Parking & Directions

Parking at Rocky Neck State Park is free for any car with Connecticut plates. Out-of-state cars pay $15 on weekdays, $22 on weekends and holidays, or $7 after 4 p.m., from April 1 to October 31; a season pass for out-of-state vehicles is $112. The entrance is at 244 W Main Street (Route 156) in Niantic, a short drive from I-95 exit 72.

Why Connecticut Cars Park Free

Under Connecticut's Passport to Parks program, a car registered in Connecticut does not pay a parking fee at any state park, Rocky Neck included. The fee depends on the car's plate, not where the driver lives.

How Out-of-State Visitors Pay

You can pay at the ticket booth when it is open, online through ReserveAmerica, or by phone at 1-877-668-CAMP (2267). DEEP's rules:

• The fee is owed even when the ticket booth is closed.
• Pay by 10 p.m. on the day of your visit. An unpaid fee can bring a $75 infraction to the car's registered owner.
• Online passes carry a $2 reservation fee, should be bought on the day you visit, and do not guarantee a space or get refunded.
• The $112 season pass covers out-of-state access to any Connecticut state park that charges parking.

Directions

From I-95, take exit 72 toward Rocky Neck State Park and follow the Rocky Neck Connector to Route 156 (West Main Street). The park entrance is on Route 156. Past the entrance, DEEP's map shows a traffic circle by the ticket booth where the road splits: Campground Road goes left to the campground, and Beach Road goes right, down the east side of the park, to the beach lots.

The Lots

• Beach lots: a cluster of paved lots at the south end of Beach Road, behind West Beach and East Beach, with marked handicapped spaces. This is where most day visitors park.
• Campground: registered campers park at their sites; everyone entering the campground stops at the camp office first.
• Trail lot: DEEP's trail map shows a separate parking area at the north-west corner of the park, off Route 156, at the top of the Blue and Red trails.
• Four Mile River water access: a separate state lot and launch on the west bank of the Four Mile River. See Four Mile River.

Groups and Buses

A DEEP bus permit is required for mid-size and full-size buses seating 30 or more passengers. Apply before the trip; DEEP links the permit page from the park page.

By Bike or on Foot

DEEP lists no bus stop or rail station at the park, even though the Amtrak line runs through it. Inside the park, all trails are multi-use and the campground has a paved bikeway to the beach.

Before You Go

Opening time is 8 a.m. and the park closes at sunset (hours). For the beach itself see beach; for camping fees, camping. Going on to Niantic? The town beaches charge their own fees: East Lyme beaches.