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THE PARK
Most of the basaltic ridges in Connecticut
run predictably from north to south but one rogue two-mile band
of hills runs east-west. The ridge is easily recognized, especially
from the original settlements on the southern coast, even more
so because the ridge resembles a giant man resting on his back.
American Indians shied away from the ridge, considering it an
evil spirit. Early settlers did some milling here but its history
has been mostly for recreation. Summer cottages were common on
the ridgetops beginning in the mid 1800s.
One of those cottages belonged to Willis Cook, who had started
work in a Mt. Carmel axle shop at the age of 10 and in forty
years of time came to own the business. He was appointed postmaster
and a Hamden judge. He owned the ridge that formed the Giant's
head. Dismayed by vandalism, he leased his land for quarrying
the mountain's traprock. As blasting began to transform the Giant's
silhouette, horrified residents began laying the foundation for
the Sleeping Giant Park Association.
WALKS
Just about any kind of canine hiking
fare is on the menu in this cherished park. There are more than
30 miles of trails running from the feet to the head of the Giant,
the first trails in Connecticut to be designated a National Recreation
Trail. Most are rocky and tricky but even the novice trail dog
can tackle the gently ascending road that makes up the 1.6-mile
Tower Path. Your destination on top of the 739-foot Mount Carmel
summit is a hulking four-story stone observation tower that would
not be out of place in King Arthur's time.Experienced dogs can
reach the tower, located near the hip of the Giant, via the difficult
Blue Trail.
The wooded ridges obscure the rocky nature of the ground. Many
of the ascents are pick-your-way passages. At some spots around
cobbles of jumbled boulders like Hezekiah's Knob the trail narrows
enough to demand care with your dog. Even the Nature Trail involves
some rough going a ways into it. This detailed, one-hour exploration
is a stand-out of its kind, offering an excellent background
to your visit to the Giant.
BONUS
Without question, the greatest tree
in America prior to 1900 was the chestnut. Rot resistant with
fine-grained wood, the chestnut tree supported both vibrant wildlife
populations and entire rural economies. It was estimated that
one in every four trees in the eastern forests was a chestnut
tree - some as old as
600 years. But in 1904 an Asian fungus was discovered in the
Bronx Zoo and the blight soon decimated the chestnut population.
By 1950 millions of acres of woodlands were left with dead, standing
trees. The chestnut blight remains 100% fatal - young chestnuts
may reach 20 or 30 feet but are doomed to succumb to the disease.
In 1949, Dr. Arthur Graves sold 8.3 acres of his land for The
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station for tree breeding.
The Chestnut Plantation at Sleeping Giant, east of the park,
hosts specimens of all of the species of chestnut and is one
of the finest in the world.
DIRECTIONS
Sleeping Giant is across from Quinnipiac University on Mt. Carmel
Avenue. From I-91 take Exit 10 to Route 40 to Route 10 North
and turn right on Mt. Carmel. From I-84 take Route 70 South to
Route 10 South and left on Mt. Carmel.
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