Sunset at Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT
Hammonasset Beach State Park is a public recreation area occupying two miles of beach front on Long Island Sound in the town of Madison, Connecticut. It is the state’s largest shoreline park and one of the most popular attractions in the state, drawing an estimated one million visitors annually. The state park offers beach activities, large campground, and nature center. It is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The park was established in 1919 with the purchase of 499 acres in 1919 and drew over 75,000 visitors in 1920, its first year of operation. Today, annual attendance is estimated at over million visitors. The park closed during World War II when the site became a U.S. Army reservation and active aircraft firing range. The park offers bicycling, boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming as well as a campground with 550 units.