Connecticut River

The Connecticut River

The headwaters of the Connecticut River start in a small pond 300 yards south of the Canadian Border in New Hampshire and runs 406 miles to Long Island Sound. The Connecticut section of the river is 65.5 miles from the Massachusetts border to the headwaters at Old Saybrook Point.

“Connecticut” is a French corruption of the Mohegan word ‘quinetucket’, which means “beside the long, tidal river”. The first documented exploration was by Adriaen Block in 1614 who made it as far north as what is now the Enfield Dam.

Links

I kayaked the Connecticut section over three days in the summer of 2019 starting at the Massachusett’s border to the Old Saybrook lighthouse camping along the way.

The Connecticut was named an American Heritage River on July 27th, 1998 by then Vice-President Al Gore. As an American Heritage River, the Connecticut and surrounding environs (most notably wetlands) received federal protections, and future cleanup and conservation efforts became eligible for special federal funding.

Al Gore, American Heritage Rivers announcement (video), C-SPAN

Explore

(North to South, miles to the mouth of the river)

Section List (Launches and Camping Areas) |expand|

Nearest boat launch north of Connecticut is 2.4 miles away at Riverfront Conservation Area in Longmeadow
65.5 miles – Massachusett’s Border
63.5 miles – Barnes Boat Launch in Thompsonville
61.5 – Kings Island Boat Launch
61 miles – Kings Island
- Camping Area
Windsor Locks Public Ramp – 1530 Palisado Ave Windsor, CT
Linear Park Launch – 4 Vibert Rd South Windsor, CT
Windsor Meadows State Park
Riverside Park
Great River Park
Charter Oak Landing
Wethersfield Cove Public Ramp
Keeney Cove
Glastonbury Rivefront Park
Rocky Hill Public Ramp
River Highlands State Park
- Camping Area
Harbor Park
Hurd State Park
- Camping Area
Haddam Meadows State Park
Salmon River Ramp
East Haddam Town Landing
Chester Town Boat Landing
Chapman Pond
- Camping Area
Gillette Castle State Park
- Camping Area
Deep River Town Landing
Selden Neck State Park
- Camping Areas
Pratt Cove
Lyme Town Boat Access
Little Point Street Ramp
Bushnell Park
Essex Town Dock
Novelty Lane Water Access Area
Scholes Lane Sater Access Area
Middle Cove, Essex Town Park
Nott Lane Open Space Access
Alt Water Access
Mack Lane Access Area
Essex Town Dock
Baldwin Bridge State Boat Launch
North Cove Town Ramp
Lynde Point Light
Saybrook Breakwater Light

South Meadows River Trail

★★☆☆☆

100 S Meadow Ln, East Hartford, CT, USA

South Meadows River Trail Goodwin University acres in East Hartford, Glastonbury, and Wethersfield, CT Parking: Small lot near 100 S Meadow Ln, East Hartford, CT Trail Map … Read more…

Earle Park

★★☆☆☆

1325 Main St, Glastonbury, CT 06033

Earle Park Glastonbury Town Park and Audubon Property 49.7 acres in Glastonbury, CT Parking: Small lot near 1325 Main St, Glastonbury, CT Trail Map Trails:…

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 …

Kings Island Boat Launch

★☆☆☆☆

41.963199, -72.607073

Kings Island Boat Launch / Angelo Sferrazza Memorial Park DEEP Water Access / Enfield Town Park 17 acres in Enfield, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 49…

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 …

Windsor Locks Canal State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.986295, -72.605278

Windsor Locks Canal State Park Connecticut State Park 4.5 miles in Suffield and Windsor Locks, CT Parking: North End: Medium lot near near 1212-1100 Canal Rd Suffield,… Read more…