Boat Ramps Nearby
Illustration Paddlers
Launch a kayak without getting soaked
Shore, dock and ramp launches step by step, plus the cart that ends the long carry from the car.
Kayak launch guideKayak & canoe launches in Connecticut
We list 12 kayak launches in 11 towns across Connecticut. Each one lets you get a paddle craft onto the water without backing a trailer.
Canaan 2
- Great Falls Reservoir Access · Great Falls Reservoir
- Rannapo Road Access · Housatonic River
Colchester 1
East Norwalk 1
- Sherwood Mill Pond Kayak Launch · Sherwood Mill Pond
Fairfield 1
- Ash Creek Open Space Boat Ramp · Ash Creek
Hartford 1
- Charter Oak Landing Kayak/Canoe Launch · Hockanum River
Mystic 1
- Kayak Landing in Mystic · Quiambaug Cove
North Haven 1
- Quinnipiac River Marsh Wildlife Management Area Access · Quinnipiac River Marsh
Old Saybrook 1
- Great Island Boat Launch · Back River
Plainfield Village 1
- Robert Manship Park Canoe/Kayak Launch Area · Quinebaug River
Salem 1
- Horse Pond Car Top Boat Launch · Horse Pond
South Coventry 1
- Canoe Launch Point in South Coventry · Willimantic River
Kayak & canoe launches by city in Connecticut
Illustration 
Illustration Ramp etiquette
12 rules regulars expect you to know
Staging, courtesy docks and the Clean, Drain, Dry laws that can bring a fine.
Ramp etiquetteKayak & canoe launches in Connecticut: questions and answers
Where are the kayak launches in Connecticut?
We list 12 kayak launches in Connecticut, most of them around Canaan (2).
Which lakes and rivers have kayak launches in Connecticut?
Among others Great Falls Reservoir, Housatonic River, Babcock Pond, Sherwood Mill Pond and Ash Creek.
Do kayaks need to be registered in Connecticut?
Check with the Connecticut boating agency. Many states don't register non-motorized kayaks, but some require a permit at state launches or an invasive species sticker.
Do you need a life jacket to kayak in Connecticut?
Every paddler in Connecticut needs an approved life jacket on board, and kids have to wear theirs.
Are there free kayak launches in Connecticut?
2 of the 12 are marked free in the map data, including Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection Kayak Launch and Charter Oak Landing Kayak/Canoe Launch.
Other states
- New York 211
- Michigan 136
- North Carolina 105
- Pennsylvania 94
- Maine 85
- Massachusetts 64
- Florida 62
- Tennessee 57
- Minnesota 56
- Wisconsin 49
- Illinois 46
- Iowa 44
Guide: How to launch a kayak or canoe · All boat ramps in Connecticut