Brainard Homestead State Park in Connecticut, USA

Research checked: 2026-10-30. Check linked official notices before travel.

Brainard Homestead State Park is a small, undeveloped field landscape in East Haddam, Connecticut. Choose it for an informal walk or birdwatching, rather than a visit to a furnished historic house.

Open fields near the Connecticut River

The former farm offers open space and traces of its farmhouse foundation. Bring binoculars for a quiet stop near the river.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Topic	Details
Admission	Free.
Hours	Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset.

Prepare for an undeveloped outing

Check the park’s status before leaving. Carry what your group needs for the weather and an outdoor walk. Follow posted conditions on arrival. DEEP’s responsible recreation guidance applies to Connecticut state parks.

Leave the landscape intact

Keep dogs leashed and remove their waste. Leave rocks, plants and historic remnants in place. Take your trash home. Keep enough distance from birds to avoid disturbing them.

Arrange a bus visit in advance

Groups arriving by bus need a permit. Call 877-668-2267 at least 14 days before the visit. Review the state park policies before planning a group activity.

Find the East Haddam property

Use 22 Landing Hill Road, East Haddam, CT 06423. The official park page provides the destination and directions.

Two other river-area stops

Across the river in Haddam, Eagle Landing State Park is at 14 Little Meadow Road. Haddam Meadows State Park is at 20 Parmelee Road. Both provide separate Connecticut River settings to consider for another stop.

Walk and watch birds

Explore the fields on foot. Look for surviving foundation traces without moving stones. Pause for birds rather than planning around a named trail circuit.

Expect open space

DEEP classifies this property as undeveloped, with no infrastructure. Bring your own refreshments and other essentials.

About the former homestead

This 25-acre state park preserves a former homesite and open fields.

A family bequest in 1929

Selden Tyler Brainerd lived on the property. His grandniece Geraldine left it to Connecticut when she died in 1929. The farmhouse no longer stands.

A place for birdwatching

Its location near the Connecticut River makes birdwatching a reason to linger. Do not feed or disturb wildlife.

Contact and current information

Use the official park page for directions and current visitor information. For bus permits, contact the reservation line listed above.

	Temp max	Temp min	Rain	Snow
Jan	3 °C 37 °F	-5 °C 23 °F	56 mm 2.2 in	18 cm 7.1 in
Feb	4 °C 39 °F	-5 °C 23 °F	52 mm 2.0 in	28 cm 11.0 in
Mar	8 °C 46 °F	-1 °C 30 °F	58 mm 2.3 in	18 cm 7.1 in
Apr	14 °C 57 °F	4 °C 39 °F	91 mm 3.6 in	2 cm 0.8 in
May	20 °C 68 °F	10 °C 50 °F	88 mm 3.5 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Jun	24 °C 75 °F	15 °C 59 °F	103 mm 4.1 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Jul	28 °C 82 °F	19 °C 66 °F	109 mm 4.3 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Aug	27 °C 81 °F	19 °C 66 °F	89 mm 3.5 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Sep	23 °C 73 °F	15 °C 59 °F	100 mm 3.9 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Oct	17 °C 63 °F	10 °C 50 °F	107 mm 4.2 in	0 cm 0.0 in
Nov	10 °C 50 °F	3 °C 37 °F	79 mm 3.1 in	4 cm 1.6 in
Dec	6 °C 43 °F	-1 °C 30 °F	94 mm 3.7 in	14 cm 5.5 in

Brainard Homestead State Park in Connecticut, USA - map and visitor information