Mattatuck Beach

Wolcott, Connecticut

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: No fee found
SEASON: Best in summer

About Mattatuck Beach

Mattatuck Beach is the Town of Wolcott's public swimming beach on the south basin of Hitchcock Lake, a spring-fed, roughly 100-acre lake owned by the Wolcott Land Conservation Trust. The town-operated swimming hole at 6 Lakeside Drive opens seasonally and is the only point of public access to the otherwise privately-shored lake, so for residents this is the one way to use Hitchcock as a lake to swim in.

Hitchcock Lake sits in a residential neighborhood in Wolcott, split into north and south sections by a causeway, with shoreline that is mostly privately owned by lakefront homeowners belonging to the Hitchcock Lake Improvement Association. Mattatuck Beach is the town's carved-out public access point on the south end of the lake.

Swimming at Mattatuck Beach

Swimming takes place in a small, calm lake described by sources as spring-fed with clear water; it is a low-key, family-oriented town beach rather than a large recreational lake, given the lake's overall small size and mostly-private shoreline.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located at 6 Lakeside Drive, Wolcott, CT 06716, on the south basin of Hitchcock Lake.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up town beach on the lakeshore at 6 Lakeside Drive; no trail or hike is involved to reach the water.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Calm, small spring-fed lake beach described as a peaceful, family-oriented setting suitable for a 'lake experience' rather than high-activity recreation; however, no source confirms lifeguard presence, marked shallow-entry area, or roped-off swim zone, so supervision is still advised.

Water clarity

Clear

Hitchcock Lake is spring-fed and described by lake.com as having 'gin-clear' to 'azure/cerulean' water away from sediment-heavy areas, consistent with prior sourcing calling it a calm, clear lake.

Hours

Dawn to dusk during the season, per local community announcements (not independently re-confirmed this pass); beach opens seasonally, historically around mid-to-late June.

On the water

Restrictions: Public launching of boats is explicitly prohibited under the Wolcott Land Conservation Trust/Hitchcock Lake Improvement Association rules; boating, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing on Hitchcock Lake are restricted to lakefront property owners (HLIA members) and their registered craft, not the general public using Mattatuck Beach. Motorized craft rules for members include a no-internal-combustion-engine window (1-3pm weekends/holidays Memorial Day-Labor Day), electric-only during that window, mandatory counterclockwise travel and HLIA registration stickers, size caps (pontoons under 26ft, motorboats under 23ft), max 2 registered craft per lakefront property, guest craft not allowed, and jet skis banned sunset-to-sunrise.

Because the shoreline is almost entirely private HLIA-member property and public access is confined to the town beach, visitors arriving at Mattatuck Beach should not expect to bring their own kayak/canoe/paddleboard to launch there.

Backstory

The lake was originally created as the 'Waterbury Reservoir' by the Mad River Water Company and became a popular water resort around 1913 when trolley service began reaching it. By the 1940s the shoreline had developed into a residential neighborhood. The Wolcott Land Conservation Trust acquired the lake in 1986 as its first property, adding further lakeside land in 1992.

Mattatuck Beach: FAQ

Is Mattatuck Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Mattatuck Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

When is the best time to visit Mattatuck Beach?

Summer (the beach has been announced as opening in mid-to-late June for the season per the Hitchcock Lake community account).

What are the rules at Mattatuck Beach?

Mattatuck Beach opens seasonally for Wolcott residents only and is open from dawn to dusk; it is maintained by the Town of Wolcott Parks and Recreation Department. The Wolcott Land Conservation Trust confirms that public visitation of the Hitchcock Lakes overall is restricted to this town-operated beach, since the rest of the shoreline is private and controlled by the Hitchcock Lake Improvement Association.