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5 Best Squantz Pond State Park Nearby Hiking Trails

Squantz Pond State Park delights the visitor in a “mountain like” setting. Sharp, wooded slopes end in a cool, blue pond at the bottom. In the fall, photographers flock to the park to take pictures of the colorful leaves reflected in the water’s surface. A state park was made out of Squantz Pond in 1926.

From October 1 to April 14, dogs are welcome at Squantz Pond State Park. Outside of these dates, pets are not allowed during the summer months. On the southwest side of the huge 270-acre Squantz Pond, the park is a 172-acre public recreation area. You can go fishing, hiking, have a picnic, or go out on a boat. Every day of the week, from 8 a.m. to dusk, Squantz Pond State Park is open.

Squantz Pond State Park charges an entrance fee for out of state registered vehicles. Fees are $22 ($7 after 4pm) on weekends/holidays and $15 ($7 after 4pm) on weekdays.

About Description

Squantz Pond State Park
178 Shortwoods Rd
New Fairfield, CT 06812
United States

The park has a place to launch motorized boats as well as places to swim, fish, and scuba dive. The park also has a nature center, canoe and kayak rentals, and places to have a picnic. The hiking trails in the park lead to the Pootatuck State Forest, which is right next to the park. See the Hiking Section below for details

Visitors can enjoy Squantz Pond all year long, it has steep, wooded slopes, a cool, blue pond, and brightly colored leaves. The leaves make it Squantz Pond State Park photos a major attraction in the fall.

The park also has a place to go scuba diving. The park has a nature center and places to rent canoes and kayaks. There are also places to have picnics with anchored charcoal grills.


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Squantz Pond State Park

5 Boondocking Locations for Squantz Pond State Park



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Taconic Hereford Multiple Use Area

Address
Pleasant Valley, New York
GPS: 41.737347, -73.767625
Elevation: 538′

Management – State Forest (Official)

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is Gravel. There are 1-5 campsites at this location. You may stay 10 days at Taconic Hereford multiple use area. We stayed here in a 26′ RV, in April 2022. Road in is dirt but not too rough. There is an area large enough for a couple of vehicles or small RV’s, in front of the information noticeboard about the trails and the area.

We did not stay here – we drove just over the rise of the road (where another sign said ‘No further access’) but there was easily enough room to stop at the side of the road. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Stomeville Rest Area I84W

Address
Stormville, New York
GPS: 41.547274, -73.722421
Elevation: 814′

Management – Rest Area (Official)

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is Paved. There are 30 or more campsites at this location and the maximum RV length is unlimited. You may stay Any at Stomeville Rest Area I84W.

Rest area off westbound Interstate 84 between exits 17 and 16, in the Town of East Fishkill, Dutchess County. Vending machines, restrooms. State police outpost( not open to the public) gives it a secure area.
No sleeping outside of a vehicle. No tents. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Amenities:

ADA accessible
BBQ Grill
Drinking Water
Pay Phone
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Trash Cans

Danbury Welcome Center

Address
Danbury, Connecticut
GPS: 41.389485, -73.518223
Elevation: 541′

Management – Rest Area (Official)

Eastbound I-84 only, exit 1. A nice place to stop for overnight. Many trucks do, and there can be a jam in the morning. Port-a-potties are there. Some vending machines while the office is open, about 7:30am to 2:30pm. There is a dump station, and some water supplies (find a drinking fountain, and look down). The state might be closing these stops down due to budget cuts.

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is paved. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Amenities:

Pets Welcome
Restrooms
Trash Cans

Activities:

RV Parking

Hickok Brook

Address
Barryville, New York
GPS: 41.501073, -74.876568
Elevation: 1202′

Management – Unknoqn

Hickok Brook is open May 1st through Sep 30th. There are 1 night campsites at this location. You may stay 1 night at Hickok Brook. Stayed here one night late June 2021 in a built-out Ford E250. Midweek, had the place to ourselves. The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is dirt.

Some tent sites, at least 3 van/RV sites, there might be more. A bit of garbage, not too bad. Need decent clearance for the roads what with erosion. Quiet, lovely. If all the sites were full, though, I think the vibe would be pretty different. No mobile signal but I have US Mobile. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Amenities:

Fire Ring

Activities:

Boating
Fishing

Unionville Memorial Park

Address
Unionville, New York
GPS: 41.301792, -74.562821
Unionville Memorial Park
Management – County Park (Official)

Free camping in a small park located in downtown Unionville small area with tent camping and a gazebo you can sleep under, pizza across the street 1 mile from the Appalachian Trail. There is a sign that saids a permit is required. The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is paved. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Activities:

Tent Camping
Hiking

4 Paid and Permit Camping Near Squantz Pond State Park


Delaware State Forest – Fire Tower Road

Delaware State Forest – Fire Tower Road

A PASS or PERMIT is required at this campsite.

