Boating
Connecticut's abundance of both fresh and salt water has made boating and fishing popular pastimes. Providing the public with access to the water has been an important part of the State's recreational program.
The State operates over 110 public boat launch areas which give boaters access to lakes, streams, and Long Island Sound. A complete listing of boat launch locations, including areas with car top/carry-in access, may be found in the Connecticut Boater's Guide. For a printed copy of the guide, contact the DEEP Boating Pision at P.O. Box 280, 333 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371-0280, (860) 434-8638, or by email.
Information on boat launches located along Connecticut's coast, including areas with car top/carry-in access, can be found in the Connecticut Coastal Access Guide.
Additional information, including certification and registration requirements, listings of Safe Boating, Personal Watercraft and Canoe and Kayak Safety Classes and Boating Safety information can be found at Boating in Connecticut.
Canoeing and Kayaking
Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the following State Parks:
- Burr Pond
- Lake Waramaug
Bring your own canoe/kayak and enjoy a paddle at one of the following:
- American Legion State Forest, Barkhamsted
- Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union
- Bluff Point State Park, Groton
- Burr Pond State Park, Torrington
- Cockaponset State Forest, Chester/Haddam
- Collis P. Huntington State Park, Redding/Bethel/Newtown
- Eagle Landing State Park, Haddam
- Farm River State Park, East Haven
- Gardner Lake State Park, Salem
- Haddam Meadows State Park, Haddam
- Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
- Higganum Reservoir State Park, Higganum
- Hopeville Pond State Park, Griswold
- Housatonic Meadows State Park, Sharon
- Indian Well State Park, Shelton
- Killingly Pond State Park, Dayville
- Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent
- Mansfield Hollow State Park, Mansfield
- Mount Tom State Park, Litchfield
- Nehantic State Forest, Lyme
- Nipmuck State Forest, Union
- Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown
- Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted
- Quaddick State Park, Thompson
- Quinnipiac River State Park, North Haven
- Satan’s Kingdom State Park, New Hartford
- Selden Neck State Park, Lyme
- Squantz Pond State Park, New Fairfield
- Stoddard Hill State Park, Ledyard
- Sunrise Resort State Park, East Haddam
- West Rock Ridge State Park, Hamden/New Haven
Motor Boating
State Parks with Launches for Motor Boating:
- Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union
- Gardner Lake State Park, Salem
- Haddam Meadows State Park, Haddam
- Hopeville Pond State Park, Griswold
- Higganum Reservoir State Park, Higganum
- Indian Well State Park, Shelton
- James L. Goodwin State Forest, Hampton
- Mansfield Hollow State Park, Mansfield
- Mono Pond State Park, Columbia
- Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown
- Paugussett State Forest, Newtown
- Quaddick State Park, Thompson
- Quinebag Lake State Park, Killingly
- Ross Pond State Park, Killingly
- Seth Low Pierrepont State Park, Ridgefield
- Squantz Pond State Park, New Fairfield
- Stoddard Hill State Park, Ledyard
- Windsor Meadows State Park, Windsor
Full Listing of State Boat Launches
General Boating Information
Content updated April 2021