Sleeping Giant State Park

April 21, 2001

When people think of the central Connecticut coast, scenic beauty isn't the first
thing that comes to mind. Although cities like Bridgeport and New Haven are rich in
history, a visit to the Barnum and Bailey Circus Museum or listening to a concert
at Toad's Place in the shadow of Yale University is what most visitors to these
cities have in mind. However just north of New Haven some of the best hiking in the
entire state of Connecticut can be found at Sleeping Giant State Park. 

Sleeping Giant State Park gets its name because the two-mile rocky ridge in
Hamden, Connecticut looks like a giant man lying on his back. One of the best
views of the, "giant," can be found at Quinnipiac University. Located on Mount
Carmel Avenue in Hamden, Connecticut and directly across from the park, a walk
onto the baseball field will allow you to clearly see the face, chin, chest and legs of
the giant when you turn northward to face the park. The strong chin of the giant is
actually a rock cliff of trap rock (hard, greenish basalt) over 100 feet high. 

Wood Anemone -- Plentiful along the tower trial

Like so many other parks in the Northeast, the Wisconsin Glacier formed the
features of Sleeping Giant State Park approximately 15,000 years ago. The earth
was bulldozed away, deposited on what is now Long Island leaving the rocky ridge
of sandstone and exposed trap rock over New Haven. 

Sleeping Giant State Park is 1,439 acres and offers over 30 miles of hiking trails.
The park was originally quarried in its western corner but activity stopped in the
1920'ies and the area was protected. Despite its close proximity to New Haven, the
park doesn't have a lot of visitors and the parking lots are typically only half full,
even on a Saturday summer afternoon. 

Rock outcroppings looking towards the quarry area

The most popular hiking trail is the moderate 1.6-mile Tower Path to the top of
Mount Carmel. Starting at the picnic area across from Quinnipiac University the
wide well marked trail meanders up the side of Mount Carmel through mature
forest. The highlight of this trail is on the summit of 739 feet high Mount Carmel
that forms the hip of the giant. A massive four-story stone observation tower
dominates the summit and resembles a medieval fortress. 

New Haven Skyline through the haze

Climbing to the top of observation tower, one can look south and see the city of
New Haven and Long Island Sound. If you turn and look to the north the rolling hills
of Connecticut are laid out before you. Turkey vultures and red tail hawks can be
easily spotted in the warmer months turning lazy circles in the sky looking to catch
a thermal. They are busy looking for a lunch consisting of red squirrel, chipmunk,
field mouse, mole, or if fresh fare can't be spotted, perhaps some carrion. 

Trout Lilly -- Harder to find along the trail

Dutchman's Breeches --  Hidden but plentiful

From The CoolPix 990

The top of the tower

The spider web window on the tower accent

The tower

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