This park near New Haven features some of the best hiking in southern New England.
Most New England hikers have heard of New Hampshire’s Old Man of the Mountain—the Granite State’s famous face-shaped rock formation on Cannon Mountain that collapsed in 2003. But the Old Man wasn’t the region’s only human-shaped rock.
In Connecticut, roughly 10 miles north of New Haven, lies two miles of traprock mountaintop that resembles the profile of a large man lying down, with outcrops and ridge crests that look like a distinct head, chin, chest, hip, knee, and feet. The area is home to the appropriately-named Sleeping Giant State Park, one of the best hiking areas in southern New England.
The 1,439-acre park features a network of roughly 40 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy routes that are ideal for beginners to others with challenging, technical terrain and leg-burning vertical climbs. The area offers scenic views, dense forests, dramatic cliffs, caves, and even a legend about the giant himself.
According to Native American legend, the giant was formed when the spirit, “Hobbomock,” grew angry and stamped his foot, diverting the Connecticut River away from the Quinnipiac people. As punishment, “Keitan,” a good spirit, cast a spell on Hobbomock sentencing him to eternal sleep underneath the traprock, where he lies to this day.
Hobbomock’s unfortunate fate ended up being a blessing to local outdoors enthusiasts, as the giant’s topography makes for great hiking and even rock climbing. The park’s trail system is one of the crown jewels of the state’s hiking network and the first National Recreation Trail in Connecticut.
For a challenging hike, traverse the giant from head-to-toe along the Blue Trail. This hike is just over five miles. It’s the most difficult trail in the park, with some strenuous climbs, a rock scramble, and sweeping views of the surrounding area. The Blue Trail is part of the eastern portion of the 20-mile Quinnipiac Trail.
For an easy hiker, the Tower Trail is a roughly 3-mile out-and-back along a wide, gravel path. It’s the easiest route up the giant, following gently-graded switchbacks up to the peak of Mount Carmel, the tallest of the giant’s seven ridge crests. There’s a stone observation tower at the summit with 360-degree views of the area.
You can learn about other trails and popular hikes, and find trail maps, on the Sleeping Giant Park Association website.
Sleeping Giant is also a popular spot for rock climbing. The area was the center of Connecticut’s rock climbing scene in the early 1900s, until the state banned climbing in the park for several decades following an accident in 1953.
The park has since reopened for climbing. Many crags can be found throughout the park. The “Chin” is a popular area, while the area near the tower has a free-standing pillar and several routes up to 50-feet.
