It was kind of by chance I found this state park. My family and I have been back a few times. There is ample parking and places to bbq. There are various trails for any experience level. The easiest is the tower trail that leads to a stone tower at the very top which provides a good view (good for going with young children). Don't underestimate some of the "experienced hiker" trials. They are steep and most of the times rocky but super fun nonetheless. The trails are always well marked and pretty well maintained. I've been there during the spring season and even as late as Thanksgiving. There are maps that you can find at the information bulletin. read more

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It's a park. Parked on the street for free. There were 50 of us meeting in the park for a pancake breakfast, we brought a grill. Very little foot traffic and the shade was welcomed. Bathrooms right near by where we entered and plopped down right by one of the entrances. We took up two picnic tables and brought beach chairs for the rest of the people. Trees were tall and nice and it was peaceful, no one was playing sports nearby. It was a truly a peaceful picnic area. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

A fairly quick hike if your endpoint is the tower. From the main entrance, I took the blue trail to the tower (~50 min) and the paved gravel trail back (~25 min). I was expecting to get very lost because this was my first time taking a trail without any signs whatsoever, but the blue trail's markings along the way were actually very well placed. I had no doubts (except maybe once or twice) about which direction I was supposed to walk in, but even when I took the wrong turn I easily spotted a blue splotch to bring me back on course. Getting back was a different story, however. I started on the main trail back and was hoping to branch onto one of the different colored paths (I passed by white and orange trail markings), but when I tried following those I got lost and eventually had to turn back onto the main trail. Parking: I arrived at 2pm on a beautiful Sunday and easily found free curb parking (only available on weekends) right outside the parking lot. It was a bit of a tight squeeze and required parallel parking. The parking lot itself costs $9 for CT license plates and $15 for out of state license plates. Blue trail: To get to here from the main entrance, you first go left through the picnic area. Then you walk down the path to the right of the creek, and once you are there you can just follow the blue markings all the way to the tower. At each blue marking you can usually see 2 more further up, so you know exactly where you have to go. Along the way there are also marked checkpoints in blue numbers to keep your mind at ease (starting from 1 up to 20). This path is pretty challenging due to some steep areas and very rocky areas; it will require you to get your hands dirty. I definitely would not bring kids or pets here, unless your pet is a goat. Although it is a bit tough and tiring, it is very doable and safe. There are many protruding rocks you can use as footholds. I would definitely recommend taking this scenic trail to the tower, since you can get a great view about halfway through the trail. There are also a lot less people taking this route versus the main trail. I probably passed a total of 3 groups on my climb to the tower. Main trail (paved gravel): Once you enter from the main entrance, you can walk to the right where you will see a well blazed trail. Following this will you all the way to the tower as well. It is a very easy and serene walk with shade the entire way. Many people take their kids and dogs on this path. I even noticed people walking in flip flops, attesting to its difficulty level. Map of paths: http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/stateparks/maps/sleepgiant.pdf read more

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Really nice quiet and tranquil park. I love coming here to relax and read. It has a few great trails bit I must admit that I didn't quite make it up to the top this past summer. Definitely on my bucket list for the spring season. It is conveniently located across from Quinnipiac University. There are plenty picnic tables available but most are pretty weather beaten so the threat of a splinter is real. This park offers bathroom facilities that are clean and well maintained. Great for a walk, a jog, a picnic, or just to have some quiet time. Ample parking too. This park is very nice. read more

Great exercise here. Hiking trail was just the right amount of a challenge for me. The tower had lovely views. I didn't care to pay to park, being from out of state. My state parks don't do this. read more

Great hiking. Beautiful surroundings with trails to meet your level of ability. Sons love the hike to castle at the top. Each season worth seeing. read more

Nice short hike in town or you can spend a few hours with various trail loops in the park. The tower is nice but the best view is from his head, imo. read more

My favorite local place to hike. I have been coming here since I was a kid. On weekends stay off the main trail to avoid crowds. Explore more of the off beaten paths. (White and Purple Trails). read more

Love this place. It's a new adventure every time I go. The main trail is easy enough for 90% of the population to scale. There is also plenty of challenging trails for more advanced hikers. Parking can be tricky on nice days but it's worth it. Besides, if you have to walk some distance from where you park to start hiking, isn't that the whole purpose of going? To be active and get yourself moving. There is a water fountain and restrooms at the base near the parking lot. Occasionally they will have a restroom open at the summit. At the top you will found a stone lookout tower with tables and benches to enjoy the views. You can see Long Island sound from the south side. Great place to take nature shots. Highly recommend this place to nature lovers and those who want to reach a goal while being active. read more

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Great place for hiking...sad to have seen the tremendous damage the park endured during last year's storm.

