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:

Connecticut River
Farmington River
Housatonic River
Salmon River

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
    - Tankerhoosen 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

Mansfield Hollow State Park

★★★★☆

41.765018, -72.178339

Mansfield Hollow State Park Connecticut State Park and Wildlife Management Area 251 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: A number of lots and pull offs along Bassett’s Bridge… Read more…

Beaver Brook State Park

★★☆☆☆

483 Back Rd, Windham, CT 06280

Beaver Brook State Park Connecticut State Park 401 acres in Chaplin and Windham, CT Parking: Small lot at 483 Back Rd, Windham, CT 06280 Trail Map …

Bishop Swamp

★★☆☆☆

41.722671, -72.396840

Bishop Swamp Connecticut Wildlife Management Area 752 acres in Andover and Hebron, CT Parking: Small lot near 236 State Hwy 603, Andover, CT for hiking and small pull off… Read more…

Chapman Pond Preserve

★★★☆☆

41.445753, -72.435977

Chapman Pond Preserve The Nature Conservancy and East Haddam Land Trust Property 700 acres in East Haddam, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 187 River Rd, East…

Ross Pond State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.771477, -71.869135

Ross Pond State Park Connecticut State Park 314 acres in Killingly, CT Parking: Medium sized lot at the end of the forest road near 223 Ross Rd Danielson,… Read more…

Quaddick State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.957243, -71.817554

Quaddick State Park Connecticut State Park 116 acres in Thompson, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 818 Quaddick Town Farm Rd, Thompson, CT Trail Map …

Quinebaug Lake State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.774605, -71.888103

Quinebaug Lake State Park Connecticut State Park 181 acres in Killingly, CT Parking: Small lot near 59 Shepard Hill Rd, Danielson, CT Trail Map Trails: 2…