OEC Policies, Guidelines, Advisories, & FAQ

• Do Not Litter. Please use the appropriate trash and recycling receptacles/dumpsters provided.
• Group and Overnight Rentals must clean their rental facility prior to departure. If the facility/space is not cleaned the group will incur an additional $200 fee. 
• Please return all borrowed recreational equipment prior to departure. 
• Our water source is from a well and limited, please conserve it. Do not let faucet run.
• Shower house rooms are for overnight renters only.
• The primary contact for Group/Overnight Rentals, OEC Members, and Yale Affiliates is responsible for the behaviors of their guests and visitors and is responsible for any damage they or their guests and visitors may cause.

By using OEC facilities and equipment or participating in Campus Recreation programs and services, individuals agree to the Assumption of Risks and Safety.

• Program Risks. You voluntarily and freely elect to participate at the Yale Outdoor Education Center (YOEC or “Program”), and you are not required by Yale to do so.  You understand that participation in the Program involves risks that Yale cannot eliminate, including, among others, risk of property damage, illness, bites or stings, bodily injury, permanent disability, and death. 
• Assumption of Risk. You voluntarily take responsibility for all risks of participating in the Program for you and your dependent children.
• Assumption of Medical Obligations. You should consult with a medical doctor regarding your medical needs and acknowledge there are no health-related reasons or problems that preclude or restrict you from participating in the activities of the Program. You should arrange, through insurance or otherwise, for payment of medical care, if necessary, while participating in the Program. You recognize that Yale is not obligated to attend to any of your medical needs, and you assume all risk and responsibility therefore. If you require medical care during your participation in the Program, Yale is not responsible for the cost or quality of such care.
• Release. In exchange for Yale allowing you to participate in the YOEC Program, you release Yale from all legal and financial responsibility for any harm that you, your family, or your property, might suffer as a result of your participation, even if the harm is caused by Yale’s negligence. 
• Indemnification. By participating in the Program, you agree to indemnify and hold Yale harmless from (that is to say, you agree to pay or reimburse Yale for) any costs, penalties, legal fees, or judgments (“Costs”) that Yale has to pay related to your participation in the Program, even if the Costs resulted from Yale’s negligence.
• Waterfront Safety. You, your family, and guests understand that waterfront (swimming, fishing and all watercraft) use has inherent risks, and you will and must follow all YOEC waterfront safety rules and policies, including, but not limited to, the following: Only swimming in the designated areas, only swimming with a lifeguard on duty, not swimming in the deep end if you are a weak or non-swimmer, and wearing a PFD (Personal Floatation Device or “lifejacket”), properly fastened, aboard all watercraft at all times. You may not swim from any watercraft, and you may not land your watercraft at any point around the lake except at the designated beach or boat dock.
• Lost, damaged or stolen items. Neither Yale University nor the OEC is responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items. Please keep valuables locked in your car, and remember to remove your cellphone/wallet/car keys from your pocket before swimming or paddling. Use caution over speed bumps on our gravel roads to prevent damage to the underside of your vehicle.

• The speed limit throughout the OEC is 8 MPH.
• Motorcycles, ATVs, and motorized scooters are prohibited. 
• Drones, fireworks, kites, firearms, and weapons are prohibited. 
• Pets are prohibited. We welcome service animals who are wearing their identification vests.
• To preserve the enjoyment of all overnight rentals, we require all guests to observe quiet hours between 10pm and 8am. Music, singing, shouting, excessive noise, etc. is not permitted.
• Charcoal briquettes only in barbecue grills.  Grilling on decks is prohibited. 
• Campfires may be prohibited during droughts, staff decision. All fires must only burn low.

• Swim only when and where lifeguards are on duty.  
• Swim only in designated area, do not swim beyond float line.
• A swim test is required for youth swimmers to swim beyond the shallow area. See a lifeguard to administer the test.
• Diving in the shallow area is prohibited.
• Swimming from any shoreline is prohibited.
• Swimming during thunder or lightning storms is prohibited. 
• Pushing, running, or horseplay on docks or rafts is prohibited.
• Swimming under docks or rafts is prohibited.
• Fishing from swim docks or beaches is prohibited. 
• Toddlers and weak/non-swimmers are not permitted beyond the shallow wading area (dock crossbar). A swim test required for youth swimmers to swim beyond the shallow area. 
• Parents/guardians are responsible for and must accompany their children.
• Proper swim attire required.
• Keep off float lines, they are safety markers.

