Candlewood Lake

Candlewood Lake is an artificial reservoir stretching across two counties in Connecticut and represents the largest body of water in the state. The shoreline offers multiple spots for swimming, fishing, and boating throughout the year.

This lake was created in the 1920s by a power company that dammed a valley to generate electricity. The construction project reshaped the landscape and displaced the communities that had lived in the flooded area.

The lake serves as a gathering place where local residents spend their summers swimming, fishing, and boating together. Over time, the communities surrounding it have built a shared connection to this water, making it central to their seasonal way of life.

The lake has many public access points and boat launches scattered along the shore where visitors can park and enter the water. It helps to check ahead about which areas are open in different seasons and what equipment or permits you might need.

Buried beneath the water lie the remains of old settlements that vanished when the valley was flooded for the reservoir. Divers exploring underwater can sometimes spot remnants of the lost villages, including traces of roads and abandoned objects from generations ago.