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|

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

★☆☆☆☆

49 Parsons Rd, Enfield, CT 06082

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…

Haddam Meadows State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.481174, -72.510483

Haddam Meadows State Park Connecticut State Park 175 acres in Haddam, CT Parking: Several lots near 20 Parmelee Rd, Haddam, CT Trail Map         …

Ferry Landing State Park

★★☆☆☆

41.311537, -72.346463

Ferry Landing State Park Connecticut State Park 1 acre in Old Lyme, CT Parking: Small lot near 398 Ferry Rd, Old Lyme, CT Trail Map     …

Eagle Landing State Park

★☆☆☆☆

41.449621, -72.465022

Eagle Landing State Park Connecticut State Park 16 acres in Haddam, CT Parking: Large lot near 14 Little Meadow Rd, Haddam, CT Park Map       …