March 16, 2024 – Milford, Connecticut
Problem: Simple – reasonable
Size: Roughly 3 miles
Max elevation: 27 ft. – complete elevation achieve roughly 20 ft.
Map: Silver Sands State Park Path Map – Map & Brochure
Parking: 1 Silver Sands Pkwy, Milford, CT 06460
Paved car parking zone – Restrooms on website
Hours: Open Each day, 8:00am – Sundown
Entrance Charges:No cost for Connecticut registered vehiclesFrom April 1 by way of October 31:$22 – Out-of-State Automobiles (Weekends/Holidays)$15 – Out-of-State Automobiles (Weekdays)
Please Notice: The sandbar that connects to Charles Island overwashes twice a day when the tides are available in, creating harmful currents and undertow. Strolling on any portion when it’s coated with water needs to be averted.
Park Overview:
Silver Sands State Park in Milford, Connecticut is a 297-acre pure haven that incorporates a mixture of seaside, salt marshland, fishing space, and wildlife refuge. The park boasts breathtaking views of the Lengthy Island Sound, Charles Island, and the encompassing wildlife.
Silver Sands State Park
Charles Island – Silver Sands State Park
Seashores, boardwalks, birds, and a sandbar connecting the park to Charles Island are the massive sights at Silver Sands State Park. Rated the most effective state park in Connecticut by Journey & Leisure, the park sits alongside over 1/2-mile of shoreline and incorporates a three-quarter-mile, all-weather boardwalk, sand dunes, marshland, wildlife, and a blinding array of seashells.
Silver Sands State Park
Silver Sands State Park
Silver Sands State Park
Silver Sands State Park
Silver Sands State Park
Over 200 species of birds are seen at Silver Sands. They use this vital space for nesting, wintering, and foraging areas throughout spring and fall migration.
Pink-winged Blackbird – Silver Sands State Park
Tough-legged Hawk – Silver Sands State Park
Nice Blue Heron – Silver Sands State Park
Nice Egret – Silver Sands State Park
Many butterflies, a number of uncommon crops, and different wildlife can be seen throughout walks on this space.
Charles Island is a 14-acre island situated roughly a 1/2 mile off the coast of Milford, Connecticut, in Lengthy Island Sound. Although an island throughout excessive tide, throughout low tide it’s accessible by foot utilizing a rocky tombolo (domestically known as a sandbar) that stretches from the seaside to the island. Guests are cautioned in regards to the sturdy undertow and twice-daily flooding of the sandbar on account of the tides.
Charles Island tombolo
Silver Sands State Park and Charles Island are owned and managed by the Connecticut Division of Vitality and Environmental Safety (DEEP).
Silver Sands State Park
Historical past:
Charles Island was initially often known as Poquehaug and “was a favourite summer season resort” with chief sachem Ansantawae of the Paugussett Tribe having a “massive wigwam” upon it. After the world was settled by the English in 1639, the island was known as Milford Island. It was renamed Charles Island after Charles Deal purchased the 14-acre island in 1657. Deal made a failed try to boost tobacco on the island, one of many first such efforts in Connecticut.
In 1835 Main John Harris bought the island for $800 and constructed a stupendous summer season residence there. The massive dwelling, constructed on the very best floor, had verandas encircling it on the primary and second tales. Harris elegantly furnished the home and spent $14,000 grading and landscaping the island making it resemble “a big inexperienced inverted saucer.” After his loss of life the island had a number of completely different house owners.
In 1852 it was bought by Elizur Pritchard of Waterbury, Connecticut, a rich button producer who had just lately retired. Pritchard turned the massive home right into a summer season resort identified initially as Island Home, then later Charles Island Home after which Ansantawae Home. On Thanksgiving Day 1860, Pritchard died whereas strolling again to shore on the tombolo. His daughter Sarah continued to run the resort and expanded it with new options. The resort grew to a complete of seventy-five rooms and different enhancements included a swimming tub with plank backside, and an aquarium claimed to be the most important within the nation.
Island Home
The resort closed by 1868, when the island was leased to the George W. Miles Firm to construct a plant to supply fertilizer and fish oil. The fish oil plant functioned there till 1884 when it closed amidst lawsuits introduced by the city due to the odors that emanated from the operation. The as soon as grand resort burned down that summer season and the island went into foreclosures in 1888.
