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

Kings Island

★★★☆☆

41.954496, -72.612596

Kings Island Eversource Land Trust 120 acres in Enfield and Suffield, CT Parking: Access by water only, nearest boat launch is Kings Island Boat Launch Boat launch… Read more…

Windsor Meadows State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.813168, -72.647661

Windsor Meadows State Park Connecticut State Park 155 acres in Windsor, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near E Barber St, Windsor, CT Trail Map       …

Sunset Rock State Park

★★★★☆

41.660733, -72.845229

Sunset Rock State Park / Crescent Lake Connecticut State Park and Southington Town Park 18 acres in Plainville and Southington, CT Parking: Large lot near 403-, 537…

Stillwater Pond State Park

Unexplored

41.836989, -73.150335

Stillwater State Park Connecticut State Park 226 acres in Torrington, CT Parking: Small lot near 900 Norfolk Road, Torrington Trail Map          Trails: None …

Squantz Pond State Park

Unexplored

41.509456, -73.473338

Squantz Pond State Park Connecticut State Park 172 acres in New Fairfield, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 178 Short Woods Rd, New Fairfield, CT Trail Map  …

Lake Williams State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.629718, -72.301327

Lake Williams State Park Connecticut State Park in Lebanon, CT Parking: Small lot near 1644 Exeter Rd, Lebanon, CT Trail Map          Trails: Less…

Salt Rock State Campground

★★☆☆☆

41.640380, -72.094430

Salt Rock State Campground Connecticut State Campground 149 acres in Sprague, CT Parking: Small lot near 173 Scotland Rd, Baltic, CT Camping Map       Trails: 1 mile …

Heron Cove

★★☆☆☆

41.876902, -72.310465

Heron Cove Tolland Town Park 35 acres in Tolland, CT Parking: Large lot at 125 South River Road, Tolland, CT Trail Map        Trails: Less than…

Indian Well State Park

★★★★☆

41.342002, -73.124122

Indian Well State Park Connecticut State Park 153 acres in Shelton, CT Parking: Large lot near 1 Indian Well Rd, Shelton, CT and alternate/seasonal along the same… Read more…

Housatonic Meadows State Park

Unexplored

41.837385, -73.379377

Housatonic Meadows State Park Connecticut State Park 451 acres in Sharon, CT Parking: Small lot near 90 US-7, Sharon, CT Trail Map         Trails:…