First-time visitors to the Connecticut River are surprised to discover the unspoiled natural beauty of the lower river, much of it seemingly unchanged since the days of the Colonial traders and boat builders. The vibrant entrance of the river quickly gives way to pastoral undulations, lined by quiet marshes and occasional intriguing coves and creeks.

The Connecticut River flows southward for 417 nm from New Hampshire near the Canadian border into Long Island Sound and is the largest and longest river in New England. The Mohegan Indians, who dominated the upper reaches around present-day Hartford, called it Quinetucket, meaning “beside the long, tidal river.” It is the only major river in Connecticut with no city at its mouth due to depth restrictions from Long Sand Shoal and the entrance bar.