Welcome to the new website for the Camp Harkness Foundation. Please be aware that certain areas of this website are under construction or may not have the most up-to-date information while we work to understand this new system. This site is intended to be an easily accessible and navigable hub of information for the Camp Harkness community. In the case that you find an error or have any technical difficulites, please send us a message by emailing campharknessfoundation@gmail.com so that we can assist in the improvement of our website.
CAMP HARKNESS
FOUNDATION
Waterford, CT
Overnight Reservations
All reservations must be made through the Camp Harkness office by a current passholder! The Foundation has provided this page as an informational resource and is unable to book official reservations.
To make an official booking with camp staff at Camp Harkness, call (860)443-7818 or email DDS.CampHarkness@ct.gov
Camping opportunities at Camp Harkness are designed with a range of abilities in mind. All of the cabins and cottages have electricity, air conditioning, and private toilets and showers. Any campers staying at a tentsite are welcome to check out a portable generator each night of their stay, when available, in order to charge mobility or hearing aids or power sleep apnea machines.
To skip ahead to a specific section, click on one of the icons below!
The Cottages
Camp Harkness has three cottages open to rent throughout the year, excluding summer camp season (approximately the first week of June to the second week of August). These three locations are the most popular among passholders and reservations tend to go quickly. Call far in advance of the dates you would like to stay for the best odds of securing a stay in one of the cottages!
Exclusive to Cottages!
Kitchen, Furnishings, and Bedrooms
All three cottages have a small kitchen with a few pots, pans, and utensils you may use during your stay. There is additionally a dining table and small living room with places to sit and relax. Each cottage has three separate bedrooms and two bathrooms. All beds are twin sized and visitors are required to bring their own linens.
Cottage One
Green Cabin Area
Cottage One is the most centrally located of all three cottages. Parking is available in Oak Hill Circle right outside the door. During your stay, you can easily enjoy the nearby wheelchair accessible covered swing as well as the newest playscape on camp just steps away from your front door.
Cottage Two
Brown Cabin Area
Cottage Two is perfect for those who want to explore the area. Located along the vehicle-free path to the beach and very near to the main parking lot, it is an excellent option for your stay at Camp Harkness.
Cottage Three
Blue and Yellow Cabin Area
Cottage Three offers a scenic view of the ocean from its windows and a pleasant green area it shares with the blue and yellow cabins right outside. Enjoy the swing set and the sound of the waves at the crowd favorite cottage.
The Blue Cabins
The six blue cabins are open seasonally for camping (Memorial Day to Columbus Day) and are located in the south east area of the main camp. They share a one-way loop road with the neighboring yellow cabins and Cottage 3. During summer camp, they are used by the Southbury Training School. Bring extra blankets if you're camping in early spring or later in the fall, these units don't have heating.
Exterior
and Location
The blue cabins are located along a one-way loop near Harkness Hall, where campers can access a microwave, toaster oven, fridge, and freezer 24/7. They share a small green and swing set with the yellow cabins.
Interior
Standard Cabin Set Up
Each blue cabin has two toilets and one shower. The main cabin space contains six beds, an air conditioner, and several dressers campers may use during their stay. Campers are required to bring their own linens for the twin sized beds.
Gazebo and Firepit
Shared Between all Blue Cabins
Perfect for roasting marshmallows or even cooking an entire meal, the firepit is located centrally for each blue cabin to access. Right next to the campfire, take a seat in the covered gazebo!
Explore
Donny's Garden
Directly across the street from blue cabins two and three is Donny's Garden. If you enjoy a walk through nature, climb up the stone steps to explore what this green space has to offer.
The Brown Cabins
Each of the five brown cabins are open year round, excluding summer camp season. As the newest addition to the property's cabins, they are the most wheelchair-friendly of the overnight rentals. The brown cabin area is the closest to the main office and central to the camp. During summer camp, they are home to Sunrise Northeast (formerly known as United Cerebral Palsy).
Exterior
and Location
The brown cabins are surrounded by cultivated garden spaces and sit directly next to the main parking lot. Centrally located, they are the nearest to the office and a short walk to the dining hall, where visitors may access a refrigerator, freezer, toaster oven, and microwave. Just up the hill, the Sunset Overlook is open to passholders and guests who would like to soak in the last rays of sun.
Interior
Most Open Floorplan on Camp
As the most recently constructed cabins, they were made wider and with more open space. While they still sleep the same number of guests as any other space, there is additional room between the beds and some open space in the rear of the main room. Each of the six beds is a twin size and guests must bring their own linens.
