[UPDATE] Visit a State Park or Beach for Free this Holiday Weekend

Dozens of state parks will be open free to the public this holiday weekend along with 17 beaches.

A list of campgrounds supplied Thursday by the state Department of  Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) incorrectly listed a number of parks as open. The following parks are not open:

• Devil’s Hopyard
• Hopeville Pond 
• Kettletown and river camping sites at River Highlands 
• Gillette 
• Hurd
• Selden Neck Island 

"We have more parks and beaches ready for the public – and remember, Governor Malloy has directed us to open the gates free of charge for the holiday weekend,” said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty.  “We hope people are able to take a break from their work to rebound from the storm and enjoy some time outdoors.”

The free admission to state parks and beaches applies only through Labor Day and does not apply to state park campgrounds, where normal camping fees will be charged. At some parks that are open, some services may not be available and some areas will be marked as off limits due to storm damage.

A complete list of state parks, state park beaches and state park campgrounds that are open is available at:www.ct.gov/Irene. The list is updated several times a day as power comes on, damage is cleared and parks are deemed safe to reopen.

Among the state parks currently open across Connecticut, are Hammonasset Beach, Rocky Neck, Peoples State Forest, Squantz Pond, Stratton Brook, and Fort Trumbull State Park.

By Saturday morning, 17 of the 23 state park beaches will be open for the holiday weekend.  These are:  Black Rock State Park, Burr Pond State Park, Day Pond State Park, Gardner Lake State Park, Gay City State Park, Hammonasset Beach State Park (west beach remains closed), Hopeville Pond State Park, Lake Waramaug State Park, Mount Tom State Park, Pattaconk Recreation Area (Cockaponset State Forest), Quaddick State Park, Rocky Neck State Park, Sherwood Island, Silver Sands, Squantz Pond State Park, Stratton Brook State Park and Wadsworth Falls State Park.

The state’s major state park campgrounds at Hammonasset, Rocky Neck and Black Rock, as well as smaller campgrounds, such as Lake Waramaug and Housatonic Meadows are open.  Several campgrounds – mostly those in the eastern part of the state will remain closed for the weekend.  These include Hopeville Pond, Salt Rock, Devil’s Hopyard, and Kettletown State Parks.

Indian Well State Park in Shelton will open Saturday, but the beach area will be closed to swimming until water quality test results are available.

Advance reservations for camping this weekend are necessary for those locations that are open.  Campers will automatically receive full refunds for the nights they are not able to use their reservations because campgrounds were closed.  For information about reservations or refunds please visit www.reserveamerica.com

DEEP reminds state park beach-goers to be aware that with summer winding down and many lifeguards going back to school there may be a reduced number of lifeguards at some locations this weekend.