Address
Milford, Pennsylvania
GPS: 41.369, -74.819
Elevation: 1309′

Management – State Forest (Official)

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is gravel. There are 6-15 campsites at this location. You may stay 7 at Delaware State Forest – Fire Tower Road. Delaware State Forest gives permits for primitive camping at several locations.

Along Fire Tower Road there are approximately 5 camping areas separated by good distance. While I stayed at one called Dimmick Meadow there were a few other ones named along the road. No services in the camping areas.This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Amenities:

Fire Ring
Picnic Tables

Activities:

RV Parking
Tent Camping
OHV
Hiking

Delaware State Forest – 5 Mile Meadow

A PASS or PERMIT is required at this campsite.

Address
Hawley, Pennsylvania
GPS: 41.328971, -75.02463
Elevation: 1486′

Management – State Forest (Official)

Review

Many campsites like this dispersed through the forest. Must request a free permit through the ranger station. This is a beautiful clearing in a lush forest under 3 miles from I84. The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is gravel.

The campsite is located off a smooth road and has a short driveway all passable by a car. The campsite is very private and consists of a fire ring and a picnic table. There is a McDonald’s at the I84 exit. The permit process was done easily via e-mail. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Delaware State Forest – Edgemere

A PASS or PERMIT is required at this campsite.

Address
Silver Lake Road
Porters Lake Club, Pennsylvania
GPS: 41.268841, -75.033188
Elevation: 1380′

Management – State Forest (Official)

Email

Review

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is dirt and 100 yards miles from a paved road. There are 1-5 campsites at this location. You may stay 1 night at Edgemere – Delaware State Forest. Take 402 off I84 in PA. There is an outfitter/convenience store across from Pickeral Lake with a friendly staff that gave the recommendation, directions and serve nice breakfast sandwiches in the morning.

Take a left a few hundred yards south on Silver Lake Road for 5.1 miles until you cross a tiny concrete bridge. On the right is a very short rutted dirt road rising upwards. On the right is a site with big trees to string up at least 2 hammocks, a picnic table and fire ring. This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Amenities:

Fire Ring
Picnic Tables

Activities:

Wildlife Viewing

Delaware State Forest

PASS or PERMIT is required at this campsite.

Address
Swiftwater, Pennsylvania
GPS: 41.24403, -75.020981
Elevation: 1347′

Management – State Forest (Unofficial)

Review

The road into this Squantz Pond State Park boondocking site is dirt and 4 miles from a paved road. The area that is now Delaware State Forest was clear cut in the late 1800s. The ground is rocky so even though more than 100 years have passed , the trees aren’t very big and the underbrush is dense.

There are very few places to pull off the road and camp. Most of a large network of dirt roads are barricaded off and only opened during hunting season. We found a nice spot about 4 miles in from Route 402. It’s used as a turn around spot at a closed off road but it’s about 50′ long so there’s plenty of room to use it as a camp spot too.

This site is a good option since there is not Squantz Pond State Park camping sites.

Activities:

OHV
Hiking
Hunting

Squantz Pond State Park Camping

There are no camping facilities inside the park.

Group Camping Sites

There are no camping facilities inside the park.

History Of the Park

Sharp, wooded slopes end in a cool, blue pond at the bottom. In the fall, photographers flock to the park to take pictures of the colorful leaves reflected in the water’s surface. A state park was made out of Squantz Pond in 1926.

The state park was established through the purchase of a 138-acre farm in 1926.The pond and state park are named for Chief Squantz, a leader of the Schaghticoke tribe.

Things to do Near Squantz Pond State Park


The park offers swimming, fishing, and scuba diving as well as a launch for motorized boating. The park also has canoe and kayak rentals, picnicking facilities, and a nature center. The park’s hiking trails grant access to the adjacent Pootatuck State Forest.

Squantz Pond State Park

Hiking Trails


Pootatuck State Forest and Squantz Pond State Park are the best places to go hiking in New Fairfield. Together, they cover about 1,155 acres. There are some great walks through magical mountain settings with breathtaking views, steep, wooded slopes, fast-moving streams, and many interesting rock formations (including Council Rock), all of which cross the cool blue waters of Squantz Pond. There are a lot of miles of trails to hike, and you can do any number of loop hikes.

Throughout the hike, large boulder falls hugging the steep hillside as far as the eye can see up and down to the water’s edge are a common geological feature. In the upper part of the loop, you have to step over and between boulders and go past large rock formations.

Sqantz Pond Trail

This 2.2-mile loop trail is close to New Fairfield, Connecticut, and is a lot of fun. Most people think of it as a moderately hard route, and it takes an average of 57 minutes to finish. This is a very popular place to birdwatch, fish, and hike, so you’ll probably run into other people while you’re there.

The trail is beautiful and can be used at any time of year. Dogs can’t go on this trail, so you’ll have to leave them at home. The trail offers great spots for Squantz Pond State Park photos.

