National Park Service
A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States
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CONNECTICUT

APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT of this State's people live in a strip of territory through the central-southwestern region, including the three contiguous counties of Hartford, New Haven, and Fairfield.

This dense population is characterized by intensive industrial and agricultural activity. Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport serve as the busy productive centers around which cluster many smaller cities and towns.

Nearly 50 percent of the gainful workers are engaged in manufacturing and mechanical industries, while another 25 percent are employed in the trades and professional services.

Its principal recreational resource is its water resources, 245 miles of salt-water shore line, 7,619 miles of rivers and streams, and more than 1,000 lakes and ponds. Its excellent summer climate also attracts summer vacationists and summer-home developments for people living in the metropolitan New York region.

According to an estimate of the Connecticut Park and Forest Commission, the State now has in its park system about one-third of the acreage required to meet the State's recreational needs. While its parks are well distributed over the State, those which serve the principal population centers are much too small to meet the demand made on them. A great deal of additional ocean frontage is also needed, as are facilities for camping, picnicking, and other outdoor activities.

map
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)



INTERSTATE

Trailway: Existing
acreage
Proposed
additions
8. Appalachian



STATE

State parks:
2. Wooster Mountain327
3. Squantz Pond173
6. Macedonia Brook1,830
9. Housatonic Meadows940
11. Mohawk Mountain156
12. Kent Falls247
14. Above All31
15. Mount Bushnell84
16. Lake Waramaug95
18. Sherwood Island175
22. Indian Well189
23. Southford Falls55
29. Black Rock713
30. Mount Tom221
31. Humaston Brook102
35. Ivy Mountain50
36. Dennis Hill240
37. Haystack287
39. Campbell Falls102
46. Sunset Rock18
48. West Peak181
49. Sleeping Giant958
50. Wharton Brook72
54. Hamonasset Beach954
57. Trimountain6
59. Black Pond100
62. Lamentation Mountain48
65. Talcott Mountain19
67. Great Hill41
68. Dart Island2
69. Hurd548
71. Brainard Homestead25
72. Selden Neck122
77. Rocky Neck558
82. Devil's Hopyard860
86. Bolton Notch70
96. Minnie Island1
98. Fort Shantock174
100. Buttonball Brook135
103. Nathaniel Lyon Memorial216
105. Mashamoquet Brook47
106. Wolf Den465
109. Beach Pond28
111. Saptree Run24
112. Quinebaug Pines37
     Total
11,726



State monuments:
17. Israel Putnam Memorial220
52. Henry Whitefleld House8
97. Fort Griswold40
     Total
268


State parkway:
1. Merritt Parkway


State waysides:1
21. Liberty Grove1.7
25. Wm. H. Bristol Park12.1
26. Shepardson Haven1.1
33. Wm. E. Besse Park1.2
53. Madison Pines1.6
55. Pine Grove2.1
70. Seven Falls2.1
75. Shore Road Rest2
79. Oakwood1.9
88. Towne Grove2
91. Crystal Spring1
93. Bolton Pines1.6
94. Hi-Way Rest1.2
99. Gay Hill1.1
104. Frog Rock1

State forests:
4. Pootatuck969
7. Housatonic7,258
10. Mohawk3,444
24. Naugatuck2,536
27. Mattatuck2,783
34. Paugnut1,457
40. Tunxis5,640
41. Peoples2,851
42. American Legion723
43. Simsbury129
44. Nepaug2,053
56. Cockaponset9,540
66. Meshomasci5,553
81. Nehantic1,380
84. New London Development Project No. 42604.9
85. Salmon River552
87. Shenipsit3,775
89. Nipmuck2,897
90. Nye-Holman186
95. New London Development Project No. 32205.8
102. Natchaug6,195
107. New London Development Project No. 129,104.3
108. Pachaug10,064
113. New London Development Project No. 22496.3
     Total
80,396.3



State wildlife areas:
5. South Spectacle Pond1
20. Smith Memorial15
28. Scoville Sanctuary142
38. Wood Creek Pond50
45. Shade Swamp Sanctuary535
58. Durham Meadows Public Shooting Grounds286
60. Silver Lake160
61. Cromwell Meadows Public Shooting Grounds292
73. Lord's Cove Public Shooting Grounds212
74. Joshua Town Shad Ponds26
76. Great Island Public Shooting Ground235
78. Bride's Lake2
80. Stone Ranch Public Shooting Grounds31,708
83. Haywood Lake1
92. Fenton River22
101. Nachaug River8
110. Snake Meadow Brook60
114. Tyler, Dog, and Westside Ponds1
116. Roaring Brook6
     Total
3,762



Semipublic areas:
32. White Memorial Foundation3,800
115. McLean Sanctuary4,000
     Total
7,800




LOCAL

Municipal parks:
19. Fairchild Memorial (Bridgeport)115
47. Hubbard (Meriden)1,200
51. New Haven (4 parks)1,256.5
63. Hungerford (New Britain)104.8
64. Batterson Park (Hartford)1,311
     Total
3,987.3


1 There are 143 waysides with a total acreage of 71.5. Only those of 1 acre or more are shown.

2 Soil Conservation areas transferred to the State for administration.

3 Military reservation.



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park-recreation-problem/connecticut.htm
Last Updated: 18-May-2016