In most states some portion of beaches are public land and all members of the public have a right to use that portion of the beach. The ability to walk along the beach is known as lateral beach access.

But the land between where people can park or walk to the beach and where they can enjoy the beach is often private property, making it difficult to provide access to the public while protecting personal property rights. The ability to reach the beach is known as vertical beach access.

Laws regarding public access to beaches vary from state to state but many states recognize the public trust doctrine, a legal doctrine that certain natural resources such as beaches are owned or held by the government in trust for the public’s use and enjoyment and that the government has an obligation to protect and maintain these resources for the public.

In Connecticut, the public trust doctrine applies, recognizing that certain natural resources, including beaches, are held in trust by the state for public use and enjoyment. The state maintains that members of the public have the right to use the portion of beaches that are considered public land, which typically includes the area up to the mean high water mark. This allows for lateral beach access, meaning the public can walk along the shore. However, vertical access, which is the ability to reach the beach from upland areas, can be complicated when the land between public access points and the shore is privately owned. Connecticut law attempts to balance public access with private property rights, and there are various access points provided by the state to ensure the public can reach these beaches. Local ordinances and state statutes may further define and regulate access to ensure that the public can enjoy the state's coastal areas while respecting private property boundaries.