Visiting an island usually requires a boat ride or, at minimum, a drive across a bridge, but there is one island in Connecticut that you can walk to as long as you time it just right. For a few hours each day when the tide recedes, you can walk to Charles Island. Crossing this unique land bridge is a one-of-a-kind adventure that you may not have known about. While the island and this walk are both exciting and beautiful, please be sensible and know that this can also be a very dangerous excursion that has caused accidents and even deaths in the past. Always be cautious and even consider viewing the island from the shore unless you are very experienced with the area.
Charles Island sits 1/2 mile off the shore of Milford in the Long Island Sound. It is a treasured part of the popular Silver Sands State Park.
Sitting on the sandy beach at the park, Charles Island appears as a distant oasis across the water. But if you're patient, you can visit the island up close.
Twice a day for a window of approximately two hours, the tide recedes and reveals a sandbar, creating a unique land bridge to the island. This limited opportunity is a great chance to explore this coastal gem.
You might be surprised to learn that in 1852 the island was a summer resort bustling with activity until after the Civil War, when it closed. Afterward, George Miles Company made the island into their base for a fish fertilizer operation.
In the 1930s, Dominican Order opened a religious retreat on this offshore spot. Less than a decade later, the retreat closed, but remnants of the buildings still can be seen on the island.
The most romantic history swirling around the island is that Captain Kidd may have buried his loot on the island when he visited the area in 1699.
Hike to the island to discover old ruins or perhaps ancient treasures, but keep an eye on the tide that can quickly wash your exit away.
Access to Charles Island using the sandbar is closed from April to September for protection of the bird population. From fall through spring, you can walk to Charles Island whenever the sandbar gives you a path.
Visit Charles Island at Silver Sands State Park at 1 Silver Sands Pkwy., Milford, CT 06460. You can learn more about this amazing beach here.
For an incredible overhead view of Charles Island, check out this super drone footage shot by YouTube user Billy Kyle.
Have you ever had a chance to walk to Charles Island? Connecticut has quite a few islands worth exploring, check out this lighthouse island and this charming offshore oasis.
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