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]

Shenipsit Lake

★★☆☆☆

41.881941, -72.422886

Shenipsit Trail – Shenipsit Lake Connecticut Blue Blaze Trail 86 in Tolland, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 15 Tolland Stage Rd, Tolland, CT Trail Map      …

Poquetanuck Cove Preserve

★★☆☆☆

41.475123, -72.045024

Poquetanuck Cove Preserve The Nature Conservancy 234 acres in Ledyard, CT Parking: Small lot near 191 Avery Hill Rd, Ledyard, CT Trail Map         …

Stoddard Hill State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.460391, -72.065988

Stoddard Hill State Park Connecticut State Park 55 acres in Ledyard, CT Parking: Medium lot near 1917 CT-12, Gales Ferry, CT Trail Map       Trails: Less…

Barnes Boat Launch

★★☆☆☆

41.998262, -72.605292

Donald W. Barnes Boat Launch Connecticut River Boat Launch in Enfield, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near S River St, Enfield, CT Trail Map Barnes Boat launch… Read more…

Hopeville Pond State Park

★★★☆☆

Hopeville Pond State Park Connecticut State Park 554 acres in Griswold, CT Parking: Several parking areas near 931 Hopeville Rd Griswold, CT Trail Map       …

Haddam Island State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.491960, -72.518535

Haddam Island State Park Connecticut State Park 14 acres in Haddam, CT Parking: Water access only, closest boat launch is from Haddam Meadows State Park Trail Map … Read more…

Sunrise State Park

★★☆☆☆

10 Echo Farm Road, Moodus, CT, USA

Sunrise State Park Connecticut State Park 146 acres in East Haddam, CT Parking: At the end past 10 Echo Farm Road, Moodus, CT Trail Map    …

Moween State Park

★★★☆☆

166 Camp Mooween Rd Lebanon, CT

Moween State Park Connecticut State Park 577 acres in Lebanon, CT Parking: Small pull off at 166 Camp Mooween Rd, Lebanon, CT Outdated Trail Map     Trails:…

Old Furnace State Park

★★★★☆

450 S Frontage Rd, Danielson, CT 06239

Old Furnace State Park Connecticut State Park 367 acres in Killingly, CT Parking:  Medium lot available near 450 S Frontage Rd Danielson, CT Medium lot at the…

Minnie Island State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.506000, -72.222105

Minnie Island State Park Connecticut State Park .88 acre in Montville and Salem, CT Parking: Accessible by water only, the closest public boat launch is at Gardener… Read more…