Boat Launches & Parks
Candlewood Lake has two state boat launches which are accessible to visitors who are not residents of one of the five municipalities bordering Candlewood Lake. The two State launches (Squantz Cove and Lattins Cove) each have a maximum capacity of 100 vehicles and will close when they reach capacity.
The CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection operates the three state launches listed here. Please contact them regarding current fees, etc.
Squantz Pond State Park and Boat Launch (Squantz Pond)
178 Shortwoods Road
New Fairfield, CT 06812
(203) 312-5023
Squantz Pond State Park is the only state park on Squantz Pond or Candlewood Lake. The beach, swim area and main park grounds, along with hiking trails along the Pootatuck State Forest, are along the shores of Squantz Pond, which is adjacent to Candlewood.
Squantz Pond State Park has a boat launch, giving visitors access to boating on Squantz Pond.
Be aware, that Squantz Pond's boat launch has a limited number of parking spaces (25) for vehicles and also limits the horsepower of boats launching on Squantz Pond to 25 horsepower.
Please visit the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Squantz Pond State Park web page for detailed information on the Park, including hours and entrance fees.
Squantz Cove State Boat Launch on Candlewood Lake
Capacity: 100
Rt. 39
New Fairfield, CT 06812
Squantz Cove Launch CT DEEP Webpage
Lattins Cove State Boat Launch on Candlewood Lake
Capacity: 100
8 Forty Acre Mountain Road
Danbury, CT 06811
Lattins Cove Launch CT DEEP Webpage
Dikes Point Recration Area
Carry/car-top launch for kayaks, canoes etc. only - this park does not have a boat ramp.
New Hours and Reservation System for Dike Point in New Milford
FirstLight to Require Reservations for Park Access
May 23, 2017 - New Milford, CT – FirstLight Power Resources, the owner of the Dike Point Recreational Park in New Milford, is instituting a reservation system and changing park hours to address local public safety and public health concerns at the facility. The park has become a popular beach destination during the summer months and has been the focus of overcapacity issues in recent years. Damage to park facilities, increased littering, and regular calls to the local police for issues such as domestic disturbances and noise complaints compelled the company to act.
“Overcapacity issues and a large increase in the use of Dike Point, particularly by residents from outside of the local community, have created safety and health concerns from both the community and FirstLight Power. The park was not designed to handle the amount of people it regularly receives each weekend, so in an effort to maintain a safer environment FirstLight will now require people to make a reservation to access Dike Point. On-site security will continue to enforce a “carry in, carry out” policy on all trash in an effort to reduce the massive amount of garbage that is left behind by park users. New hours will also be strictly enforced to maintain control of the park and alcoholic beverages will no longer be permitted. We believe that these changes are necessary to ensure a secure and healthy park, both from a public safety and an environmental perspective” said FirstLight Spokesman Len Greene.
The park will officially open on Monday, May 29 at 12 p.m. New park hours for the summer recreation period, which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day will be Monday-Friday, 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Reservations are required for access to the park, so walk-ins and unauthorized users will not be admitted. Reservations, which are based on parking limitations, can be made at and will allow one vehicle holding a maximum of 4 passengers each.
In addition, residents of the towns around the lake may launch boats at the town launches. Those launches are manned and operated by the Parks & Rec departments of those towns. Rules and regulations, as well as fees for residents to launch their boats at those parks are set by the individual towns. Below are the Parks & Rec numbers for the towns.
Brookfield: 203-775-7310
Danbury: 203-797-4632
New Fairfield: 203-312-5633
New Milford: 860-355-6050
Sherman: 860-354-3629