[gtmo]

I moved to the East Windsor CT area over the winter and now that it is hot out, I want to take my dog (1 year old yellow lab) swimming. I have been letting him swim in the scantic river (in Broad Brook), but there is no way I am going in there. I want a place that I can go to cool off with him. I'm looking for a clean location that I can have my dog off leash.

any ideas? I don't mind driving 30-45 minutes either. My wife and I can turn it into a day long outing.

I know that many state parks have small rivers that run through them, Salmon River and Campbells Falls come to mind. What are the general rules (written and unwritten) regarding swimming, and dogs swimming in non-sanctioned swimming locations? Even running water 1-2 feet deep will allow us to have a bit of fun.

[KH02]

[SIZE=2]Here is one i found online, though Southbury is a LONG way from East Windsor.[/SIZE][SIZE=2]
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[SIZE=2]Southbury[/SIZE]

• [SIZE=2]Southbury Off-Leash Area. There is a small fenced in area, and also a large non-fenced in area.
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• [SIZE=2]Dog park off leash is opened plenty of swimming.
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• [SIZE=2]Location: Route 67. Directions: exit 15 from 84 right off exit to rt 67 left at light cont. on 67 look for sign that says O&G go left. Please make sure to follow the rules that you find.
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[mels]

I bring mine to Powers Lake in East Lyme (you can swim at the state boat ramp with your pup, many people do) or the Salmon River in Colchester. To get the river, take South Rd in Marlborough south to where it bends 90 degrees to the left (at the entrance to the state park and airline trail) and turns into River Rd. Just after the left bend, park in the dirt area on the left. Across from you will be a wide opening that is a wide path (look at it on Google Maps satellite view, you'll see exactly what I mean), walk down there and you can go in the water right under the old RR bridge that is the Airline Trail. For deeper water, keep walking about 1/2 mile and there is a big beachy area and a lake/pond.

Powers Lake as a horsepower limit, so there are usually only a few fisherman, some canoes/kayaks, and people with dogs. It is undeveloped, except for some Yale camp thing right next to the boat ramp. It is a great place.

The Wethersfield Dog Park has a yearly dog swim, I think in August, which is pretty cool too. Good for socializing them and cooling them off!

[gtmo]

I found a place called "Scantic Rapids Recreation Area" that worked for today. It was too hot to drive too far. This place is outside of Enfield. Rt. 190 east, right on south maple street. The current was a bit too much for swimming, but my dog and I were able to get in the water and cool off.

[justusbarkers]

Nod Brook on the Avon/Simsbury line is an off-leash dog park with great swimming areas for the dogs. [SIZE=2]Location: Off Rt 10 In Simsbury/Avon line. By Chubb Insurance. Directions: Off 44 in Avon: Route 10 heading to Simsbury. RIGHT at light going into Chubb Insurance. RIGHT at 1st stop sign, just past the bike/walk path. Take bumpy road till it ends. The sign for Chubb Insurance is hard to see, but it is part of the Tower Business Park which is a big easy to spot entrance.

Granby has a dog park that backs to McLean Game Refuge and the Salmon Brook. The brook is great to wade in and cool off after playing at the dog park. Not exactly what you were looking for, but fun anyway.

There are all sorts of swimming places in the Farmington River that are secluded enough that your dog could be off leash as long as you have trained it enough that you have voice control pver it.
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[gtmo]

On saturday we went to People's state forest and played around in the Farmingon River. It was very cold, but my dog loved it. There were alot of people fishing, tubing, and canoeing, but my dog was very well behaved.

We also saw our first bear since our move from NY. We were in the car and about 100 ft away, so there was no worry. But the dog was not very fond of him.