State Park Pass Available To Library Patrons

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has made state park day passes available this summer at public libraries across the state as part of the agency’s “No Child Left Inside” campaign.

The campaign is geared toward turning on families to the great outdoors and to showcase Connecticut’s state parks and forests. “Making the state park pass available at our public libraries is helping us accomplish that goal,” said DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy in a recent press release, where she also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Connecticut Library Consortium and local library officials working to make the effort a success.

Alana Bennison, children’s librarian at the C.H. Booth Library, said that the local library has been issued one pass that is available on a first come, first served basis. “The pass cannot be reserved ahead of time,” she said. “It must be picked up the day it is requested. Because the library will be charged $40 if the pass is lost, we are also requiring a completely refundable $40 deposit for the pass,” said Ms Bennison. The pass is available in the children’s department of the C.H. Booth Library.

This is the second year that the state DEP has provided the day pass, available to any patron who has a library card. Library patrons can borrow the pass for no charge for one to two days and present it at any state park or forest for free admission. Parking fees are part of the free admission to major state parks including Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, or Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme.

The pass is also good for entrance to museums located at state parks, such as Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill and Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam.

According to the DEP, Connecticut has a network of 137 state parks and forests. The lands include 21 swimming areas and beaches; 9 historic sites; more than 800 miles of hiking trails; 230 lakes and ponds; 2,000 miles of rivers and streams; 1,300 campsites at 14 state parks for tent and RV camping; and more than 100 public boat launch areas.

Available in the third floor reference department is a companion book for those who check out the pass, said Ms Bennison. Joseph Leary’s A Shared Landscape: A Guide & History of Connecticut’s State Parks & Forests provides details and photographs of activities and services offered at each state park and forest in Connecticut.

Ms Bennison is hopeful that the pass will be popular this summer. “Now that people know the pass it out there, I think they might take advantage of it,” she said.

For more information about No Child Left Inside visit nochildleftinside.org. To purchase a Connecticut State Park and Forest season pass, visit ct.gov/dep. Passes are offered to in-state residents for $40.