The subsequent vital section of Charles Island’s historical past began in 1927 when the Dominican Fathers from St. Mary’s parish on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven introduced they might construct a layman’s retreat heart on Charles Island. In the course of the subsequent two summers employees cleared the land and constructed a small advanced of wooden body constructions. A chapel, eating andrecreation corridor, about fourteen cabins (every baptized with a special saint’s title), a grotto, strolling paths, and Stations of the Cross had been constructed and finally accommodated as much as fifty retreatants. It was a tranquil and easy sanctuary with few facilities. The power held its first retreat on the weekend of July 4th, 1929. Two years after opening, a number of additions had been made to the retreat. The wood chapel that was initially on the grounds was changed with a stone chapel constructed close to the identical spot and a statue of St. Christopher was erected on a rock pedestal in reminiscence of six employees who had drowned returning to the mainland in a small boat in 1929. The Dominican fathers additionally added a dormitory constructing, a bell tower constructed of stone gathered from the shore, and a statue of Our Woman mounted on a rock pedestal fronted by a stone altar. For unknown causes the Aquinas Retreat closed and the little island once more went up on the market in 1938.
Bell Tower – Charles Island
There are a couple of structural remnants seen on the island together with a portion of the bell tower and a part of the stone chapel’s basis, although it’s eroding into Lengthy Island Sound. Storms have taken their toll through the years and the proof of human exercise on the island is regularly mixing into the sand.
Bell Tower ruins – Charles Island
At this time, Charles Island is owned by The State of Connecticut and is a part of Silver Sands State Park. It was designated a Pure Space Protect in 1999 and is the location of a big Heron and Egret rookery.
In keeping with legend, notorious pirate Captain Kidd buried his treasure on the island within the late seventeenth century. Whereas there is no such thing as a proof that that is true, it has actually added to the island’s attract through the years. Some say the island is cursed.
Trails Overview:
Over 3 miles of strolling trails, boardwalk, and bridges await to convey you thru the park’s vary of terrain, from wetlands, seaside, coastal forest, to the tombolo linking the park to Charles Island.
Silver Sands State Park
The Charles Island Path is roughly a 2-mile lollipop loop throughout the tombolo and across the island, not together with the paths on the inside of the island. This lollipop path follows the land bridge to Charles Island, loops round its perimeter, then doubles again to the mainland.
Charles Island – Silver Sands State Park
The inside of the island is an avian sanctuary and off limits to human guests, however you may be capable of catch a glimpse of the ruins from the previous resort and non secular retreat that had been as soon as situated there. The realm across the island is extraordinarily rocky and a pair of fine waterproof mountaineering boots is beneficial.
Hike Overview:
Timing is every thing with this hike. You’ll want to verify the tides earlier than heading out, they rise quick – as a lot as ten ft in lower than two hours. And the way in which the waves crash and roll over the spit of sand creates a harmful undertow, perilous for even the strongest swimmer. A number of folks have drowned strolling on the sandbar to the island. They drowned after misjudging the tides.
I visited this park in March of 2020, however the low tide was a lot too early or later within the day, so I simply admired Charles Island from shore. Since this park fees an admission charge starting April 1st for out of state guests, I checked the tide charts and received fortunate. I checked a number of completely different web sites for the tides, because the instances fluctuate barely. Decide a day with the bottom amplitude quantity. A detrimental quantity is greatest, particularly in case you plan on strolling across the island. Beneath are some useful ideas for staying secure in case you select to go to the island.
Charles Island security ideas
The tombolo (domestically known as a sandbar), doesn’t at all times materialize, even on the lowest tide. On the day of our go to, the amplitude quantity was simply above zero and the walkway didn’t emerge fully. It’s not beneficial to stroll on the tombolo whether it is submerged, on account of sturdy currents and undertow.
Since we had been to this park beforehand and walked the paths and boardwalks alongside the seaside, this hike was simply to Charles Island and again, with slightly wandering thrown in.
That is a straightforward hike, however the island itself is rocky alongside its perimeter and I’d counsel good waterproof mountaineering boots and a mountaineering stick to stop tripping and/or slipping. There may be virtually no elevation achieve on this hike.
Charles Island – Silver Sands State Park
The Hike:
From the car parking zone, head out in direction of the boardwalk that spans the tidal marsh and results in the seaside.
Silver Sands State Park
Silver Sands State Park boardwalk
tidal marsh – Silver Sands State Park
boardwalk – Silver Sands State Park
It’s paramount that you simply verify the web tide charts earlier than you try and stroll out to Charles Island. A number of folks have drowned strolling on the sandbar to the island. They drowned after misjudging the tides. Don’t let this occur to you or somebody you recognize.
