Selden Neck State Park

Connecticut has a number of beautiful state parks that show off the verdant flora of New England, but one of the most unusual is Selden Neck State Park. You can only get here from the water, but once you are on the island a number of activities await you.

Isolated island

Selden Neck was not always an island. In the 1800s, it hosted a stone quarry and a farm. After torrential downpours caused the Connecticut River to rise in 1854 and never recede, it was cut off from the mainland and remains only accessible by boat. A number of launch locations in the area are used to get to the island, and local companies rent small boats for that purpose.

About the park

The island of Selden Neck is completely roadless and uninhabited. At a little over 600 acres, it offers plenty of room to wander and explore. The island's vegetation is allowed to grow unchecked since it became a natural park, and the only change made by the Parks Department is the construction of four primitive campgrounds for overnight stays. If you are looking for amenities, then you are not going to find them here.

What to do there

A number of trails wind through the park, taking visitors to the abandoned stone quarry and the old farm buildings. Scenic lookouts from the trails offer unreal views of the Connecticut River. However, the real draw here is just the peace and quiet that only total isolation can bring.

A visit to Selden Neck State Park takes a little more planning than other parks, but it is well worth the work.