• Swimming from rowboats or paddle craft is prohibited.
• Docking of boats/paddle craft anywhere along shoreline except at our boat dock/beach is prohibited. 
• Flipping or swamping of boats or paddle craft is prohibited. 
• Three-adult-person maximum in rowboats and canoes.
• All persons, regardless of age or skill, must wear an approved PFD flotation device (“lifejacket”).
• Always stay in view of the beach/lifeguards. Paddling around corners out-of-sight is prohibited. 
• Only one person rows in rowboats.
• Food or drink on boats or paddle craft is prohibited.
• Boating or paddling during thunder or lightning storms is prohibited. 
• Swim test required for all youth paddle craft use. Specific rules are posted at waterfront.
• Canoes are only available when the OEC is sufficiently staffed. 
• Outboard motors are prohibited on OEC craft, except electric motors on rowboats only for fishing.
• Paddlers must demonstrate ability to handle rowboat/paddle craft, including proper launching/docking, as well as correct paddling/rowing. Non-swimmers permitted only in rowboats.
• Personal paddle craft are permitted for carry-in only. You are responsible for securing your craft.
• Paddle craft must stay clear of raft and swim docks.  Landing on any shoreline is prohibited. 
• Additional boating/paddle craft safety restrictions are implemented on windy days at the discretion of the waterfront staff.
• Non-swimmers, including adults, are only permitted in kayaks and rowboats.

Fishing is permitted at the OEC in Powers Lake.

The lake is pure because it’s one of the few lakes in Connecticut with no houses, paved roads, or agricultural runoff on its shores. The spring-fed lake is surrounded by private property of the Yale Outdoor Education Center (OEC), the main camp of which is located on the south shore. You are not allowed to land any craft or fish from shore anywhere except at the OEC’s supervised waterfront.

Powers offers a variety of fish species, including largemouth bass, pickerel, crappie, sunfish, bluegill, brown bullhead, American eel, and yellow perch. However, the lake is shallow – about 12 feet at its deepest parts – and it warms and cools quickly. Several public catch-and-release bass club contests occur here each summer. Largemouth bass caught in Powers have topped 8 pounds, although these fish are not numerous due to the horseshoe-shaped lake’s small size and lack of structure and forage.

East Lyme’s quietest lake is restricted to an 8-mph speed limit (no powerboat wake), making this water perfect for fishing from kayaks, rowboats, or canoes. Lily pads dot the shoreline in small clusters and are a favorite spot for fly fishers or spincasters to cast small surface poppers for bass, bluegills, and pumpkinseeds. Children do well using worms, small hooks, and bobbers, reeling in plenty of sunfish, bluegills, and perch near the shore. But serious, experienced bass anglers are dedicated to low light conditions when the fish are active and boat traffic is non-existent.

Milfoil weeds are dense at the lake’s northernmost ends, but it disappears rapidly as the water depth increases. Anglers casting small lures to the edge of the milfoil attract pickerel, bass, and crappie. Powers also features four or five coves. These coves, as well as the rest of the lake’s perimeter, are littered with boulders deposited from the last glacier 20,000 years ago. Although the lake’s bottom is flat, muddy, and lacking in significant contours, the many boulders, along with a few storm-felled trees, do offer some shoreline fish habitat.

Due to the massive boulders, motorboaters must use caution when approaching any shore. In particular, one propeller-crunching boulder is located at least 200 feet off the tip of the big peninsula. The water here is deceiving, as it drops off from shore normally, but then shallows up again with a big rock on the high spot.

For a peaceful, family-oriented lake, free of jet and water skiers, Powers is a great spot to teach your kids how to fish while you still have a chance at a grand-daddy bass or pickerel. Become an OEC member or visit as a paying day-user to fish from Yale’s paddlecraft (no rental fee) or bring your own vessel to access the lake from the state launch. Yale community members can also fish from the OEC’s boat dock. The OEC season runs from the third weekend in June through Labor Day, but it’s closed Mondays (except for holidays).

If you bring your own private craft, you can launch it a mile up the road from the OEC’s main entrance at the Connecticut state launch located at 179 Whistletown Road. The long driveway and launch are gravel, and there’s parking for 20 cars, but you’ll rarely see more than two or three here. 

Because the lake itself is state owned, you should possess an inland CT state fishing license to legally fish its waters. And some fish species in the lake have size and number limits. The OEC encourages catch-and-release fishing. Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD or “lifejacket”) from any craft, which the OEC provides for customers.

CT Fishing Licenses

CT Fishing Regulations and Info

For bait and tackle supplies: Drive to Hillyer’s Tacke Shop located at 374 Mago Point Way, Waterford, CT 06385

The OEC follows the Yale policy on unmanned aerial systems (PDF)(file download), which are prohibited unless approved Health & Safety Department and the Office of Risk Management. Requests for use of at the OEC is typically denied. 

• Firearms of any type, loaded or unloaded, are not permitted on Yale OEC property or trails.
• Hunting, by any method, is not permitted on Yale OEC property or trails.