Sleeping Giant is one of my favorite hiking areas in the state. There are so many different trails that you can really have a unique experience every time you visit. I'm a huge fan of rock scrambling so I absolutely love taking blue trail up to the castle - plus There are some fantastic views of the campus along that route. If you're looking for an easier hike, you can always take the castle trail, or pretty much any color outside of blue and white. There are also a few red trails that will bring you out to the road which is great, sometimes in terms of convenience related to your parking spot, other times because maybe you mismanaged your time and it's getting dark out lol. Fear not if you forgot to print our a trail map, there are almost always extras available in the main parking area. Definitely one of the best hiking spots in central CT. read more

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I visited Sleeping Giant the weekend before last for a hike. To my knowledge, Sleeping Giant is the closest state park to New Haven, but it's far enough that you really need to drive there to avoid being tired out before you even get into the park. Having never been to Sleeping Giant before, my hiking buddy and I scoped it out beforehand and decided to ascend to the summit with the castle via the blue trail and return via the Tower Trail. Of all the trails in Sleeping Giant, the blue trail was rated the most challenging due to steep ascents involving rock scrambling, but we chose to take it due to the scenic views that it offers. Indeed, the trail was quite challenging, including not only several ascending scrambles but an unexpected descending scramble a short distance from the trailhead. In terms of views, the blue trail offers a nice view of an abandoned quarry adjoining the park and a breathtaking vista of Quinnipiac University's campus. While the views were great and the trail doesn't get as much foot traffic as the Tower Trail, it was quite physically exhausting, so be forewarned if you're considering taking this route and plan accordingly. The blue trail joins the Tower Trail close to the top, where the "castle" can be found. I'm unsure of this structure's history, but at present, it's open to the public. On top is a viewing area that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area, which I definitely recommend taking advantage of. Surprisingly few distinct features are visible in the surrounding landscape, hence why I didn't take photos, but it's still cool to survey, nonetheless. The Tower Trail, the most popular and easiest of the trails leading up to the summit of Sleeping Giant, is paved with gravel and is much straighter and wider than the other trails. If you're in less-than-peak physical condition, have small children, or are just looking for a relatively relaxing and easy hike to the summit, this trail is the way to go. Disadvantages of this trail include the lack of interesting views aside from the usual forest scenery, as well as the heavy foot traffic that this trail receives in season. As others have noted, you can park on Mt. Carmel Rd. for free. However, my hiking buddy decided to pay the in-state fee ($9) to park in the lot, given that there was a long line of cars parked along Mt. Carmel Rd. and that we didn't want to do additional hiking after finishing our hike. Overall, Sleeping Giant is a solid state park and is worth checking out if you enjoy hiking and live in the New Haven area. If this describes you, I suggest checking it out before winter sets in and it becomes too frigid to hike enjoyably. read more

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I usually don't write reviews about parks but this state park is so fascinating and uniquely Connecticut, it deserves a shout-out. First, how many parks do you know have great indian folk lore like this one? Long before English settlers came to the area, local indians talked about a large sleeping giant named Hobomock. And unlike some anomalies in nature, this one isn't hokey at all. Believe it or not, the three little hills when put together actually do look like a sleeping giant. If you can't see it, then try viewing him from afar. Spotting him from the highway is always a comforting sign for me. After a long day of traveling and driving home from the airport, when I see my slumbering friend through my car window, I know I'm home. Secondly, this park has a reputation of being the bad-ass park of state parks because it has a record. No, it doesn't have a prison record. It has a fatalities record. How many other parks on the east coast do you know have had seven fatalities since 1998? Yes, seven. My west coast friends like to say our east coast hills are tame compared to theirs, but I suppose they don't know the giant. The giant occasionally blows his top and if you're not careful you could accidentally wind up on the fatalities list. You want to be particularlly careful around the traprock chin section and don't go off the trail there. That cliff section is where most of the deaths occur. If you've never hiked the park, my advice is to get here sometime soon before it closes down or the best trails get removed. You just know that state officials are dying to cave to legal pressure, even though most of the fatal hikers were at fault themselves and shouldn't have been climbing the cliffs in the first place. Unfortunately that's the way our litigious world works. By the way, if you're a frequent user of this park, you may want to consider volunteering with the Sleeping Giant Park Association. The trail work doesn't happen by itself and is maintained by this group volunteers (not by state employees). Although I'm not a member myself, I know that SGPA is one of the best and most dedicated trail maintenance organizations in the state. read more

