Summer Hike at Bluff Point & Swim in Long Island Sound

[David Ostafin]

Join us for an EASY hike in Bluff Point State Park, located on Depot road in Groton, Connecticut, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2025.  This hike, our group's summer tradition, will include a swim in Long Island Sound.  The trail loop we will take is 3.4 miles, but it is flat and graveled.  Meet at 10:30 a.m. for a prompt departure at 11:00 a.m.  The rain date is the following day, Sunday, July 20, 2025.

ABOUT THE PARK:  Bluff Point State Park, located on Depot Road in Groton, CT, is the last remaining significant piece of public coastline in Connecticut.  The park encompasses 800 acres.  It is one of the few public parks in Connecticut where one can combine a hike and a swim in Long Island Sound.  It was a popular recreational destination in the 1920's and 1930's, and a large community of summer cottages were built along the beach.  But the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, which came ashore on September 21, 1938 during high tide, destroyed all the homes, and dashed all hopes for beach-front construction.  It was then decided that this area was unsuitable for permanent dwellings due to exposure to future hurricanes, and so the cottages were never rebuilt.  Bluff Point became an undeveloped recreational area for Connecticut residents.  In 1975 the Connecticut legislature established Bluff Point as a Coastal Reserve.

ABOUT THE HIKE:  We will hike a clockwise loop from the parking lot to a strip of beach (Bushy Beach) for a swim in Long Island Sound.  So, bring your swimwear and towel.  We will first walk the trail to the picturesque "bluffs" that give the park its name (geologically, a "bluff" is a steep cliff, often with a broad, rounded face, that overlooks a body of water).  Here we will enjoy the spectacular view from the rock cliffs overlooking the Sound.  There are many opportunities for photos.  Also, along the way, we will stop at the ruins of the Governor Winthrop House (Connecticut's colonial governor from 1635 to 1639, John Winthrop acquired the land through a grant in 1648).

NOTE:  The hike is low-intensity and flat, and will last about two hours (excluding the time we decide to spend frolicking in the Sound).  There are waterless restrooms near the beach, which can be used as changing rooms to put on/off swimwear for our dip in the Sound).  Dogs are allowed on the hike, but disallowed on the strip of beach during the summer season (a prohibition only intermittently enforced).  As always, read our Disclaimer (our group disclaims all liability; responsibility is assumed by each participant for him/herself), dress appropriately for the season, and bring sufficient water to maintain adequate hydration during the hike.

DIRECTIONS:  Take Exit 88 off I-95 (North or South) to CT-117.  From the intersection of I-94 and CT-117, drive 0.3 miles to UP-1 South to Groton.  Then drive 0.3 miles and take a left onto Depot Road.  The GPS address "1 Depot Round, Groton, CT" will get you to this point.  Once on Depot Road, drive 0.7 miles, passing an industrial park and bearing right under a bridge, to reach the parking lot.  Parking is ample and free to CT-registered vehicles (owners of out-of-state vehicles are asked to access a website to pay a day fee:  ReserveAmerica.com).   Unlike many other Connecticut parks with public beaches that sometimes reach capacity, Bluff Point is rarely closed due to "volumetric flow" due to its large size and ample parking.  We will meet at the end of the parking area, next to a kiosk with the park map on it, adjacent to some picnic benches.

AFTER-HIKE SOCIAL:  The optional after-hike social will be at the Groton Townhouse Restaurant, located at 355 Rt. 12, Groton, Ct.  The restaurant has an extraordinarily diverse menu, including all-day breakfast.  The website for the menu is:   http://grotontownhouserestaurant.com

David Ostafin and Giovani Querido