Press Releases
03/21/2025
DEEP Announces its 2025 Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge: “Cross Your Trees and Dot Your Skies”
(HARTFORD) — Does hiking, walking, and immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, and fresh air of the spring season sound like something you would like to do with friends, family, four-legged friend(s), and co-workers? If so, it's time to take on the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) 2025 Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge!
This self-guided adventure encourages you to explore up to 15 designated trails and locations across the state, capturing specific photos along your journey. This year’s theme is “Cross Your Trees and Dot Your Skies.” Participants who hike or walk at least 10 locations will receive a 2025 “Sky’s the Limit” hiking staff medallion and a certificate for their efforts. Those who hike or walk all 15 will be entered into a drawing to receive one of 50 hand-carved hiking sticks made by staff at DEEP’s Sawmill and members of the Connecticut Woodcarver's Association.
The “Cross Your Trees and Dot Your Skies” theme is a poetic way of embracing the beauty around you in Connecticut State Parks and Forests - seeing the way nature connects everything. Each step on the trail is like connecting the dots, noting how all the small details make up the bigger picture. Whether it’s the first buds on a tree, the sound of birds returning, or the warmth of the sun on your skin, spring invites you to be present and appreciate the renewal around you. When overlaid on a map, the location pins for all 15 hikes will ultimately form the shape of the State Parks shield sign.
Complete details are provided on the Sky’s the Limit website. Also follow us on the DEEP Connecticut State Parks social media pages listed below.
“Spring is finally here, and it’s the perfect time to step outside, slow down, and enjoy our incredible network of trails here in Connecticut,” said Katie Dykes, DEEP Commissioner. “Connecticut has some of the most accessible State Parks and Forests, which are free to enter for those driving Connecticut registered vehicles thanks to the Passport to the Parks program. We hope you’ll accept the challenge to get out and explore your local State Parks and Forests!”
“Hiking and walking in a Connecticut State Park or Forest offers incredible benefits for your mental, emotional, and physical health. Spending time in nature is like a reset for your mind and body. The 2025 Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge will provide the benefits you are looking for” added Jeremy Hall, DEEP Acting State Parks Director.
Show your love for Passport to the Parks with a State Park T-Shirt or Poster!
Since 2018, the Passport to the Parks program has allowed residents driving Connecticut-registered vehicles to enter all 142 State Parks and Forests for free. Connecticut is the only state in the Northeast to offer this benefit. This program supports the operation of State Parks and is funded through a fee charged every three years when vehicle registrations are renewed. By comparison -residents pay $22 to visit Hammonasset just for just one day—similar to what residents pay for three years of access to all 142 Connecticut State Parks and Forests through the Passport program.
To celebrate the impact of Passport to the Parks and the Legislature’s approved increase to Passport, last year DEEP unveiled 5 amazing Works Progress Administration-style graphics that DEEP’s own Joe Cunningham designed (Hammonasset Beach State Park, Talcott Mountain State Park, Rocky Neck State Park, Satan’s Kingdom State Park, and Devil’s Hopyard State Park) All 5 designs are available as T-shirts and posters, and are available online on our Shop CTParks website: Shop CT State Parks (ctparks.com). The shirts are available online starting at $15 for youth sizes and $23 for adult sizes. Shirts are available in all five designs and in multiple colors, and posters are available for $20. Any net proceeds go to the Passport fund.
“Passport to the Parks provides for safe, consistent operations of State Parks, funding the 600+ seasonal staff we hire annually to support operations of campgrounds, boat launches, State Parks, and State Forests, Commissioner Dykes said. “I’m so glad to celebrate the success of this program with these amazing graphics designed in-house at DEEP.”
About CT 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 centers, and nature centers that provide an understanding of, access to, and enjoyment of, the state’s historic, cultural and natural resources. Connecticut has 110 state parks and 32 state forests attracting around 17 million visitors each year, generating over $1 billion in economic activity for the state and supporting 9,000 private sector jobs. Those driving Connecticut registered motor vehicles are provided free entrance to the parks thanks to the Passport to the Parks program. For more information on Connecticut State Parks visit: Connecticut State Parks and Forests (ctparks.com).
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110