The first mile on the trails is great, The white trail and blue trail, Then they get lazy and start criss crossing back and forth from a place you where just at. The blue trail is the hardest, the first mile is basically rock climbing make sure to have adequate shoes on. Then it got really boring so we found a main trail and left. Also the trail markers are terrible. read more

We traversed the sleeping giant from his left hip where the castle like over look point is with the 360 degrees view to his chest, down and back up to his chin and then to his head. The views from the head (or was it the chin?!), over Quinnipiac university in the fall is stupendous and breathtaking! The climb there over the steep rock face and clambering over rocks made me feel like I was Moses (or was it Abraham?!) climbing the mountain to get the 10 commandments from the Lord himself. They were not kidding when they said those trails were "difficult". If I had known they entailed such arduous, challenging climbs, I would have been content to linger atop the overlook which had very broad and wide, meandering walking paths that it was truly impossible to get lost at. For a person with no general sense for directions even with my iPhone pointing the way, it is the best place to hike at. Entrance fee 9 dollars for Connecticut state cars. A bit steep, given how much taxes we pay already in this state, but oh well! read more

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Who doesn't love the Giant? Things that make it great: -The dedicated volunteers who work hard to make sure these trails are maintained! If you see litter or any obstructions on the trails, that's an anomaly. The Friends of Sleeping Giant are a dedicated group who take very good care of this park. -The variety of trails here. There is something for everyone. If you have young kids or strollers you can use the Tower Trail, and take the gently winding, wide, gravel trail up to the tower for a fantastic view. If you're a hardcore hiker who wants steep climbs and challenges, take the blue or white trail. There are sections there that are killer! If you want history, check out some of the abandoned foundations or the quarry on the west side of the park. There is a lovely river on the west side, some vernal pools throughout, and on the east side, a trail for horses and/or cross-country skiing. -The scenery! Lots of opportunities for viewing cool rock formations, different types of trees, caves, birds... -It's very user-friendly. The volunteers (not paid employees!) have put together an amazing map that's easy to follow to help you on the network of trails that would otherwise be so confusing. You can pick one up at the parking area, or you can print a color map from the website. Tips: Bring everything you would normally bring on a long hike (water, bug spray, snacks, sunscreen, etc). Wear very good shoes! Know what poison ivy looks like. Did I mention that you should bring water? Bring water. There is a place near the parking area to fill up your water bottles and dog bowls. :) Speaking of dogs, the park is pet-friendly. There are also a couple of public restrooms (in the picnic area, near the parking lot, and up at the tower). One of my goals for this summer is to hike every trail there and keep track so that I can get the "Giant Master" patch from the Friends of Sleeping Giant. What a great idea to keep bringing people back! read more

This is a very popular park; I'm surprised no one's reviewed it!! The park is a series of hills with a ton of trails criss-crossing them. The trails are all mapped and marked, but frankly, they are still a little confusing. Maybe in time I'll figure it out. Plus there's an obvious, wide, graveled, up and down trail that almost anyone can use and almost everyone does. On a busy day you'll see a fair number of families, older folks, etc ambling up this path. At the top is a short tower that gives you a great view, all the way to Long Island on a clear day. Apparently, you will be ticketed if you park on the road on a busy fall weekend. We saw it happen. And we suspect the guys at the park's parking lot called. read more

Never get tired of a hike to the castle. So far I have done the extremely difficult blue trail and the very easy gravel trail. The views are great and I always run into tons of friendly hikers. Along the way, you will find the view, writings on rocks and trees of previous hikers, a castle, and quite a bit of wild life from snakes (only once) to insects to dogs (leashed by people) and even our hometown friends the squirrels and chipmunks. If you live around the area or are looking for a family fun activity, this is the place to be on a weekend afternoon. read more

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It is very beautiful here... I have found many different places to rock climb, relax and think about life. Great place to go hiking with your loved one or ones. I have also heard many stories of QU students having keg parties up there but still never seen one or anything of that sort. My girlfriend and I have started hiking there more and more often! I suggest this to be a date or even a hang out! read more

