Fort Trumbull State Park: A Visitor's Guide

Fort Trumbull State Park stands at 90 Walbach St. in New London, overlooking the Thames River and New London Harbor. The fort’s story reaches back to 1777, when the first fort was built to protect the harbor. That masonry fort was destroyed after Benedict Arnold’s raid and the British burning of New London.

The present fort was built from 1839 to 1852 as part of the Third System of Fortifications, a group of 42 forts intended to defend U.S. coastlines and harbors. Its military service spanned the American Revolution, World War II and the Cold War. The site is also associated with the original location of the U.S. Coast Guard.

For another nearby chapter of local history, you can pair a visit with Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park in Groton.

Inside the fort, interpretive markers and displays help explain its military role. You’ll find gun emplacements, restored 19th-century living quarters, a mock laboratory and a furnished research-and-development office from the 1950s. A touchable cannon and an artillery crew display add context to the fort’s defenses.

The visitor-center museum uses three-dimensional models, touch-screen exhibits, graphics and text panels to interpret the 1781 British attack, the World War II U-boat threat and Cold War anti-submarine efforts. Visitor-center and fort visits are self-guided, with interpretive guides available to answer questions.

The Riverfront Walk of Historic Sites follows a 1.3-mile paved loop and boardwalk along the park’s waterfront. Rated easy, it includes a 500-foot fishing pier and offers a way to take in the Thames River and the grounds before or after visiting the fort.

The pier provides more than 500 feet of shore-based fishing access and is listed as available 24 hours. If you plan to fish, bring fishing gear and a license. Leashed pets are allowed on the grounds, but not in the fort, on the pier or in the visitor center.

The park grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. until sunset. The visitor center is listed as open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day; the last ticket is sold at 4:15 p.m.

The fort is listed as open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., from late June to Labor Day, and on weekends from Memorial Day to late June.

Grounds and trails are free, and parking is free for all visitors. Admission to the visitor center and fort tours is $6 for visitors age 13 and over, $2 for ages 6–12, and free for children age 5 and under.

The park lists the fort, pier, parking and walkways, restrooms, and visitor/exhibit center under accessibility information, without specifying access features for each. For current seasonal details, check the official site before you go.

Fort Trumbull State Park is about a 14-minute drive from Hilltop Express Inn, making it a practical stop from Groton. The hotel route information also gives a walk of about 120 minutes, so driving is the quicker option if you’re heading straight to the park.

Once in New London, you can add another downtown stop to your plans: the Garde Arts Center is about a 10-minute drive from the hotel. Keep the fort’s seasonal visiting hours in mind when arranging a visit to both places.