Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Press Releases

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08/04/2023

DEEP’s Next No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program is Saturday, August 5, 2023

Dinosaur Day at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill

 

(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Friends of Dinosaur Park and Arboretum present the next 2023 No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill on Saturday August 5, 2023, for free, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

Join NCLI’s squirrel mascot, “Nuts,” as he and his friends celebrate Dinosaur State Park Day with activities along the nature trails and inside the exhibit center at Dinosaur State Park. Learn about the geology, environment and dinosaurs that existed in pre-historic Connecticut. If you like dinosaurs, you'll love our 200-million-year-old fossil trackway, interactive exhibits, activities, and the chance to cast your own dinosaur footprint to take home.

 

"Dinosaur State Park’s varied indoor and outdoor exhibits offer so many family-friendly opportunities for visitors,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “This amazing jewel of our State Park system features one of the largest collections of dinosaur tracks in the country, and always makes for a memorable visit.”

 

The exhibit center houses more than 750 dinosaur tracks exactly where they were discovered in 1966. Enjoy the arboretum, where more than 250 species of Jurassic Era plants are growing. Walk the park’s StoryWalk above the buried trackway and as it winds through part of the arboretum and around Dilophosaurus, the dinosaur believed to have made tracks on display, silhouettes. A day of dinosaur fun awaits families of all ages.

 

NCLI’s new Families in the Parks expands on the Great Park Pursuit Family Adventure program by extending the season and expanding the locations of activities from previous years. A variety of free, fun, and educational outdoor recreational opportunities at State Park and Forest locations including boating, fishing, hiking, StoryWalks®, nature centers, and museum days are part of the program. The NCLI team will also be available at library programs and seasonal festivals. This outdoor program concludes with the holiday celebrations at various DEEP State Parks, Forests, and facilities including Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby and Gillette Castle in East Haddam. Activities are designed to introduce families to the outdoors, build the next generation of environmental stewards, and showcase Connecticut’s State Parks and Forests.

 

A schedule of available events is available at NCLI Families in the Parks Program 2023 (ct.gov). Visit often for updates and current happenings.

 

See you in the Connecticut State Parks! 

 

Established in 1913, the mission of the Connecticut State Park system is to provide natural resource-based public recreational and educational opportunities through a system of state park and forest recreation areas, environmental education centers, and nature centers which provide an understanding of, access to, and enjoyment of the state’s historic, cultural, and natural resources.

 

More at: portal.ct.gov/deep| Follow on Social Media @CTStateParks

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Contact

DEEP Communications  
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110