The Giant is 32 miles of hiking awesomeness. Nothing in the area compares. Hardest trail is the Blue but it also has the most rewarding view. Pretty much anyone can handle the tower trail, it also has a great view. Make sure you get a map, you can get lost if you're not familiar with the terrain or trailblaze systems. The trails do not loop, plan your own circuit or backtrack the same way you went out. The picnic area is spacious and well maintained. There are of plenty tables and grills. There's even a Pavilion (shelter) to reserve for big events--it has a working fireplace and giant grills good for large quantity food prep. Contact reserveamerica.com for that. Visit the Sleeping Giant Park Association web page to find guided hikes throughout the year. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Great park for hiking and nice views from the top. Beautiful trails and it's the closest thing to a mountain in CT (I used to live in Boulder Colorado so I know mountains). The CT fall is great here you see all the colors and different shades (red, yellow, brown). There is a castle at the top to explore, however mostly a shell of a castle. You need maps or expect to hike for about 4 hours, that seems to happen to me because I forget the right trails. It's free, but they want to charge you for parking, but you can park for free down the street. I always hike with another person. I hear they have cross country skiing but I have never gone here. I love this place and need to go hiking soon. Don't forget to pack a backpack with water, an apple, trail mix ,a hat , sunglasses and bug spray (just in case your there late the bugs come out then). read more

Wonderful place for a hike! When you get to the top of Sleeping Giant, you will be able to see the beautiful scenery (especially if it's fall). Love this place! read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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This is a fabulous state park. It has over 30 miles of hiking trails available and beautiful year-round. The park association maintains them so they are always well-marked and easy to follow. They range from a wide, cleared gentle trail (leading up to "the tower") to challenging hikes up steep rocky inclines. There are some phenomenal views of New Haven country from the tops of the more difficult trails. I go again and again for the peaceful scenery and good exercise. Parking is $7 at the main lot on weekend in season. All other times, and the other small lots, are free. read more

The park is a series of trails climbing and transversing the Sleeping Giant right across from Quinnipiac. The total elevation is only about 500 feet so even the "steep" trails are not that bad if you take them slow. The park is pretty popular so you are almost guaranteed to see other hikers on the trails, especially the main trail that climbs to the tower overlooking the surrounding area. Trails are pretty well marked in most locations, but there are a couple places that the trail can get a little confusing. When parking at the lot across from Quinnipiac taking the Yellow trail to the Red Triangle trail to the Blue trail to the tower was a nice hike that takes about 1:15. read more

Sleeping Giant is one of the best park to hike in CT. I've been dozens of times, and still enjoy going. There's great hiking to be had any time of the year. The trail system is robust and allows hikers to choose a hike that suits their hiking ability. The park has several trail entrances and trailheads to choose from. Most people gravitate towards the main entrance, but there are several trailheads on Mt Carmel Ave and Tuttle Ave, as well as one on Chestnut Lane. The park is laid out with several E-W trails and several N-S trails. With all the intersections, customizing your hike is a breeze. Trail maps are available online at the CT DEP website, as well as free maps available at the front entrance kiosk. There are great views to be had, not only at the tower, but at other points along the trails. My favorite place to rest is at the overlook at the intersection of the white trail and where the green trail begins. The old quarry at the front of the park (along the violet trail and blue trails) is something worth checking out and the walk along the river on the violet is nice, although a bit rugged. There is a nature trail in the park (marked by green symbols with trees) along with an accompanying book that talks about the various things you can see in the park. I believe a similar idea with nature formations is also being worked on now, as I've seen numbers painted on rocks at various locations around the park. The park also has a picnic and grilling area at the front entrance, which is a great place to hang out before or after a hike. There are bathrooms near the picnic area and there are two pit toilets available much of the year near the main parking lot. Currently, there are fees to park at the main entrance, but only during the weekends. One last note, the park is maintained mostly by volunteers, so please be considerate and pack out all your trash and don't litter on the trails. read more

On super busy and beautiful weekends, free Sat-Sun parking on Mt Carmel Ave. Don't bother cruising the parking lots. Trails are kid and puppy friendly! read more

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This place is nice to go and get a hearty hike in. Been here a couple times and found it to be very peaceful and rejuvenating. The trails are all marked very well too which is a big plus or else I would most definitely get lost. The one thing I will say is bring your bug spray! Oh boy, I was eaten alive the other day, which is partially my fault because I decided to take a 5 minute rest. P dot S dot: Definitely check the weather reports before you go. Last time I was drenched when a thunderstorm came out of no where! read more

Love sleeping giant!! A very beautiful park!! During the season which runs through end of October on the weekends you need to pay $10 to park in the lot. You can park on the side of the street which helps with that! It gets busy so you'll see the line of cars. Now onto the trails! Do yourself a favor and go off the main gravel trail. One of my favorites is the white trail (follow road in park and you'll see a small foot bridge to right) which you follow and intersect with gravel trail then walk a few feet on gravel trail and pick up again on the right. Once you get to a fork on top of rock hill stay to the right to continue on the white. You'll soon come to a beautiful outlook! Here you can continue on the white or pick up the orange. Trails are marked very well here! Beautiful and peaceful! read more

