Park →Burr Pond State Park
Things to do include boating, swimming, biking, fishing, and hiking. Its trail network totals roughly 11.5 miles, according to the park.
Hours, fees and rules for Burr Pond State Park →Naugatuck State Forest
The park supports hunting in season, boating, biking, fishing, and hiking. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).
Hours, fees and rules for Naugatuck State Forest →Wadsworth Falls State Park
Visitors come for horseback riding, historic sites, swimming, biking, and fishing. The official site lists about 4.5 miles of trails.
Hours, fees and rules for Wadsworth Falls State Park →River Highlands State Park
Popular activities here are fishing and hiking. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for River Highlands State Park →Larkin State Park Trail
The park supports horseback riding, biking, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Larkin State Park Trail →Platt Hill State Park
Things to do include wildlife watching, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Platt Hill State Park →Mount Tom State Park
Visitors come for snorkeling and diving, historic sites, boating, swimming, and fishing.
Hours, fees and rules for Mount Tom State Park →Sleeping Giant State Park
Things to do include horseback riding, historic sites, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Its trail network totals roughly 40 miles, according to the park. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Sleeping Giant State Park →Windsor Meadows State Park
Popular activities here are boating, biking, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Windsor Meadows State Park →American Legion State Forest
Visitors come for historic sites, hunting in season, boating, fishing, and hiking. For overnight stays there are 30 campsites (RV sites and tent sites). There are also cabins for rent.
Hours, fees and rules for American Legion State Forest →John A. Minetto State Park
Visitors come for hunting in season, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for John A. Minetto State Park →Quinnipiac River State Park
Quinnipiac River State Park is a park in South Central Connecticut Planning Region County, about 8 miles south of Meriden.
Hours, fees and rules for Quinnipiac River State Park →Peoples State Forest
Things to do include historic sites, hunting in season, boating, biking, and fishing. Its trail network totals roughly 11 miles, according to the park. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Peoples State Forest →Wharton Brook State Park
Things to do include swimming, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Wharton Brook State Park →Southford Falls State Park
Things to do include fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Southford Falls State Park →Enders State Forest
The park supports hunting in season, wildlife watching, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Enders State Forest →Tri-Mountain State Park
Popular activities here are hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Tri-Mountain State Park →Mohawk State Park/Forest
Things to do include fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Mohawk State Park/Forest →Millers Pond State Park
Visitors come for hunting in season, biking, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Millers Pond State Park →Above All State Park
Covering about 31 acres, Above All State Park lies in Northwest Hills Planning Region County, about 14 miles southwest of Torrington.
Hours, fees and rules for Above All State Park →Dart Island State Park
Popular activities here are boating, wildlife watching, and fishing.
Hours, fees and rules for Dart Island State Park →Mount Bushnell State Park
Mount Bushnell State Park is a 214-acre park in Northwest Hills Planning Region County, about 16 miles southwest of Torrington.
Hours, fees and rules for Mount Bushnell State Park →Algonquin State Forest
Popular activities here are hunting in season, wildlife watching, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Algonquin State Forest →Kettletown State Park
Popular activities here are boating, fishing, and hiking. For overnight stays there are 55 campsites (RV sites and tent sites). There are also cabins for rent.
Hours, fees and rules for Kettletown State Park →Dennis Hill State Park
Popular activities here are historic sites, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Dennis Hill State Park →Lake Waramaug State Park
Popular activities here are snorkeling and diving, boating, swimming, biking, and fishing. For overnight stays there are 76 campsites (RV sites and tent sites). If you'd rather not camp, the park offers cabins.
Hours, fees and rules for Lake Waramaug State Park →West Rock Ridge State Park
Popular activities here are historic sites, boating, biking, fishing, and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for West Rock Ridge State Park →Hurd State Park
Things to do include horseback riding, historic sites, biking, fishing, and hiking. Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Hurd State Park →George Waldo State Park
Things to do include horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting in season, boating, and fishing.
Hours, fees and rules for George Waldo State Park →Higganum Reservoir State Park
The park supports hunting in season, boating, fishing, and hiking. On the water side, there is a boat ramp.
Hours, fees and rules for Higganum Reservoir State Park →Haddam Island State Park
Popular activities here are boating, fishing, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Haddam Island State Park →Farmington Canal Greenway State Park
Visitors come for historic sites and hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Farmington Canal Greenway State Park →Rocky Glen State Park
Popular activities here are hiking.
Hours, fees and rules for Rocky Glen State Park →Osbornedale State Park
Visitors come for historic sites, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Osbornedale State Park →Housatonic State Forest
Visitors come for hunting in season, biking, hiking, and picnicking. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Housatonic State Forest →Housatonic Meadows State Park
Visitors come for hunting in season, boating, biking, fishing, and hiking. Camping is available: 61 campsites, including RV sites and tent sites. If you'd rather not camp, the park offers cabins.
