Connecticut State Parks are awesome! You can save money on your next Connecticut State Parks adventure with a state parks pass. Can’t afford the $67 price tag for a pass? If you’re a veteran or a senior citizen, you don’t have to!
Seniors & Disabled Veterans visit Connecticut State Parks FREE!
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) offers two FREE Connecticut State Parks passes to certain citizens. Disabled veterans can receive the Disabled Veterans Pass. Residents who are at least age 65 can obtain a Charter Oak Pass. Although the names differ, they offer the same essential benefits.
What do these special passes provide?
This pass provides FREE admission for your vehicle and passengers at parks where a day use or parking fee applies. Parks like Gillette Castle, which charge an admission fee per person, will provide FREE admission for the passholder but everyone else in the group will have to pay their own rate.
The pass cannot be used for camping fees, special event charges or other uses.
How do I get a FREE Connecticut State Parks pass?
You can obtain your Charter Oak Pass or Disabled Veteran Pass in person or through the mail. You’ll need to show proof of age and residency to obtain it.
You can show this proof at one of the following locations to obtain your pass:
- DEEP State Parks Division (79 Elm St in Hartford)
- DEEP Western District HQ (230 Plymouth Road in Harwinton)
- DEEP Eastern District HQ (209 Hebron Road in Malborough)
- DEEP Marine Headquarters (333 Ferry Rd in Old Lyme)
- Dinosaur State Park (West Street in Rocky Hill)
- Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park (Park Avenue in Groton), summer only
- Fort Trumbull State Park (90 Walbach St in New London), summer only
- Harkness Memorial State Park (275 Great Neck Road in Waterford)
- Hammonasset Beach State Park (1288 Boston Post Rd in Madison)
- Kellogg Environmental Center (500 Hawthorn Ave in Derby)
- Sherwood Island State Park (Exit 18 off I-95 in Westport), summer only
To obtain it through the mail, you’ll need to send legible copies of your documentation. Make sure you can read all the text on the images you send or your application may not be processed.
Seniors need to provide a copy of their Connecticut ID or other legal proof of age and residency to the following address:
DEEP Charter Oak Pass
State Parks Division
79 Elm St
Hartford CT 06106
Disabled veterans need to submit proof of residency and proof of service connected disability status. A letter confirming your service connected rating is easy to obtain from the eBenefits website. Submit your evidence to:
DEEP Disabled Veteran Pass
State Parks Division
79 Elm St
Hartford CT 06106
Click here to see all our Connecticut posts!
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.