Sun Shelter and Firepit
Shared Between all Brown Cabins
The sun shelter is the largest and most open of all pavilions and gazebos in the cabin area of camp. With paved access, multiple tables, and a welcoming fire pit just next to it, this pavilion provides a great gathering and social space.
Explore
the Sensory Garden
Directly across the road from the brown cabins is the largest garden on property. The sensory garden is designed to be engaging for all visitors, with raised beds, plants that give off strong aromas, and even a tiny library!
The Green Cabins
These six cabins are home to Oak Hill's summer camp program from June to August. Between Memorial Day and Columbus Day they are available for rental by passholders. These cabins are on their own one-way loop located along the border between Camp Harkness and Waterford's Eugene O'Neill Theater and Town Beach. The green cabins are not heated, so pack extra blankets if the weather looks chilly!
Exterior
and Location
The green cabins are located along the edge of the camp closest to Waterford Beach. Unique to the greens, there are two covered porches that connect Greens 1, 2, and 3 and Greens 4, 5, and 6. Just across Oak Hill Circle from the cabins is Harkness Hall, where guests can access a refrigerator, freezer, toaster oven, and microwave. Great for visiting with another passholder and their family!
Interior
Standard Cabin Set Up
Inside of the green cabins there is the standard 6 bed main room and a rear door that leads directly to the connected covered porch. Each bed is a twin and visitors are required to bring their own linens. While not available in all green cabins, Green 3 and Green 4 have two bathrooms.
Firepit and Amphitheater
Shared Between all Green Cabins
The paved amphitheater provides an open-air gathering space for groups interested in cooking meals or roasting marshmallows at the fire pit. This space is dedicated in honor of Robert "Red" Lowndes, a longstanding member of the Oak Hill team and a treasured part of the Camp Harkness community.
Explore
New Playscape and Nearby Nature Trail
Just across the way from the amphitheater sits the new swing set installed in summer 2024. At the opposite end of the green cabin area is the beginning of the nature trail, where passholders and guests may explore the property.
The Yellow Cabins
The six yellow cabins are located above a marsh that faces the ocean. During summer camp program, The Arc of Eastern Connecticut takes over this cabin area. From Memorial Day to Columbus Day, the yellows are available for overnight stays, excluding the time summer camp program is running. Make sure to check the weather and pack extra layers if it's going to be cold, these units are not heated.
Exterior
and Location
These cabins share the circle with the blue cabins and Cottage 3 and have the best views of Long Island Sound. Located along the vehicle free path to the beach and adjacent to a swing set, it offers a good amount of open space with easy access. Harkness Hall is a short walk away, where guests may access a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and toaster oven.
Interior
Standard Cabin Set Up
Each yellow cabin has two toilets and one shower. The main cabin space contains six beds, an air conditioner, and several dressers campers may use during their stay. Campers are required to bring their own linens for the twin sized beds.
Gazebo and Firepit
Shared Between all Yellow Cabins
Enjoy the view from the edge of the marsh! Thanks to its placement, a campfire within sight of the water is possible for any guest staying in the yellow cabins. Located behind the pictured area is the gazebo and space to sit.
Explore
the Vehicle-Free Beach Trail
For those who would prefer not to drive to the beach, it's an easy stroll down the path. The entirety of the trail is paved with a gentle slope leading directly to the pavilions, bathhouse, seaside playground, and swimming area.
The Tentsites
Tent camping at Camp Harkness is a classic. Grab your gear and get ready to cook over the fire at one of our six tentsites open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The tentsites are located near the bathhouse and the beach area.
Access to
the Bathhouse
While camping, passholders and guests have 24 hour access to bathrooms, sinks, and showers at the bathhouse. All tentsites are located directly across a small, flat grass field from the structure. The bathhouse additionally has several outlets for charging any technology.
Dedicated
Firepit and Picnic Table
Each tentsite has its own fire pit, and when available, picnic table. Passholders may also reserve a space under the pavilions when requesting a tent reservation or during check in.
Easy Access
to the Beach
The tentsites are only steps away from the entrance to the beach! Enjoy the sand and sun any time of day and come for a swim when the lifeguards are on duty. Ensure that any child under the age of 12 or any individual who is not able to swim or otherwise protect themself from the hazards associated with water do not enter the beach alone.
Soak in the Sun
at the Waterfront
Enjoy all of the waterfront amenities including a wheelchair accessible porch swing, the seaside playground, and the George Daley scenic overlook. It makes for some lovely views!
