Adieu to Summer: Hike, Swim & Picnic at Hammonasset Beach

[David Ostafin]

Join us for a hike, swim, and picnic at Hammonasset's East Beach, in Madison, CT on September 16, 2023 at 11:00 a.m..  This is a farewell to Summer 2023  event, post-Labor Day and pre-Autumnal Equinox.  We are hoping the year has one more good beach day remaining!

Hammonasset Beach occupies a two-mile stretch of beach front in the Town of Madison, CT, along the clam waters of Long Island Sound.  It is Connecticut's longest shoreline public park, first created in 1919.  The park is divided into East Beach (on the left as you drive inside the park), Middle Beach (center roadway as you drive inside the park), and West Beach (to the right as you drive into park).  We will be meeting at the East Beach pavilion (the structure where the bathrooms, showers, and picnic tables are ). Park in the East Beach parking lot and walk up to the pavilion to meet up with our group.  Be there by 10:30 a.m., as the group will promptly depart at 11:00 a.m.

From the pavilion, we will be walking South from East Beach, in the direction of Meig's Point Nature Center.  This is an easy hike, and is a mini-version of Ogunquit's Marginal Way and Newport's Cliff Walk, with views along the trail of the beach and Long Island Sound.  Along the way we will see interesting rock formations (many photo opportunities!), including the locally-famous Shakespeare Rock (tide-permitting), as well as a rock sundial.  We will walk to the very end of the trail, where there is a viewing area overlooking a protected nesting site for certain species of birds, particularly the "threatened" piping plower and the least tern.  Many school classes and adult bird-watching groups frequent this site.  We will then retrace our steps, and return to the pavilion of East Beach, for a picnic and swim in Long Island Sound.  Bring your bathing suit and towel/sunscreen (plus whatever else you typically want on a beach) as well as your own picnic lunch.

For those interested, the Meig's Poit Nature Center will be open until 5 p.m.  It features the flora and fauna of this unique ecological area where the Hammonasset River meets Long Island Sound and creates three distinct ecosystems:  freshwater habitat, saltwater habitat and brackish water habitat.  It features live animals:  fish, snakes, frogs, turtlse, and (our favorite) the blue crab.

DIRECTIONS:  From I-91 South, take Route 9.  One Route 9 take Exit 9, and then turn right onto Route 81.  Continue on Route 81 to access I-95 South.  From I-95 south, take Exit 62, and then take a left of the exit.  Head South 1 mile on Hammonasset Connector, and GO STRAIGHT THROUGH LIGHT (crossing Route 1, Boston Post Road, at a right angle) into the park.  You can use the following GPS address to get to the point where you go straight, across the Boston Post Road, into the park:  1288 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443 (but do not turn down Boston Post Road; go straight into the park).

NOTE:  No fee is assessed for CT-registered vehicles.  Out-of-state-registered vehicles are required to pay a fee on-line (www.reserveamerica.com) from April 1 to October 31.  But the fee is not due until 10 P.m. of the date of the visit.  Leashed pets are allowed everywhere in the park except on the beach itself (pets are allowed on the beach only between October 1 and March 30). 

David Ostafin & Giovani Querido