Here are the 10 most visited Connecticut state parks

By Austin Mirmina,

Connecticut officials estimate its state parks had nearly 14.9 million visitors last year, up from the 14.1 million in 2024 visitation estimates.

Though below the state’s peak of roughly 17 million annual visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, statewide park attendance totals remain well above the roughly 7 million to 8 million annual visits to Connecticut’s 142 state parks and forests attracted before COVID-19.

Within last year’s totals Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison had 2.51 million day-use visitors, drawing more than double the visitors of second-ranked Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, according to newly released visitation estimates.

The figures, provided by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, show Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford came in third with more than 646,000 annual visitors, followed by Sleeping Giant in Hamden with nearly 538,000, Silver Sands in Milford with more than 512,000, Rocky Neck in Niantic with more than 462,000 and Talcott Mountain in Simsbury with about 327,000.

Rounding out the top 10 were Cockaponsett State Forest in Chester with about 320,000 visitors, Kent Falls in Kent with nearly 319,000 visitors and Mansfield Hollow in Mansfield with about 255,000. 

“Connecticut state parks continue to be some of the most popular and consistently visited destinations in the state, and the data show it,” DEEP said previously. “Across the last 15 years, we’ve seen a clear upward trend in visitation numbers, a reflection of just how many residents and visitors are choosing our parks for hiking, swimming, camping, leaf-peeping and year-round recreation.”

Connecticut’s state parks saw unprecedented demand during the pandemic as residents flocked outdoors for recreation. DEEP has also credited the surge in attendance to the popularity of the state’s Passport to the Parks program, which provides free admission to residents through car registration fees.

Some parks saw big jumps in visitation between 2024 and 2025, including among those within the top 10. Harkness went from nearly 254,000 to more than 646,000 and Kent Falls went from more than 141,000 to nearly 319,000.

Penwood, C.P. Huntington, Salmon River and West Rock Ridge all had huge surges in visitation and at least doubled year over year.

In terms of overall number increases, West Rock Ridge in New Haven, Hamden, Bethany and Woodbridge went from nearly 79,000 visitors in 2024 to more than 198,000 in 2025 and Salmon River State Forest in Colchester went from nearly 99,000 to 199,000.

Percentage-wise, C.P. Huntington in Redding, Bethel and Newtown increased by more than 240% going from 11,900 visitors in 2024 to 40,500 in 2025 and Penwood in Bloomfield increased 118% going from 33,130 to 72,270.

Under the agency’s attendance policy, staff estimate visitation at 57 parks and forests using field observations, or more direct measures, such as vehicle counts and ticket sales. DEEP then adds a “conservative” 10% to account for visitors at the other 85 parks and forests not covered by the attendance policy, Flood said.

In recent years, the agency has also incorporated trail census data from the University of Connecticut to better capture visitors who might not be counted through traditional methods. Flood said DEEP’s annual visitation numbers closely mirror national trends, “which give us confidence that our estimates are good estimates.”

The attendance figures help guide management decisions and resource allocation, analyze long-term visitation trends, measure program success and balance recreational demand with the protection of natural and cultural resources, Flood said. The figures also help inform infrastructure planning, including parking expansions, trail improvements, campground development, accessible facilities, visitor centers and restrooms.

The entrance to Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden photographed on October 29, 2024.

State parks are a major economic driver for Connecticut, generating more than $4.6 billion annually and supporting nearly 46,000 jobs, according to DEEP’s five-year outdoor recreation plan.

Hammonasset, or “Hammo,” is the system’s crown jewel, accounting for roughly one-fifth of statewide park attendance and more than one-third of total revenue.

In addition to the more than 2.5 million day visitors, it also had more than 214,000 campers in 2025.

Stretching more than two miles along Long Island Sound, Hammonasset is Connecticut’s longest shoreline park and one of its oldest, opening in 1920. Known for its beaches, walking trails, bird-watching opportunities and pink sand, the park was named one of America’s most beautiful beaches by Business Insider last year. Travel + Leisure also ranked it the nation’s sixth most-visited state park.

Sherwood Island opened in 1914 and is Connecticut’s oldest state park. Situated on Long Island Sound, the park covers 234 acres of beach, wetlands and woodlands, and also features the 9/11 Living Memorial.

The steady stream of visitors has put pressure on aging park infrastructure after years of deferred maintenance. In 2022, DEEP estimated it would cost about $130 million to address unmet maintenance needs across the state park and forest system.

Gov. Ned Lamont has since committed nearly $140 million for park repairs across the state, including $9.7 million in federal pandemic relief funding and $130 million in state bond funding. The State Bond Commission also recently approved another $10 million for park improvements.

Some of the state’s busiest parks are facing the biggest repairs. 

An $8.5 million project at Rocky Neck State Park will modernize utilities and improve the reliability of public amenities, according to DEEP. Sherwood Island State Park is also undergoing an $8 million paving project that will continue in phases through 2026. But the park’s pavilion will remain closed for the rest of the season after DEEP discovered structural damage to its concrete roof, requiring costly repairs.