Hours, fees and rules for Housatonic Meadows State Park →Indian Well State Park
The park supports snorkeling and diving, historic sites, boating, swimming, and biking.
Hours, fees and rules for Indian Well State Park →Kent Falls State Park
Things to do include historic sites, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Kent Falls State Park →Granville State Forest
Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites.
Hours, fees and rules for Granville State Forest →Gay City State Park
Things to do include historic sites, swimming, fishing, hiking, and picnicking. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).
Hours, fees and rules for Gay City State Park →Lovers Leap State Park
Visitors come for historic sites, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Lovers Leap State Park →Salmon River State Forest
Visitors come for hunting in season, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Salmon River State Forest →Haddam Meadows State Park
Visitors come for boating, fishing, and picnicking.
Hours, fees and rules for Haddam Meadows State Park →
Best picks by activity
Camping near Bristol
- Black Rock State Park 9 mi west · 30 campsites
- Naugatuck State Forest 16 mi south · Campground listed
- River Highlands State Park 17 mi east · Campground listed
- Sleeping Giant State Park 18 mi south · Campground listed
- American Legion State Forest 18 mi north · 30 campsites
+ 9 more in the list above
Cabins and lodging near Bristol
- Black Rock State Park 9 mi west · Cabins or other roofed stays
- American Legion State Forest 18 mi north · Cabins or other roofed stays
- Kettletown State Park 22 mi southwest · Cabins or other roofed stays
- Lake Waramaug State Park 23 mi west · Cabins or other roofed stays
- Housatonic Meadows State Park 25 mi northwest · Cabins or other roofed stays
Swimming near Bristol
- Black Rock State Park 9 mi west · Beach, pool or swim area
- Stratton Brook State Park 14 mi northeast · Beach, pool or swim area
- Burr Pond State Park 15 mi northwest · Beach, pool or swim area
- Wadsworth Falls State Park 17 mi southeast · Beach, pool or swim area
- Mount Tom State Park 17 mi west · Beach, pool or swim area
+ 4 more in the list above
Hiking near Bristol
- Mattatuck State Forest 8 mi west · Hiking trails listed
- Humaston Brook State Park 9 mi west · Hiking trails listed
- Black Rock State Park 9 mi west · Hiking trails listed
- C.P. Huntington State Park 9 mi southwest · Hiking trails listed
- Topsmead State Forest 12 mi northwest · Hiking trails listed
+ 46 more in the list above
Fishing near Bristol
- Humaston Brook State Park 9 mi west · Fishing listed
- Black Rock State Park 9 mi west · Fishing listed
- C.P. Huntington State Park 9 mi southwest · Fishing listed
- Satan’s Kingdom State Park 12 mi north · Fishing listed
- Massacoe State Forest 13 mi north · Fishing listed
+ 32 more in the list above
Free state parks near Bristol
- Humaston Brook State Park 9 mi west · No entrance fee listed
- Horse Guard State Park 9 mi northeast · No entrance fee listed
- Whittemore Glen State Park 13 mi southwest · No entrance fee listed
- Sunnybrook State Park 14 mi northwest · No entrance fee listed
- Stillwater Pond State Park 15 mi northwest · No entrance fee listed
+ 9 more in the list above
Questions about state parks near Bristol
What is the closest state park to Bristol?
Mattatuck State Forest is the closest, about 8 miles west of Bristol in a straight line. Next are Humaston Brook State Park and Black Rock State Park.
How many state parks are near Bristol?
152 state park units are within 50 miles, and 51 within 25 miles. That includes parks, recreation areas, historic sites and natural areas run by the state.
Which state parks near Bristol have camping?
14 parks list camping, the nearest being Black Rock State Park, Naugatuck State Forest and River Highlands State Park. Check each park page for site types, hookups and how to reserve.
Are dogs allowed at state parks near Bristol?
None of the parks listed here say dogs are allowed. Check each park page before bringing a pet.
Are there free state parks near Bristol?
14 parks list no entrance fee: Humaston Brook State Park, Horse Guard State Park and Whittemore Glen State Park. Camping and some activities can still cost extra.
State parks near other cities
- Near Waterbury, CT10 mi southwest
- Near Meriden, CT13 mi southeast
- Near Torrington, CT14 mi northwest
- Near Naugatuck, CT15 mi southwest
- Near Hartford, CT15 mi northeast
- Near Middletown, CT17 mi southeast
- Near New Haven, CT26 mi south
- Near Shelton, CT28 mi south
Or see all Connecticut state parks, Massachusetts state parks or every city we cover.
Built from official park data and updated as parks change; this list was last rebuilt Oct 30, 2026. Features shown are those the official source lists. Filter these parks on the map.