Fort Trumbull State Park
90 Walbach St., New London, CT
The third fort built along the waterfront in New London, Fort Trumbull has a long legacy of military service, from the Revolutionary War to World War II and the Cold War. Built in the Egyptian Revival style, today the fort houses restored quarters, an informative Visitor Center, and a fishing pier.
Learn about the fort’s long military history in the Visitor Center, admire views of the Thames River and Harbor along the paved walking loop and boardwalk, fish the waters of the Long Island Sound from the fort’s unique fishing pier, or take a seasonal water taxi tour of the Thames River Heritage Park. For a different experience, opt for a Segway tour that combines the fort with other New London highlights or admire the fort from the water on a boat cruise.
It’s free to walk around the park grounds and trails, but there’s a fee to access the visitor center and for guided tours.
Visitors looking to fish off the park’s pier need to have a fishing license and their own fishing gear.
There’s a gift shop at the park, open seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Fort Trumbull State Park is southeast of downtown New London. Visitors arriving by car should follow I-95, take the exit for New London, then take Tilley Street to Bank Street and Howard Street to Walbach Street, and follow the signs. There’s free parking on-site. The New London train station is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) north of the park. You can also arrive by water taxi in summer.
Although the park grounds are open year-round, the Visitor Center and Visitor Center Museum are only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while the Fort is only open during weekends from Memorial Day to late June. The gift shop is open during the season on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 4pm. The fishing pier is open 24 hours a day.
Stretching along the Thames River between New London and Groton, the Thames River Heritage Park is a collection of more than 20 national, historic, and cultural sites along the river. A seasonal hop-on hop-off water taxi using refurbished Navy vessels stops at New Trumbull State Park, City Pier in New London, and the Thames River Landing in Groton.
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