The woodlands surrounding our dirt roads and campsites are littered with small, downed trees and tree limbs. You may harvest any of this dead or fallen wood for campfires (only in provided campfire pits), no cutting of live trees is allowed. No chainsaws or axes are allowed due to risk of severe injury. 

Individuals ages 16 and older may use hatchets or pruning saws to harvest or cut up wood, and protective eyewear and gloves must be worn. 

When walking the woods, please take normal precautions against ticks and poison ivy. Professionally split and seasoned firewood is available in limited daily quantities from the OEC Staff.

A complimentary lakefront campfire is provided on most nights by our staff; everyone is welcome to attend. 

All fires must be attended to at all times and extinguished or allowed to die out before bedtime due to risk of forest fire. Only charcoal briquettes may be used in barbecue grills. 

State law prohibits transporting firewood from New Haven County due to infestation.

You may purchase additional campfire wood at nearby Stop & Shop, 248 Flanders Road, Niantic, CT.

Wildlife Advisory   

Part of the attraction of the OEC is its wilderness setting. You may be lucky to see many forms of wildlife, especially if you’re overnighting, including racoon, skunk, opossum, coyote, red fox, bobcat, wild turkey, deer, squirrel, chipmunk, turtles, non-poisonous snakes, and even the remote possibility of a black bear. We’ve spotted bald eagles and ospreys over the lake! You should appreciate all wildlife from a distance and not engage with or bother it. Please do not feed any wildlife, and do not leave ANY food out at night or dropped on the ground.

Please do not feed any wildlife, and do not leave ANY food or trash out at night or dropped on the ground.

Bears – Do’s and Don’ts

Bears in natural settings normally leave an area once they sense a human. if you see a bear, enjoy it from a distance. aggression by bears towards humans is exceptionally rare.

• DO make your presence known by making noise while walking. Hike in a group. If you see a bear, make noise, and wave your arms so the bear is aware of your presence
• DO back away slowly if you surprise a nearby bear.
• DON’T approach or try to get close to a bear to take a photo or video.
• DON’T come between a bear and her cubs.
• DON’T run or climb a tree. If possible, wait in a vehicle or building until the bear leaves the area.
• DO be offensive if the bear approaches you. Make more noise, wave your arms, and throw objects at the bear. Black bears rarely attack humans. If you are attacked, do not play dead. Fight back with anything available (rocks, sticks, pocketknife, keys, cellphone, bear spray, etc.).
• DON’T cook food inside your tent or camp shelter. Instead, keep food in a secure vehicle (windows closed) or use rope to suspend it between two trees. Bring and use a “bear-proof” heavy-duty cooler to store food (outside of your tent or camp shelter).
• DO empty nearby trash bins daily. We provide dumpsters and trash bags. Don’t leave food stuffs in trash bins overnight. Don’t throw used foodstuffs (chicken bones, fish carcasses, barbecue ribs, corn cobs, etc.) in the woods. Don’t feed bears.
• DO bring and spray your barbeque grill grates with household bleach cleaner (like “Clorox Cleaner & Bleach”) to eliminate bear-attracting food smells after cooking.
• DO use a flashlight after sunset.

Ticks - What do I need to know about tick-borne disease? 

(Information below from www.ct.gov/dph)

Preventing tick-borne disease takes thoughtful preparation. It requires that you prevent ticks from getting on your skin. When you go outside into areas where ticks can be found, it is helpful to:

• Avoid tall grass and over-grown, brushy areas.
• Stay in the middle of the trails when hiking in the woods.
• Wear light-colored clothing so the ticks can be easily seen.
• Wear long pants to provide a better barrier than shorts.
• Tuck pants into socks creates a barrier and ticks will not be able to get to your skin.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and closed shoes when in tick infested areas.
• Use insect repellent to significantly reduce the chance of tick bites and the transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
• DEET is the primary active ingredient in most tick repellents and is considered the most effective. It must be used as directed on the container.
• Examine yourself, your children, and pets for ticks when returning indoors.
• Remove crawling and feeding ticks as soon as possible. 
• When returning indoors, shower using a washcloth or buff to remove walking ticks on your body. Ticks have a tendency to walk on the body before biting and feeding.
• The sooner ticks are removed from the body the less likely you will get a disease.
• Most people with Lyme disease do not remember being bitten by a tick because a tick bite is not felt, unlike mosquito bites. Ticks are very small and difficult to see, and many people do not get the expanding red rash that resembles a bull’s eye and identifies Lyme disease or other infections.

Bees, Mosquitos and Biting Flies

Like in any outdoor environment, bees, mosquitos and biting flies sometimes occur at the Outdoor Center; therefore, please come prepared with proper protective clothing and insect repellent. If you or your child is allergic to bees, be sure to pack your EpiPen.

