Quinnipiac River State Park

Quinnipiac River State Park is accessible for hikers and walkers. The 320 plus acres of forested floodplain embrace nearly six serpentine miles of the Quinnipiac River’s meandering western shoreline. The park’s combination of habitat, location, water availability, and forest cover come together to form remarkable wildlife habitats.

Cleaner waters over the years have provided an increased quality of wildlife habitat, although various river segments still lack diversity of sensitive species. Still, a testament to the greatly improved water quality of the lower river is the first recorded overwintering and possible permanent residence, of two bald eagles in the winter of 2006-07. Look for wild turkey and deer, an occasional otter, great blue heron, kingfishers, osprey, owls, and wood duck nests in dead trees.

The four-mile Banton Quinnipiac Trail passes through the Park. Sometimes following the river bank, sometimes somewhat upland, the trail leads north/south from Toelles Road (north) to the barred gate access at the abandoned Banton Street (south). Since it is an active floodplain, the forest floor can be seasonally muddy and the river’s many cutoffs meanders (oxbows) inundated.