CT State Parks and Forests Main Page Park Location Sherwood Island Connector Westport (Directions) Park Contact Information Sherwood Island State Park P.O. Box 188 Green Farms, CT 06838 (203) 226-6983 Boating Office at Sherwood Island State Park (203) 226-3116 Connecticut's September 11 Living Memorial {Link to Purchase a State Park Season Pass}   {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} ACCESSIBILITY This park offers: {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Bathrooms {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Parking {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Picnic Shelter {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Picnic Tables {Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Surf Chairs HOURS: The park is open from 8 am to sunset. Vehicle access to some parking lots may be restricted during winter months. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: Alcohol-free park.  Please do not bring alcoholic beverages. WATER QUALITY: Current information on swimming water quality. PETS: From October 1 to April 14, pets on a leash are permitted. Pets are not permitted in the park during the summer season from April 15 through September 30. STATE PARKS CONTACT INFORMATION: Email: dep.stateparks@ct.gov  Telephone: (860) 424-3200 (866) 287-2757 (Toll Free in CT) Fax: (860) 424-4070

{Flying a kite at Sherwood Island State Park} Sherwood Island State Park Westport Connecticut's first state park is still one of its finest. Have a leisurely lunch in the shade of the picnic grove, swim in Long Island sound, or view marsh life from the observation platform at Sherwood Island. West Beach – Because of the sharp rocks and shells, particularly at low tide, swimmers are urged to use East Beach, which has lifeguards on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The Nature Center is currently closed for the winter.   The new Nature Center is now open! A cooperative effort of the CT Department of Environmental Protection and the Friends of Sherwood Island, the nature center is now open and welcoming visitors.  A wide variety of displays and exhibits greet curious and budding naturalists of all ages. The Center is located between East Beach and the salt marsh nature trail. DEP staff, assisted by interns and docents, is planning summer nature walks, bird watching, and learning activities for adults and children. The Nature Center hours are Wednesday-Sunday 10 am to 4 pm.  View schedule of nature center programs. {Sherwood Island Nature Center} Activities Facilities Geology Directions Map History Activities {Field Sports} Field Sports {Fishing} Saltwater Fishing {Interpretive Programs} Interpretive Programs {Swimming} Saltwater Swimming {Picnicking} Picnicking {Nature Center}  Nature Center Fishing Surf and shore fishing is allowed anywhere on the shoreline outside of swimming areas. Art Trail Site Sherwood Island 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 Sherwood Island and other host sites. Facilities Bathrooms, Food Concession, Picnic Shelter, Picnic Tables, Showers Note to Swimmers:  Please read the Beach Regulations and Swimming Safety Information before entering the park West Beach – Because of the sharp rocks and shells, particularly at low tide, swimmers are urged to use East Beach, which has lifeguards on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. {Sherwood Island State Park} Spring Day at Sherwood Island State Park, West Beach Geology The Geology of Sherwood Island State Park Directions From I-95 north and south: Take Exit 18 to access the Sherwood Island Connector.  Follow the Connector directly into the park. From Route 1 north and south: take the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport.  Proceed past the I-95 entrance/exit ramps directly into the park. From Route 15 northbound: Take Exit 41 and proceed south on Route 33 to Route 1.  Follow Route 1 north to the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport. From Route 15 southbound: Take Exit 42 and follow Route 57 south.  Go left onto Route 33.  Proceed south on Route 33 to Route 1. Follow Route 1 north to the Sherwood Island Connector in Westport. Fees   Information on Season Passes From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day there are separate weekend/holiday and weekday parking fees. On weekends from April 17 through May 23 and again from September 11 through September 26, the  weekend parking fees will be in effect. More Information Map Hiking Map (885 K) History Sherwood Island State Park covers just over 235 acres in the Greens Farms section of Westport. It is bounded on the west by the Mill Pond and on the east by New Creek. Centuries ago, another creek (Gallup’s Gap Creek) ran roughly down the middle, with an island to its west (Fox Island) and marshland to its east.  In the 1600s, a group of farmers settled on land east of the present park. They shared the surrounding salt marsh and farmed what was then called Fox Island. At the same time Thomas Sherwood, a miller from Nottingham England, arrived in nearby Fairfield with his family. In 1787, Sherwood descendents settled on Fox Island and acquired an existing gristmill on the Mill Pond. Through the 1800s, on what came to be called Sherwood’s Island, the Sherwoods grew abundant crops. Onions and potatoes in particular were sent by ship to New York in great quantity. The gristmill serviced local farmers until grain farming in the area declined. In 1914, after surveying the coastline, the Connecticut State Park Commission determined that the Sherwood’s Island area was the only location in Fairfield County suitable for a shore park. By then, the land had many owners. For help in making acquisitions, the Commission turned to William H. Burr Jr., a Westport produce farmer, former state legislator and an activist for historical preservation. Because the first property purchase was made in 1914, Sherwood Island is said to be Connecticut’s oldest state park; but many years passed before it was accessible to the public. By 1923, with William Burr acting as intermediary, the State had acquired 48 acres of land on the marsh. However, neighboring landowner objections held up further funding to buy uplands for parking and park facilities. Through continuing advocacy by Burr and several regional associations, funding for the key parcels was approved, but not until 1937. These purchases were instrumental in creating momentum that lead to additional acquisitions and recreational improvements. Learn more about the park’s past by visiting the Friends of Sherwood Island history pages. Other Nearby State Recreation Areas Include: Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison  Location: 1 mile south of Exit 62 on I-95  Activities: Camping, Nature Center Programs, Picnicking, Saltwater Swimming and Fishing Charge: Daily, in season.  Campsite Fee {Bath House at Sherwood Island State Park} Bath House at Sherwood Island State Park Indian Well State Park, Shelton Location: 2 miles north of Shelton on Route 110  Activities: Boating, Hiking, Picnicking, River Fishing, Swimming Charge: Daily, in season Silver Sands State Park, Milford  Location: Route 1 off of I-95  Activities: Saltwater Fishing, Saltwater Swimming Charge: None Related Links Connecticut Tourism Information Friends of Sherwood Island State Park Fishing Information {Link to Top of Page}