DEP: Kent Falls State Park
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Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
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Park Location
Route 7

Park Contact Information
Kent Falls State Park
c/o Macedonia Brook
State Park
159 Macedonia Brook Road
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-3238


 
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility}
ACCESSIBILITY
This park offers:
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Bathrooms
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Parking
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Picnic Tables
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Trail to the base of the falls

HOURS:
The park is open from 8 am to sunset.

PETS:
Pets on a leash are permitted in picnic areas and on hiking trails.

STATE PARKS CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email:
Telephone:
(860) 424-3200
(866) 287-2757
(Toll Free in CT)
Fax:
(860) 424-4070

{Kent Falls} Kent Falls State Park
Kent
Wander across the covered bridge, hike the falls, and feel the mist on your face as water cascades 250' down on its way to joining the Housatonic River.
Activities Facilities Geology Directions Map History
Activities
{Hiking} Hiking {Picnicking} Picnicking
{Fishing} Fishing
Hiking
Kent Falls Trail winds 1/4 mile up along the falls. Although not difficult to walk, it is steep.  There are many scenic vantage points that can be enjoyed along the trail.
Fishing
Kent Falls is a designated Trout Park.
Please see Trout Parks for important information.
Art Trail Site
Kent Falls is a Viewpoint Exhibit Host Site
Did you ever wonder what the Connecticut landscape looked like a century ago? Check out “Viewpoints”, a joint project of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, the Connecticut Impressionist Art Trail, and the Department of Environmental Protection. Outdoor exhibits reproduce works of art painted in the 19th Century, with information about the artist and the location.  Visit the Impressionist Art Trail Website for a preview, and look for the Viewpoint exhibits on your next visit to Kent Falls and other host sites
Facilities
Bathrooms, Pedestal Grills, Picnic Tables
{Kent Falls State Park}
Kent Falls State Park, Kent
Geology
The Geology of Kent Falls State Park
Directions
From the North – Pittsfield and Great Barrington, MA areas: travel south on Route 7 into Kent, CT. The park is located along Route 7 approximately 3 miles south of the intersection with Route 45, and approximately 4.5 miles north of the village of Kent.
From the South – Greater Danbury area: travel north on Route 7 into Kent, CT. The park is located approximately 4.5 miles north of the village of Kent.
From the East – Hartford area: travel west on I-84, take Exit 39. Continue west along Route 4 to the intersection with Route 118 in Harwinton. Drive west along Route 118 to the intersection with Route 202 in Litchfield. Turn left onto Route 202 and travel west for about 7 miles to the intersection with Route 341. Turn right onto Route 341 and travel to the intersection with Route 7 in Kent, CT. Turn right (north) onto Route 7 and the park will be located approximately 4.5 miles ahead along Route 7.
Fees
 
Parking fee is in effect weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through October 31.
Map
Hiking Map (B/W, 434 K)
Hiking Map (Color, 330 K)

History
Kent Falls, located in the northeastern section of the town of Kent, is a series of waterfalls on a mountain stream known as Falls Brook. The stream begins in the town of Warren, draining an area of six or seven square miles. It then flows west to the big fall where it plunges approximately 70 feet in a dramatic cascade. From here the stream descends in a series of lesser falls and cascades to the valley, where it enters the Housatonic River some 200 feet below the brink of the big fall only a quarter mile away. Much of the limestone over which the brook flows has been carved into interesting shapes including numerous potholes of all sizes.
The Indian name of this area is "Scatacook" and there is considerable evidence that Native Americans fished and camped by the falls. Later, in colonial times, mills were also present along the brook.
Acquisition of the park began in 1919 with the gift of 200 acres by the White Memorial Foundation. Other parcels were donated or purchased until the present 295 acres were acquired. The area was developed in the 1930's by the Civil Works Administration. In the mid nineteen-seventies, considerable trail reconstruction was done by the Youth Conservation Corps of Connecticut. The covered bridge is an authentic reproduction built in 1974 by a park employee, Edmund Palmer.
The flow in the cascade at Kent is normally heaviest in the spring when the winter snow is melting. However, the falls can be dramatic at any time of the year, particularly after substantial rainstorms. Fall foliage season is also an excellent time to enjoy the area. Because of its exceptional scenic qualities, Kent Falls has been featured in a number of magazine and television advertisements.

Other Nearby State Recreation Areas Include:
Housatonic Meadows State Park, Cornwall Bridge/Sharon
Location: 2 miles north of Cornwall Bridge on Route 7
Activities:  Camping, Canoeing, Fly Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking
Charge: None for picnic area. Campsite fee
Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent/New Preston 
Location: 5 miles north of New Preston on Lake Waramaug Road (Route 478)
Activities: Camping, Fishing, Picnicking, Swimming
Charge: Weekends and holidays, in season.  Campsite fee
Macedonia Brook State Park, Kent 
Location: 159 Macedonia Brook Road
Activities: Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking
Charge:  None for picnic area. Campsite Fee
Mohawk Mountain State Forest, Cornwall/Goshen
Location: 6 miles west of Goshen off Route 4
Activities: Downhill Skiing, Mountain Biking
Charge:  No fee at the forest.  
For ski area rates, contact: Mohawk Mountain Ski Area {Leaving DEP Website}
Telephone:  (860) 672-6100
Mt. Tom State Park, Litchfield
Location: 3 1/2 miles west of Bantam off Route 202
Activities:  Boating (non-motor), Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking, Swimming
Charge: Daily, in season

Related Links
Connecticut Tourism Information
Fishing Information
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