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

Rivers - Alphabetical |expand|

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

Rivers - By Drainage Basin |expand|

       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

Route 101 Boat Launch

★☆☆☆☆

460 Killingly Road, Pomfret Center, CT, USA

Route 101 Boat Launch Quinebaug River Boat Launch 1 acre in Pomfret, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 437 Killingly Road, Pomfret, CT Trail Map     …

Sunrise Park

★★☆☆☆

2075 Mountain Rd, West Suffield, CT 06093, USA

Sunrise Park Suffield Town Park 134 acres in Suffield, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 2075 Mountain Rd, West Suffield, CT Trail Map         …

Willimantic Whitewater Park

★☆☆☆☆

28 Bridge St, Willimantic, CT, USA

Willimantic Whitewater Park Willimantic Town Park 1 acre in Windham, CT Parking: Small lot near 28 Bridge St, Willimantic, CT Trail Map         Trails: No…

Mattabesset River Cromwell Meadows WMA

★★★☆☆

24 Shunpike Road, Cromwell, CT, USA

Mattabesset River at Cromwell Meadows WMA River and Wildlife Management Area 548 acres in Cromwell and Middletown, CT Parking: North Boat Launch: from behind Dunkin’s parking lot… Read more…

Quinebaug River Trail

★★☆☆☆

39 Wauregan Rd, Danielson, CT 

Quinebaug River Trail Rails to Trails Conservancy 10 acres in Killingly, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 39 Wauregan Rd, Danielson, CT  Trail Map       …

Middle Bolton Lake

★★☆☆☆

248 Hatch Hill Road, Vernon, CT, USA

Middle Bolton Lake Connecticut State Boat Launch 121 acres in Vernon, CT Parking: Medium sized parking area near 248 Hatch Hill Road, Vernon, CT Boat Launch Map …

Lower Bolton Lake

★★☆☆☆

17 Keeney Drive, Bolton, CT, USA

Lower Bolton Lake Connecticut State Boat Launch 175 acres in Bolton, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 17 Keeney Dr, Bolton, CT Map          Trails:…

Green Fall Pond

★★★☆☆

41.535437, -71.810033

Green Fall Pond Connecticut State Forest and Blue Blaze Trail 200 acres in Voluntown, CT Parking: Large lot near Green Fall Pond Rd, Voluntown, CT Trail Map … Read more…

Manship Park

★☆☆☆☆

50 Lovell Ln, Canterbury, CT

Robert Manship Park Canterbury Town Park 8 acres in Canterbury, CT Parking: Small lots near 50 Lovell Ln, Canterbury, CT Trail Map      Trails: 0.3 miles …

Legend Wood

★★★☆☆

41.489036, -71.876836

Legend Wood / Wyassup Lake Connecticut State Forest / Blue Blaze Trail in North Stonington, CT Parking: West End: Small lot at Wyassup Boat Launch East End:…