NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield will be closed to those without a reservation on July 4, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The holiday is the first time that park visitors have filled reservations in advance, using the new online registration system announced in May, DEEP said.
Those without a reservation will not be allowed to enter the park, neither by car or by walking, and are asked by DEEP to visit the CT Parks website to find alternate locations. As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, DEEP said that reservations were still available on July 5-7 on the Reserve America website.
Reservations for the park are expected to continue to fill in advance on weekends in the summer, DEEP said, noting that spots for July 15 are full; 250 car passes are available for each weekend or holiday date until they fill up.
To make a reservation or check on remaining spots, visitors can search "Squantz Pond" via ReserveAmerica.com or call the toll-free number 1-877-668-CAMP (2267). All online transactions come with a $2 fee, and while those with Connecticut-registered vehicles do not have to pay an entrance fee, those out of state must also pay $22 per vehicle to enter.
Parking spots can be secured up to 14 days in advance for summer holidays and summer weekends for two vehicles at a time, according to DEEP. If reservations are not already full, same-day reservations can be made online or at the park entrance gate until 3 p.m. on the day of the visit.
Park visitors are also asked to monitor the CT State Parks feed on X for updates on parks that have filled to capacity.
The following state and municipal parks, along with Squantz Pond, filled to capacity Thursday:
- Rocky Neck State Park, East Lyme
- Wadsworth Falls State Park, Middletown
- Burr Pond State Park, Torrington
- Quaddick State Park, Thompson
- Pattaconk Recreation Area (Cockaponset State Forest)
- Millers Pond State Park, Haddam
- Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union
- Gardner Lake State Park, Salem
- Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
- Lighthouse Park, New Haven (municipal park)
- Indian Well State Park, Shelton
- Kent Falls State Park, Kent
- Black Rock State Park, Watertown
- Sherwood Island State Park, Westport
- Hopeville Pond State Park, Griswold
- Mount Tom State Park, Litchfield
- Silver Sands State Park, Milford
- Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford
Sean Humphrey is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at shumphrey@fox61.com
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