Squantz Pond State Park is a public recreation area located north of Danbury in the town of New Fairfield, Connecticut. The state park encompasses on the southwestern shore of Squantz Pond, offering opportunities for boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking. The park is bordered on the west by Pootatuck State Forest and is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. History The state park was established through the purchase of a 138-acre farm in 1926. The pond and state park are named for Chief Squantz, a leader of the Schaghticoke tribe. Activities and amenities The park offers swimming, fishing, and scuba diving as well as a launch for motorized boating. The park also has canoe and kayak rentals, picnicking facilities, and a nature center. The park's hiking trails grant access to the adjacent Pootatuck State Forest. Trails From the west side, the main trail starts from the north end of the picnic area; it follows the edges of the lake’s western shoreline for 2 miles to a peninsula that juts out into the lake and has an unobstructed view of the entire lake. A green trail travels north to Worden Brook and then head southwest, passing the northern end of the yellow trail, and turns to heads eastward to the southern part of the yellow trail which continues east, back to the outgoing green trail. A shortcut can be had to shorten the green trail circular walk by taking the yellow trail south when it first appears. An unmarked trail goes along the west shoreline of Squantz Pond; old reddish-brown markers can still be seen. The trail parallels the shoreline. It is mostly a hemlock laden area with rapidly flowing streams splashing down to the lake and interesting rock formations. A little less than half-way there, an open area and rock on which to stand offer a look back at the beach at Squantz Pond State Park. Also along the way, a red-blazed trail comes down the steep grade from Pootatuck Mountain. The trail ends near Worden Brook where a bushwhack south leads to the main trail. Safety issues From 1996, when the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began keeping records on drownings at Connecticut state parks, through 2011, fifteen people drowned at Squantz Pond State Park. In July 2007, DEP officials made "the Rocks" off limits to beachgoers. In response to the drownings and pressure from local