Hazard signal – Silver Sands State Park
Make it possible for the tombolo (sandbar) is uncovered. Since we arrived at Silver Sands State Park simply earlier than 9:30am on a Saturday morning, I used to be stunned to see a protracted part of the tombolo already uncovered. Low Tide was scheduled for 11:12am, however it is suggested to start strolling the sandbar because it seems, providing you with sufficient time to stroll across the island and again earlier than the tide rises and covers the tombolo.
Charles Island tombolo
We started strolling out on the tombolo, however stopped the place it was nonetheless underwater. We waited patiently because the tide receded and the trail materialized. We walked slightly farther and stopped every time the place the water nonetheless coated the sandbar. Since I had waterproof boots, I walked by way of a pair inches of water to the following uncovered part whereas others waited.
Charles Island tombolo
Charles Island tombolo
Charles Island with submerged tombolo
Charles Island with submerged tombolo
Charles Island with submerged tombolo
A glance again at folks ready for the tombolo to seem.
Wanting again on the submerged tombolo
I continued forward, rigorously navigating throughout uncovered sections of the tombolo.
Charles Island tombolo
As you get near the island, there’s a low level within the tombolo. This part on some days, by no means totally emerges. It didn’t on the day I used to be there, however the water was only some inches deep so I made a decision to stroll by way of it. I wouldn’t suggest anybody else to do it. It’s not secure.
Charles Island with submerged tombolo
After trudging by way of the water for about 100 yards or so, the part of the tombolo which is closest to the island was seen and I made my approach onto the island.
Charles Island tombolo
American Oystercatcher – Charles Island
Earlier than turning into a nesting space for Egrets and Herons, Charles Island was dwelling to a resort within the 1850’s and 1860’s. It was within the 1930’s when the island was briefly used as a spiritual retreat.
Charles Island
I knew that I wouldn’t have an excessive amount of time to circle the island so I hurriedly did a counterclockwise loop round its rocky shoreline.
Charles Island
Charles Island
I noticed a path off to the left and wandered down it to discover. I noticed what seemed just like the stays of a bell tower that was left over from The Aquinas Retreat within the 1930’s. The realm was overgrown and arduous to navigate by way of and this was as shut as I made a decision to get. I hoped to seek out one other route that was simpler, however I didn’t.
Bell Tower ruins – Charles Island
These stone ruins are proper by the trail that I took to get to the bell tower.
ruins – Charles Island
There have been numerous geese on the island they usually had been making fairly a racket as I walked by.
Charles Island
ruins – Charles Island
The views from the island are fairly good, however I didn’t have a lot time to take pleasure in them. As I made my approach across the entrance of the island (the beach-facing part), I checked the time and it was 11:12am. That meant that the tide would start rising and I needed to make my approach again to the mainland.
view northeast from Charles Island
Charles Island
Charles Island
massive nest in a tree – Charles Island
Close to the entrance, not removed from the place the tombolo is, there’s a broad path that travels to the inside of the island. There I noticed extra stone ruins. Though I made my method to the place the bell tower is, I couldn’t get vantage level as a result of pricker bushes. I attempted one other route, however with time operating out, I returned to the tombolo and started my return to the mainland.
ruins – Charles Island
Charles Island tombolo on the way in which again to the mainland.
Because the tombolo by no means totally appeared, the low level was extra submerged than once I walked out. I needed to stroll by way of about 6 inches of water for about 100 yards. The water was increased than my boots and my ft received soaked. I might really feel the present from each side, making for reasonably unstable footing. I hurriedly splashed by way of till I made it to the nonetheless uncovered part.
Charles Island tombolo on the way in which again to the mainland.
A glance again at Charles Island after strolling by way of the submerged part.
A glance again after strolling by way of the submerged tombolo.
I used to be glad to make it again to the broad uncovered part of the tombolo and continued again to the sandy seaside.
Charles Island tombolo on the way in which again to the mainland.
Overview:
This was an exquisite journey that supplied a novel expertise. In any case, what number of alternatives does one get to stroll out to an island? Totally fulfilling but slightly stressfull to not get caught on the island. Timing it good is essential.
Professionals:
Charles Island, Lengthy Island Sound, sandy seaside, shore birds, scenic space, the tombolo.
Cons:
The tombolo by no means totally materialized, not sufficient time to discover the island.
Take a hike!
Charles Island tombolo – Silver Sands State Park
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