Northfield Brook Lake is a US Army Corp of Engineers project with 208 acres of natural forest habitat and recreational day use area featuring facilities and activities. The lake is nestled in the Naugatuck Valley in west Connecticut. Scenic Naugatuck Valley has several nearby small towns, and residents in the area and visitors to the region go to Northfield Brook Lake Corps of Engineering Park to enjoy the scenery, watch wildlife, go for a hike, or enjoy an outdoor meal at the park on warm summer evenings. Located on Northfield Brook Lake, which is a picturesque 8 acre lake stocked with trout, the day use area features two reservable group picnic shelters. Shelters have picnic tables and fire grills, and each shelter can accommodate groups of up to 100 people.The Northfield Brook Lake picnic shelters are open and can be reserved for large groups from Mid April to Mid October.
Other amenities in the park include a horseshoe pit, swimming area, and a 1.7 mile self guided hiking trails that meanders through the park.
The nearby Black Rock State Park is just a six minute drive away, and has a campground that accommodates overnight RV camping. Looking to rent an RV in the Connecticut area? Check out available RVs at Connecticut RV Rentals. Interested in learning more about RV rental options? For more information click the following link Why Outdoorsy RV Rentals.
The town of Thomaston is less than a five minute drive from Northfield Brook Lake. To reach the COE Park from Thoamston, travel two miles north on Northfield Road, Route 254. The town has services and amenities for local visitors to Northfield Brook Lake’s day use area or the nearby Black Rock State Park. Grocery stores, restaurants, and service stations available in the town provide amenities for RV campers in the area. Other towns nearby include Litchfield and Goshen, Connecticut, and the area provides scenic drives with quaint small towns to visit.
Approaching the area from the south, RV visitors can take Route 8 north to exit 38 then turn left onto South Main Street in Thomaston Connecticut. At the third traffic light turn right and proceed north on Route 254 for two miles north to Northfield Brook Lake COE Day Use Area.
If you are coming from north of the COE park. Take Route 8 south to Exit 38 and turn right onto South Main Street, Thomaston. At the next traffic light turn right onto Route 254 and proceed two miles north to Northfield Brook Lake recreation and day use area.
Roads to the park are paved and well maintained and the parking lot is paved so RVs won't have trouble with rough roads or muddy conditions during wet weather. However, the parking lot does not have large pull through spots for moderate to large sized RVs or trailers.
The nearby Black Rock State Park does have overnight camping, and leaving your RV or trailer there and proceeding to the Northfield Brook Lake Park in a single family vehicle is recommended.
To get to Black Rock State Park from Northfield Brook Lake go south on Route 254 for 1.2 miles, then turn to the right as route 254 continues to the south for another .6 miles. When you reach the junction of Route 109, turn right to head west for .5 miles. Route 109 then becomes route 6, continue for another .4 miles then turn right into Black Rock State Park where indicated by signage.
Check out Black Rock State Park Camping for detailed information on amenities at the nearby state park and campground. The campground is situated in the 439 acre Black Rock State Park which is a forested natural area, with steep terrain and wooded ledges and rocky outcroppings.
Reservations can be made during the peak season at Black Rock State Park Campground Reservations. The campground's peak reservable season is from late May until early September. The Black Rock State Park Campground has 78 sites, many of which are accessible for moderate sized RVs and trailers. There are no electric sites or water hookups. Campsites are well treed, shady and private, and have picnic tables and fire rings at each site. All campsites are within walking distance of the swimming beach and fishing pond. There are also sports fields and a recycling center in the campground as well as many local hiking trails in and near the campground. Amenities include a dump station, two bath houses with flush toilets and showers, and drinking water supplies.
Northfield Brook Lake is an 8 acre lake that is stocked by local state fish and wildlife with trout for anglers The lake also supports native warm water species such as bass. Ensure you have a valid fishing license to fish at Northfield Brook Lake and observe all local regulations and rules. You can fish from the shoreline, or from the surface of the lake on a kayak, canoe, or rowboat. During the off season when less recreational activity is present in the COE Park, fishing enthusiasts may have more luck as local fish populations are less disturbed by human activities.
Northfield Brook Lake features a 1.7 mile self guided interpretive trail that winds through the park and is popular with both locals and visitors. Other hiking trails in the area include Castle Craig Trail which is 2.8 miles and the longer Quinnipiac Trail which is 18.1 miles in length. During the fall season, spectacular autumn foliage makes a spectacular backdrop for hikers in Connecticut.
There are some excellent mountain biking trails in the Northfield Brook Lake region. Quarry Trail is a .4 miles mountain biking trail, and the 5.9 mile Burr Paugnut Mail Loop Trail is also designated for mountain bikers. A much longer trail, the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Northern Connecticut Section, at 22.8 miles, is another area cycling trail. Be sure to use a helmet and safety equipment when cycling on natural trails. Beautiful fall colors, drier conditions, and less trail traffic in the off season make cycling trips in the fall ideal.
The scenic Northfield Brook Lake is a popular picnic area for locals and visitors to the Naugatuck Valley. There are two large reservable picnic shelter accommodating groups of up to 100 people each. Fire grills and picnic tables are available at the shelters. For fun, there are horseshoe pits, a hiking trail, and a swimming area in this US Army Corps of Engineering day use area that picnickers can enjoy while having an outdoor meal and enjoying the natural area.
On weekends, park rangers at Northfield Brook Lake provide educational programs that allow visitors and locals to learn about the natural forested and riparian areas, and wildlife habitat in the region. Water safety is also discussed. This is a great way for families to ensure young people are aware of the impact human activities have on natural areas and become educated on safe and appropriate behavior around the lake and other local water bodies.
There are nearby climbing areas in the Northfield Brook Lake Region for rock climbers to try out their skills. Central Valley Climbing Area, with 394 routes and Ragged Mountain Climbing area, with 88 routes, provide excellent rock faces for local climbers and visitors to the area. Be sure to have appropriate climbing and safety equipment to explore these challenging rock climbing areas. Also, be sure to minimize your impact on this natural region while climbing in these areas.