• Consumption of alcohol by individuals 21 years of age an older is permitted.
• Mass distribution containers such as kegs, beer balls, etc. are prohibited. 
• Cans and cups are highly encouraged in lieu of glassware throughout the OEC grounds. Glassware and glass bottles are prohibited within the waterfront area. 
• Group Rentals: A licensed/certified bartender is required for all alcohol service. 

While we support the use of EV vehicles, the OEC cannot support or provide EV charging. A new charging station is located at nearby Noble Gas, 51 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme. 

OEC Memberships & Day-Use Passes

Requests for refunds of memberships and day-use passes must be submitted in writing to oec@yale.edu. Information must include member/guest name; Yale Net or member ID; reason for request; dates for requested refund; and any other pertinent information.

Decisions for refunds will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Associate Athletic Director – PWG and Campus Recreation.  If an OEC Membership refund is approved, the refund will be prorated, and a $25 early cancellation fee will be applied. 

Campus Recreation will not provide refunds for the following:

• Lack of use
• Failure by the member to notify Membership Services of a change in their employment or any other causes which would justify a change to their OEC Membership Category/Status
• Unhappiness or displeasure from and including but not limited to services offered, facilities, hours of operation, fees, staff, etc.
• Scheduled closures and adjusted hours of operation
• Emergency closures and adjusted hours of operation
• Unpleasant or severe weather conditions
• Misconduct by other members, guests, or visitors, including but not limited to theft, harassment, disputes, etc.
• Suspension/termination of a membership due to violation of Campus Recreation or Yale University polices or guidelines

OEC Rentals - Cabins, Campsites & Group Facilities

Notification of Cancellations must be made in writing to oec@yale.edu.

Individuals who cancel within 10 days of receiving the email confirmation containing their invoice and payment instructions will receive a fund refund for any payments applied to their invoice. If no payments have been applied the invoice will be voided with no further penalty.

Individuals who cancel after the date of the 50% down payment is due or 14 days before the final payment is due will receive a full refund for any payments applied to their invoice minus a cancellation and processing fee.

Individuals who cancel within the 14 days when their final payment is due will not be refunded their 50% deposit and the cancellation and processing fee will be applied to any remaining payments made before the 50% deposit fee. A refund will be issued for any remaining balance thereafter.  

Cancellation & Processing Fees: Campsites & Shelters: $50, Cabins: $150

General Information

Membership Fees

Current fees reflect a 50% mid-season discount. 

Day-Use Pass Fees

Q: What is a MyRec Account? How do I obtain one?

A: must be eligible and have a MyRec account to purchase an OEC Membership or Day-Use Pass online. If you do not have a MyRec account, please schedule an appointment with our Membership Services Team.  Click Here to Schedule an Appointment. East Lyme residents please email oec@yale.edu to setup a MyRec account.

Q: I have a MyRec account, how do I make an online purchase?

A: If you have a MyRec account, click on either link below to completed your purchase.

Purchase an OEC Membership

Purchase an OEC Day-Use Pass

Q: Can I purchase Day-Use Passes on-site

A: Yes, the OEC Gatehouse accepts cash, check, or debit/credit cards for Day-Use Passes. (Cash transactions cannot exceed more than $20/transaction.)

Email oec@yale.edu or call 203-432-2492 to request or to check availability for OEC overnight rentals.

At this time, the priority booking window for 2024 season has ended. If you would like to receive priority booking for the 2025 season, be sure to purchase a 2024 season membership.

Overnight rentals cannot exceed two (2) cabins/campsites and/or eight (8) individuals in total. 

Each overnight rental can accommodate up to four (4) adults or two (2) adults and four (4) children. 

Individual requesting the rental must be a current OEC member at the time of purchase to qualify for member rate.

Overnight rentals require a 3-day, 2-night minimum. 

A rental week is 6-days, 5-nights, beginning Tuesday check-in at 10am to Sunday checkout at 5pm.

Check-in for your reservation is between 10am and 5pm on the date of your scheduled arrival. Please note that if you arrive prior to 10am we may not be able to accommodate your check-in or load-in. 

Check-out is any time before 5pm on the date of your scheduled departure.

Day-Use Visitors

You are welcome to invite additional visitors during your stay; however, they will qualify as a Day-Use Visitor. Visitors must depart the OEC by 6pm. In total the party size including the individuals remaining overnight cannot exceed eight (8) individuals. 

Learn more about Day-Use Visitors and Fees.

Behavior & Presence

Members and primary rental contacts are responsible for the actions of their rental party and day visitors at all times. Primary rental contacts must always be present and on-site with their rental party and day visitors. Rentals are not transferable to others.

The OEC is located at 297 Upper Pattagansett Road, East Lyme, CT

The center is located in East Lyme, CT, only 42 miles from New Haven via I-95 north.

Click Here for Google Map Location.

Click Here for a site map of the OEC including cabins, campsites, and facilities.