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All the United States Connecticut New Haven East Rock Park

East Rock Park

Panoramic views of the city of New Haven and the Long Island Sound, with a side of history.

New Haven, Connecticut

Added By
Tao Tao Holmes
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East Rock   Sage Ross
East Rock.   Rebecca Turcio
.East Rock   By Emilie Foyer
An 1972 steel engraving of East Rock   Samuel Valentine Hunt
East Rock.   kenneth casper
  StAkAr Karnak
The East Rock war memorial   DesiInCT
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
The memorial, as seen from the direction of the Overlook edge   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
Giant Steps Trail.   amaranthine / Atlas Obscura User
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About

As you wind your way through the leafy woods and unmarked dirt trails up to East Rock, gaining elevation, the city of New Haven will begin to flit in the distance. Beyond it, the Long Island Sound unfolds, stretching a deep blue into the distance. Pause, sit, and take in the panorama. It’s an intimate way to share a moment with the city.Once you get to the top of East Rock—whether by foot, bike, or car—you can look up at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, one of New Haven’s iconic landmarks, visible from all across the city. The monument, which stands 112 feet high and dates back to 1887, honors citizens of New Haven who lost their lives in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War. At night, it projects a set of bright lights into the sky, sometimes in a whole array of colors, that anyone can see if they stretch their head out the window.

If you live in New Haven, you’ve most likely been to the top of East Rock. The long trap rock ridge is on the north side of the city, its cliffs rising dramatically above the quaint neighborhoods and playgrounds below. The lookout is part of the Metacomet Ridge, which extends from the Long Island Sound all the way north to the Vermont border. The most dramatic and rewarding way to experience East Rock is via the slightly precarious Giant Steps Trail. You can access the trail from East Rock’s eastern side: It’s a jagged stone staircase, equipped with a metal handrail, that takes you the last 285 feet to the top. (In 2011, a Yale University student was rescued by firefighters after trying to free climb part of the cliff face, which needless to say is not the recommended route to the summit.)In the winter, people can snowshoe and cross-country ski to the site through East Rock Park. In the summer, families often drive up and picnic at the top. At night, from the summit of East Rock, beneath the monument’s strobes, you can sit and watch the city twinkle peacefully.

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Statues Monuments Parks Panoramas

Know Before You Go

You can reach the top of East Rock by the auto road or by foot. The latter will give you access to some smaller, unmarked paths that take different routes to the top. As long as you keep your basic bearings, it's hard to get lost. The park is open year-round to hikers and walkers. The automobile road is open April 1 to November 15 from 10 a.m. to sunset and November through March on Fridays, weekends, and holidays until 4 p.m.

Community Contributors

Added By

taotaoholmes

Edited By

malcolm, Anna Minster, amaranthine, Ragnar of Ballard...

  • malcolm
  • Anna Minster
  • amaranthine
  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • missingfilm

Published

June 8, 2016

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Rock
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Rock,_New_Haven
  • http://livingnh.yale.edu/eastrock
  • https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33851-d591376-Reviews-East_Rock_Park-New_Haven_Connecticut.html
  • http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/firefighters_rescue_climber/
  • https://www.newhavenct.gov/gov/depts/parks/our_parks/east_rock.htm
East Rock Park
41 Cold Spring St
New Haven, Connecticut, 06511
United States
41.324958, -72.910252
Visit Website
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