Rocky Neck State Park

244 West Main Street (Route 156)

Exit 76 off of Interstate 95

East Lyme

860-739-5471

Hours:

8:00 a.m. – sunset

Rocky Neck State Park

Rocky Neck State Park

Rocky Neck State Park is a coastal mecca for visitors wishing to relax along the beach, swim in Long Island Sound, fish the tidal rivers and salt marshes, and spend overnight along the shore. Before becoming a state park, the land was used for a variety of commercial purposes for hundreds of years. Most recently, it was a fish mill which produced a strong odor that proved instrumental in keeping developers away from Rocky Neck. A group of financiers was able to purchase the uninhabited area in 1929 and hold onto it until the state could secure enough funds to claim it for the State Park System in June of 1932. At that time, the Federal Emergency Relief Agency Works Progress Administration constructed a large stone pavilion, a centerpiece of the park today. Two long dining rooms are great places to picnic, while a second floor restaurant offers great views of the Sound. Visitors can also enjoy a seasonal nature center, where interpreters provide nature walks, programs and information on the many displays and exhibits in the building. The nature center can be found along the southern end of the park’s campground, where 160 wooded and open sites offer weekenders and vacationers attractive overnight accommodations.

Activities

• Camping
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Interpreters
• Picnicking
• Swimming