Boating

Boating in Connecticut

Where can I paddle in Connecticut? Looking to kayak or paddleboard/SUP?

The Rivers Alliance currently has a complete map of launches with 412 launches, their interface leaves a little something to be desired but definitely use them as a resource as I continue to work on this page.

Quick Links:

Work in progress below with at least 125 rivers in Connecticut and many more lakes and ponds aiming to strike a balance between most boat-able/popular and complete.

Major Rivers: 

Major Bodies of Water:

  • Candlewood Lake
  • Squantz Pond
  • Bantam Lake
  • Lake Zoar

[expand title=”Rivers – Alphabetical    |expand|” tag=”h3″]

  • Green Fall River
  • Mystic River
  • Pawcatuck River
  • Poquonock River
  • Shunock River
  • Thames River
  • Wood River

[/expand]

[expand title=”Rivers – By Drainage Basin    |expand|” tag=”h3″]

       Block Island Sound

    • Pawcatuck River
      • Shunock River
      • Green Fall River
      • Wood River

    Long Island Sound

    • Mystic River
    • Poquonock River
    • Thames River
      • Oxoboxo River
      • Shetucket River
        • Quinebaug River
          • Pachaug River
          • Blackwell Brook
          • Moosup River
          • Five Mile River
          • Little River (Quinebaug River tributary)
          • French River
        • Little River (Shetucket River tributary)
        • Merrick Brook
          • Beaver Brook
        • Natchaug River
          • Mount Hope River
            • Fenton River
          • Bigelow Brook
          • Still River (Natchaug River tributary)
        • Willimantic River
          • Tenmile River
          • Hop River
            • Skungamaug River
      • Yantic River
    • Niantic River
    • Pattagansett River
    • Fourmile River
    • Threemile River
    • Black Hall River
    Connecticut River watershed
    • Connecticut River
      • Back River
      • Lieutenant River
      • Falls River
      • Eightmile River
      • Deep River
      • Salmon River
        • Moodus River
        • Blackledge River
        • Jeremy River
      • Sumner Brook
        • Pameacha Creek
      • Mattabesset River
        • Coginchaug River
      • Hockanum River
      • Park River – also known as Hog River and Little River
        • North Branch Park River
        • South Branch Park River
      • Podunk River
      • Farmington River
        • Pequabu River
          • Pequabuck River
        • Nepaug River
          • Poland River
        • East Branch Farmington River
          • Hubbard River
        • West Branch Farmington River
          • Still River
            • Mad River
      • Scantic River
        • Watchaug River
    • Patchogue River
    • Menunketesuck River
    • Indian River (Clinton)
    • Hammonasset River
    • Neck River
    • East River
    • West River (Guilford)
    • Branford River
    • Farm River
    Rivers of New Haven
    • Quinnipiac River
      • Muddy River
      • Tenmile River
      • Eightmile River
    • Mill River
    • West River
      • Sargent River
    • Cove River
    • Oyster River
    • Indian River (Milford)
    • Wepawaug River
    Housatonic River watershed
    • Housatonic River
      • Farmill River
      • Naugatuck River
        • Mad River
      • Halfway River
      • Pomperaug River
        • Nonnewaug River
        • Weekeepeemee River
      • Pootatuck River
      • Shepaug River
        • Bantam River
        • Marshepaug River
      • Still River
      • West Aspetuck River
        • East Aspetuck River
      • Rocky River
      • Ten Mile River
      • Hollenbeck River
      • Blackberry River
        • Whiting River
      • Konkapot River
    • Pequonnock River
    • Ash Creek
      • Rooster River
    • Mill River
    • Saugatuck River
      • West Branch Saugatuck River
      • Aspetuck River
      • Little River
    • Norwalk River
      • Silvermine River
    Rippowam River
    • Fivemile River
    • Noroton River
    • Rippowam River
    • Mianus River
    • Byram River [/expand]

Holbrook Pond

★★☆☆☆

Holbrook Pond Boat Launch, Hebron, CT, USA

Holbrook Pond Connecticut Boat Launch and State Forest 288 acres in Hebron, CT Parking: Two medium-sized lots down the access road at 142 Gilead St, Hebron, CT…

Pinchot Sycamore

★★★☆☆

20 Hartford Rd, Simsbury, CT 06070, USA

Pinchot Sycamore Tree Park Simsbury Town Park 2.7 acres in Simsbury, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 20 Hartford Rd, Simsbury, CT Trail Map       …

Cockaponset: Pattaconk Reservoir

★★★☆☆

Pattaconk Recreation Area (Cockaponset State Forest), State Forest Road, Chester, CT, USA

Cockaponset State Forest: Pattaconk Reservoir Connecticut State Forest acres in Chester and Haddam, CT Parking: South (Cockaponset Trail): Small pull-off near 1 Sypher Rd, Chester, CT South… Read more…

Coventry Lake Boat Launch

Unexplored

30 Cross Street, Coventry, CT, USA

Coventry Lake Boat Launch Connecticut State Boat Launch 1 acre in Coventry, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 30 Cross St, Coventry, CT Trail Map     …

Hockanum River Trail: Dart Hill North

★★☆☆☆

100 Windsorville Rd, Vernon, CT, USA

Hockanum River Trail: Dart Hill North Hockanum River Trail 15 acres in Vernon, CT Parking: North End: Small lot before the gate near 100 Windsorville Rd, Vernon,…

Woodtick Recreation Area

★★☆☆☆

201 Nichols Rd, Wolcott, CT 06716, USA

Woodtick Recreation Area / Scovill Recreation Area / Mill Pond Way / Wolf Hill Trails Wolcott Town Park 475.63 acres in Wolcott, CT Parking: Large lots near…

Mystic River

★★★☆☆

550 River Rd, Mystic, CT 06355, USA

Mystic River Connecticut State Boat Launch in Groton and Stonington, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 550 River Rd, Mystic, CT Trail Map     Trails: 3 miles…

Riverfront Park

★★☆☆☆

300 Welles St, Glastonbury, CT 06033, USA

Riverfront Park Glastonbury Town Park 86 acres in Glastonbury, CT Parking: Lots of parking lots around 398 Welles Street, Glastonbury, CT Trail Map       Trails: 1 mile   …

Brooklyn Riverside Park

★★☆☆☆

Brooklyn Riverside Little League Field, SW Brooklyn Ln, Brooklyn, CT, USA

Brooklyn Riverside Park & Maury Bowen Complex Brooklyn Town Park 36 acres in Brooklyn, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near SW Brooklyn Ln, Brooklyn, CT Trail Map … Read more…

Roseland Park

★★☆☆☆

205 Roseland Park Rd, Woodstock, CT 06281, USA

Roseland Park Private Park 390 acres in Woodstock, CT Parking: Several lots near 205 Roseland Park Rd, Woodstock, CT Trail Map       Trails: 0.25 miles   …