#Middlebury #DEEP #StateParks #July4th
(HARTFORD)—Ahead of the July 4th Weekend, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut State Police, and municipal leaders remind visitors to state parks and boat launches to plan ahead, arrive early, and have a back-up plan in mind in case the location of your choice is full and closed to new visitors upon arrival.
State Parks such as Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield often fill to capacity on the holiday and other nice summer weekends. Once capacity is reached the park is closed for the day and new visitors will be turned away. Parking illegally outside of a park can result in a ticket or your vehicle being towed. There are 110 state parks, so we encourage you to consider visiting a less frequented park where you’re less likely to find crowds.
At Squantz Pond State Park specifically, on nice weekend days in the summer, more visitors arrive to visit than can be accommodated at the park. Each year, traffic congestion, parking issues, and visitors being turned away contribute to a disappointing experience for many would-be visitors.
“New Fairfield welcomes all visitors to Squantz Pond State Park,” New Fairfield First Selectman Patricia Del Monaco said. “We want everyone to have an enjoyable and safe experience while visiting New Fairfield, and ask that everyone observe posted ‘No Parking’ signs once the Park has reached capacity.”
“It’s easy to see why Squantz Pond is such a great attraction,” Colonel Stavros Mellekas, Commanding Officer of the Connecticut State Police, said. “We want people to enjoy all our parks as safely as possible. We have worked closely with CT DEEP and the town of New Fairfield to develop strategies that allow all to come and safely enjoy our state.”
There are lots of other really great options to visit state or local parks that do not have the same limited capacity and congestion issues. Just a few ideas include Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, Silver Sands State Park in Milford, Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, or you can try a lesser known “hidden gem” park! More ideas for great state parks to visit can be found on the DEEP website or here.
If you do go to New Fairfield to visit Squantz Pond State Park, please remember that there is no parking allowed on nearby streets outside of the park, unloading near the park, or any other violations of posted traffic signage. Violations can result in vehicles being ticketed and/or towed. Once capacity is reached, the park is closed, and will remain closed for the rest of the day.
Up-to-date closure notifications are posted on the CT State Parks Twitter account @CTStateParks, and on the “What’s Open Outdoors” page of the DEEP website. DEEP recommends checking these prior to venturing out to a park, and to have a back-up plan in mind ahead of time in the event a park closes while you’re enroute. It’s important to remember that many state parks and boat launches reach capacity and close early on holidays and nice summer weekend days, with some reaching capacity as early as 9 a.m.
“We want visitors to the State Parks and Boat Launches this weekend to have a safe and enjoyable time in the outdoors,” DEEP Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Conservation Mason Trumble said. “Planning ahead, arriving early, and having a back-up plan go a long way toward having a stress-free, relaxing time outside, which is what it’s all about. We encourage visitors to be safe and to exercise good judgment in whatever outdoor activities you engage in this and every weekend, and also remind visitors to ‘Love Your Lands’ by carrying out what you carry in with you, and ensure that any trash created during your visit is properly disposed of or carried out with you.”