Great park. We could see the sleeping giant from my cousins house and we wanted to explore it. We walked up a trail to a castle. It was an easy walk. We had our 5 and 3 year olds walk the whole way and they did fine. Lots of people were enjoying the various trails. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - These boys walked all the way to the castle and back down. - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

The Sleeping Giant is a great place to go to get lost for an hour or two and reconnect with nature. The best times to go are during fall and spring months when the weather is still cool and you can enjoy the light breeze and foliage or newly budding trees. There are different trails with different difficulty levels and they all take you to different parts of the mountain. Definately a good escape from reality if you are looking for one. The Sleeping Giant attracks many different people of various ages and personalities. It's always fun enjoying the aesthetics of this park with complete strangers while reveling in the beauty of nature. Me and my friend went up during the middle of the night towards the end of sumer a couple of years ago and just hung out on the tower for a few hours. We contemplated staying all night to watch the sun rise but it got to chilly so we had to leave early. I recommend packing a blanket and/or a blanket to keep you warm if you are considering stayin for the night. read more

Excellent dog-friendly hiking. There are long and short hikes of varying difficulty. Very nice picnic spots with grills. A Connecticut treasure. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Splendid Picnicking on Memorial Day Weekend. - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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The hike was physically easy but satisfying. I felt healthy and grateful to be alive. The view from the top was gorgeous. It was a beautiful day. You have to get away from the city and the everyday routine to enjoy life and keep yourself from going insane. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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My favorite hike in CT, including Bear Mountain, and right down the road. At least 10 honest-to-goodness trails that'll keep all hikers, from novices to downright mountain men, sweaty and satisfied. I highly recommend the blue and white trails for rigor and a good workout, and I'd go the violet way if all I wanted was a scenic, leisurely stroll. Parking is steep during the Spring/Summer months, but the state park needs to stay up and running; maintenance isn't free. Pleasurable in all types of weather and for all walks of life, Sleeping Giant is as good as trailin' gets in CT. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Quinnipiac from the white trail. - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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I'm fortunate to live so close to this beautiful park! I love a short hike that doesn't require all day to complete. There are challenging trails, but there are also very easy trails that take you to the tower too. Fall is my favorite time to hike this mountain because when you reach the top of the mountain that overlooks the campus of Quinnipiac, the foliage is stunningly beautiful. Sometimes I'll picnic at the top with friends! read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Fall: Overlooking Quinnipiac University - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Beautiful place for a great walk in the woods. Bit pricey at $9 just for parking or $15 for us "out of staters" What do they do with all the money? There's only trails in the woods & I'll bet there were more than 1,000 people here today. I'd give it 5 stars if it wasn't so crowded. read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Great family picnic area - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I cannot tell you how many times as a teenager going up to sleeping giant Park and making out with a girl so much fun back in the day thank you Dawn we should have married but we were so young just teenagers who will knew Dawn that till this day I'm still in love with you believe it or not I was the baker in East Haven Bess Eatin Donuts. I hope you remember me Dawn I have never forgotten about you even the times when I came to your house. It would be so wonderful if I could meet you again this is friends I know you're married so am I but I always can see you in my mind on always. I never forgot you Dawn and I never will forget you. read more

Best hike I've gone on by far in the state, maybe the best hike I've gone on period. There are sections where you have to scramble up and down rocks in a way that I was not ready for in terms of attire choices but loved just the same. I understand me and my companions could have taken easier routes to the top, but the scrambling made it all the more fun. The castle like tower makes for a wonderful destination to down snacks or a picnic. The whole place is beautiful and grand and the trails are easy to follow. If you like hiking or just the outdoors in general, Sleeping Giant is a must. read more

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I like that this place is dog friendly. We went on a Friday afternoon and it was pretty crowded, so I imagine it's even more so on the weekends. The main trail up to the tower was full of people, so we ended up taking a different trail back down which was less populated and more scenic (and definitely steeper). Overall it's a very pretty area and a nice place to take a hike, just not the best place if you're looking for total quiet/solitude. read more

Great place to go. Wasn't much parking but there are so many trails. It's a great place to bring a dog read more

Sleeping Giant State Park - Enjoying the great view - Parks Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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A friend went to college in the area and had gone here before. We went on a great weather day, the hike was exhillerating and the views were breathtaking. A must do if you love the outdoors and a hike with a view. read more