Connecticut - Mystic/Eastern

Dock Road Boat Launch
Waterford, CT

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Location: Located on Jordan Cove at Pleasure Beach. Route 213, south on Goshen Road, launch is straight ahead. Trailered. Open year round. No dock. Chemical toilets year round. Paved access road. Gravel parking lot. 45 spaces. Concrete slab ramp. Disability access. Very crowded on weekends.

Four Mile River Boat Launch
Old Lyme, CT

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Location: Located on the west side of Four Mile River. Route 156, east on Oakridge Drive, first right to launch area. Trailered. Open year round. Chemical toilets in season. Access road and parking lot are paved. Ramp is paved. No disability access. Shallow launch conditions at low tide; clearance problem at high tide.

Great Island Boat Launch
Old Lyme, CT

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Location: Route 156, south to end of Smith Neck Road and Great Island Wildlife Area. Trailered. Open year round. No docks. Chemical toilets in season. Access road is paved. Parking lot is gravel. 35 spaces. Paved ramp. No disability access. Shallow at low tide.

Green Falls Reservoir Boat Launch
Voluntown, CT

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Location: Route 138, take access road south to Green Falls State Park. Follow signs to launch. Car Top/Carry-In. Open from the Friday before the third Saturday in April through December 30. No docks or toilets. Parking for 6 vehicles. Gravel road access, gravel ramp. No disability access.

Rocky Neck State Park
244 West Main Street (Route 156)
East Lyme, CT
Phone: 860-739-5471

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The large stone pavilion, diverse trail systems, and gently sloping beach make this park ideal for families. Try crabbing or fishing. Look for hawks, cranes, and herons. Activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, saltwater fishing, interpretive programs, saltwater swimming. Facilities include bathrooms, food concession, pavilion, and picnic tables. Rocky Neck Campground offers 160 sites in both open and wooded settings. The camping season begins in May and ends September 30.
From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day there are separate weekend/holiday and weekday parking fees. On weekends from April 17 through May 23 and again from September 11 through September 26, the weekday rate for parking will be in effect. There is also a camping fee at Rocky Neck State Park.

Rogers Lake Boat Launch
Old Lyme, CT

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Location: Turn north off Route 1 onto Grassy Hill Road and travel approximately 1 mile. Launch is on the left. Trailered. Open year round. No docks. Seasonal chemical toilets. Paved access road, concrete plank ramp. No disability access.

Stoddard Hill Boat Launch
Ledyard, CT

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Location: In Stoddard Hill State Park. West side of Route 12 in Ledyard. East side of Thames River. Car Top/Carry-In. Open year round. No docks or toilets. Paved access road, recycled pavement ramp. No disability access.

Wyassup Lake Boat Launch
North Stonington, CT

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Location: Route 2, north on Wyassup Lake Road. Launch is on the right. Trailered. Open year round. Seasonal chemical toilets. Parking for 8 vehicles. Paved road access, concrete plank ramp. No disability access.

Lake of Isles Boat Launch
North Stonington, CT

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Location: East off Route 2, north on Watson Road onto Lake of Isles Road. Trailered. Open year round. Parking for 10 vehicles. Gravel road access, concrete slab ramp. Fixed wood dock. Seasonal chemical toilet. Disability access.

Lieutenant River Boat Launch
Old Lyme, CT

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Location: Located on the west side of Route 156, south of Ferry Road. Car Top/Carry-In. Open year round. No docks. Chemical toilets in season. Access road is paved. Parking lot is dirt. 3 spaces. Ramp surface is dirt. No disability access.

Long Pond Boat Launch
North Stonington, CT

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Location: Route 214, south on Lantern Hill Road. Access is on the right. Trailered. Open year round. Seasonal chemical toilets. Parking for 35 vehicles. Paved road access, concrete plank ramp. No disability access.

Mashapaug Lake Boat Launch
Union, CT

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Location: In Bigelow Hollow State Park, off Route 171, 1.3 miles east of Route 190. Trailered. Open year round. 15 parking spaces. Paved road access, concrete slab ramp. Disability access.

Mystic River Boat Launch
Groton, CT

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Location: I-95, exit 89. Go south on Allen Street, then take your first left onto Sandy Hollow Road. At the end, turn left onto High Street. Take next right onto Bindloss Road and at the end turn left onto River Road. Launch is on the right on the west bank of the Mystic River, just north of I-95. Car Top/Carry-In. Open year round. No docks. No toilets. Access road and parking lot are dirt. 8 spaces. Ramp is dirt. No disability access.

