Gillette Castle State Park River Camping

About

Gillette Castle State Park River Camping offers a distinctive paddle-in camping experience on the Connecticut River in East Haddam. The primitive campsite sits on the grounds of the 184-acre estate once belonging to William Gillette, the actor, director, and playwright famous for his stage portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. His 24-room fieldstone mansion, designed to resemble a medieval fortress, perches 200 feet above the river and is open for seasonal tours. The single group campsite accommodates up to 20 people and is accessible only by canoe or kayak. Vehicle access and overnight parking are not available. The site provides composting toilets and picnic tables, but ground fires are strictly prohibited on castle grounds. Campers must pack out all refuse. This is a one-night-only camping experience with checkout by 9:00 a.m. Beyond camping, visitors can hike trails that follow Gillette's three-mile narrow gauge railroad line, tour the castle interior, and enjoy picnicking on the grounds. The park offers accessibility features including all-terrain wheelchairs available by reservation.

Directions

Located at 67 River Road, East Haddam, CT. The campsite is only accessible by water via the Connecticut River. Paddlers typically launch from nearby boat launches and paddle to the campsite on the park grounds.