Difficulty: Not Hard
Length: 2.2 mi
Elevation gain: 321 ft
Route type: Loop

Fishing, Hiking, Paddle sports, Walking, Bird watching, Running, Forest, Lake, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife, Fee, No dogs

Review

The length of this trail is much more than 2.2 miles. Still a lovely path. Several streams. What a beautiful view of the Pond! At this time of year, you have to be careful on some parts of the trail. There are a few hills, but nothing too hard. There are a lot of rock climbs. I’ll give this hike an overall score of 8 out of 10.

Pine Hill to Squantz Pond

Find out about this 4.6-mile trail loop near New Fairfield, Connecticut. Most people think of it as a moderately hard route, and it takes an average of 2 hours and 16 minutes to finish. This trail is used by a lot of people to walk, run, and hike, but you can still get some alone time when it’s not busy. The trail is a great spot for Squantz Pond State Park photos.

Difficulty: Challenging In Places
Length: 4.6 mi
Elevation gain: 908 ft
Route type: Loop

Hiking, Walking, Running, Forest, Lake, Views, Bugs, Muddy, Rocky, Fee

Review

Really beautiful and fun trail! At times, the land is pretty rough. I thought that made it more fun, but it’s important to remember. I also went left instead of right at the first fork by accident, but I would recommend that path over the one on this route for the first leg anyway. The trail offers great spots for Squantz Pond State Park photos.

Red Pine Trail

Find this 3.2-mile trail near New Fairfield, Connecticut. It goes out and back. Most people think of it as an easy route, and it takes an average of 1 hour and 20 minutes to finish. This trail is great for walking and running, and you probably won’t see many other people while you’re out exploring.

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 3.2 mi
Elevation gain: 406 ft
Route type: Out & back

Hiking, Running, Forest, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife

Review

A quick stroll through the woods is nice. The main trail is easy to follow, and there are some side trails that aren’t marked for those who like to explore. This trail probably would be a great place to go for a trail run. The terrain and elevation change enough to keep things challenging, but not so much that they are too hard. You can get to some great spots for Squantz Pond State Park photos.

Pine Hill Road Loop

This 1.9-mile loop trail is close to the town of New Fairfield, Connecticut. Most people think of it as an easy route, and it takes an average of 51 minutes to finish. This trail is used by a lot of people to watch birds, hike, and run, but you can still get some alone time during the day. From April to September is the best time to visit this trail. We allow dogs, but they have to be on a leash.

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.9 mi
Elevation gain: 291 ft
Route type: Loop

Dogs on leash, Hiking, Walking, Bird watching, Running, Forest, Views, Wildflowers

Review

The view of Squantz Pond and Candlewood Lake from the short hike is pretty amazing. I took the red trail to the blue trail, which led to a great view of the whole area. I turned around and went back on the yellow trail until I reached the woods road. If you turn left there, you’ll get back to where you parked. There were a lot of unmarked side paths that went in different directions.

I went off the red trail for one small detour, but otherwise I stayed on the marked trails. At the trailhead, there are no maps and the one that is there is not very good, so having AllTrails open was very helpful. On this hike, there was a very nice reward for very little work. Not at all crowded and the trail offers great spots for Squantz Pond State Park photos..

Pootatuck State Forest Loop

Check out this 3.2-mile trail loop near New Fairfield, Connecticut. Most people think of it as a moderately hard route, and it takes an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes to finish. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and snowshoeing, but you can still get some peace and quiet when it’s not busy. We allow dogs, but they have to be on a leash.

Difficulty: Challenging
Length: 3.2 mi
Elevation gain: 787 ft
Route type: Loop

Dogs on leash, Hiking, Snowshoeing, Bird watching, Running, Forest, Lake, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife

Review

I started with the clock. The first half wasn’t too hard. There were a few hills, but it was mostly flat. When you walk out there, watch out for all the loose rocks. Before you get to the highest point, the last half has very steep hills. It had a few bugs, but nothing too crazy. All of that was worth it because the view from the top was so beautiful. The trail is easier to follow if you go against the clock.

Food Near Squantz Pond State Park


The 440 Line

249 State Rt 39 New Fairfield, CT 06812

Review

This bar/restaurant has a little bit of everything from a large bar with great food specials to a bocce court in back to hang out and enjoy a beer in the beer garden. I have had the pizza which is great and has tons of options.

The burgers are solid, my favorite is the Penne -A-la Vodka which I add grilled chicken to. Im not sure how they are able to offer $0.75 wings with food prices going up so much but they are delicious and have lots of sauce varieties as well.

Icons Sports Grill

80 State Route 39, New Fairfield, CT 06812-4042

Review

Great Place to stop when your out on a bike ride to Kent! The food is outstanding, the seared Tuna and Onion Soup are outstanding. If you’re in the neighborhood you must stop by this place for food and drinks!

Main Moon

28 Connecticut 39, New Fairfield, CT 06812

Review

It’s several years since I last visited Main Moon. As I summarized before, this is a typical American-Chinese takeaway with all the American-Chinese favorites. We quite enjoyed the dishes we ordered – they were hot and reasonably tasty for what they were. I was impressed at how fast the order was ready. I was a little early for the pickup, but the order was just finishing being packed.


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