Natchaug State Forest
Pilfershire Road
Eastford, CT
Phone: 860-928-6121

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Natchaug State Forest on Natchaug River is popular for its horse trails, outstanding fishing, and riverfront picnic sites. Of historic interest is a large stone fireplace and chimney that are the remains of the birthplace of General Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union general killed in the Civil War. Activities include boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, hunting, backpack camping, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. The Natchaug River is a designated trout park fishing area. Facilities include picnic tables and pit toilets.

Niantic River Boat Launch
Waterford, CT

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Location: Located approximately 0.25 mile northeast of Route 156 bridge across Niantic River in Waterford. Trailered. Open year round. Dock is floating wood. Chemical toilets year round. Access road and parking lot are paved. 100 spaces. Concrete slab ramp. Disability access.

Pachaug Pond Boat Launch
Griswold, CT

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Location: At north end of pond, south off Route 138.Year round. No docks. Seasonal chemical toilets. Parking for 40 vehicles. Paved/Gravel road access, concrete slab ramp. No disability access.

Pachaug State Forest (Chapman and Green Falls areas)
Route 49
Voluntown, CT
Phone: 860-376-4075

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Pachaug State Forest is the largest state forest in Connecticut encompassing 24,000 acres in five towns. There are two areas, the Chapman Area and the Green Falls Area.
Activities in the Chapman area include boating, hunting, backpack camping, motorcycling, camping, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, picnicking, freshwater fishing, scenic vistas, hiking, snowmobiling, horseback riding, youth group camping, horse camping, and letterboxing. Mount Misery Campground offers 22 campsites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Water, fireplaces and pit toilets are provided. Frog Hollow Horse Camp Area offers 18 campsites on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Green Falls area offers boating, camping, freshwater fishing, hunting, mountain biking, and hiking. The Green Falls Campground has 18 wooded campsites that are available from the third Friday of April until September 30. The campsites are first-come, first serve with no reservations accepted. Green Falls, Narragansett, Nehantic, and Pachaug trail sections pass through this area.

Pine Acres Lake Boat Launch
Hampton, CT

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Location: Route 6, north on Potter Road, into Goodwin State Forest. Launch is on the right. Trailered. Open year round. Recycled pavement road access, paved ramp. Parking for 15 vehicles. No disability access.

Quaddick Reservoir Boat Launch
Thompson, CT

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Location: In Quaddick State Park, 4 miles north of East Putnam and Route 44. Paved access road and ramp. 6 parking spaces. Seasonal pit toilet, No disability access.

Baldwin Bridge Boat Launch (Connecticut River)
Old Saybrook, CT

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Location: Route 9 south, take exit 2 and turn left. Take the first right onto Ferry Road. Route 2 north, take exit 1 and turn right onto Ferry Road. Launch is at the end of Ferry Road under the bridge. Trailered and Car Top/Carry-In. Open year round. Docks are floating and fixed wood. Open year round. Chemical toilets in season. Access road and parking lot are paved. 70 spaces. Concrete slab ramp. Disabled access. Fishing pier located on site.

Barn Island Boat Launch
Stonington, CT

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Location: Located at Barn Island Wildlife Area. Turn southeast off Route 1 at Greenhaven Road then south on Palmer Neck Road approximately 1.5 miles to end. Trailered. Open year round. Dock is floating wood, seasonal. Chemical toilets in season. Access road and parking surface are paved. 6 spaces. Concrete slab ramp. Disability access.

Bayberry Lane Boat Launch
Groton, CT

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Location: I-95, Exit 87, Route 349 (Clarence B. Sharp Highway) which becomes Shennecossett Road. Follow this road south, then left onto Bayberry Lane. Trailered. Open year round. Dock is fixed wood. Chemical toilets in season. Access road is paved. Parking lot is paved and grass. 30 spaces. No disability access. Crowded.

Bigelow Hollow State Park
Route 171
Union, CT
Phone: 860-684-3430

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Bigelow Hollow State Park and the adjoining Nipmuck State Forest offer over 9,000 acres of recreation opportunities including miles of hiking trails and an 18-acre pond in Eastern Connecticut. Activities include boating, picnicking, cross country skiing, pond fishing, hiking, scuba diving, hunting (forest only), and snowmobiling. There are boat launches at Bigelow Pond and Mashapaug Lake. There is a parking fee of $9 to $15 weekends and holidays in season.

Bluff Point Boat Launch
Groton, CT

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Location: Route 1, south on Depot Road, go under train trestle at the end. Launch is at the end of the road to the west of the park entrance. Car Top/Carry-In. Open year round. No docks. Compost toilets. Access road is gravel. Parking lots are dirt. 40 spaces. Ramp is dirt. No disability access.