Visiting East Rock Park
East Rock Park, located in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, is a very unique nature destination that features a mountainous ridge named East Rock. Atop the cliffs lies the towering Soldiers and Sailors Monument that overlooks New Haven.
Here are some photos of things to see and do while visiting East Rock Park.
| East Rock Park: Important Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | .67 mi2 (1.73 km2) | |
| Duration | The recommended duration of visit is 1 – 3 hours. | |
| Best Time | Visiting during the morning should bypass much of the crowds. Summer is also the preferred season. Winters should be avoided due to the brutal cold. | |
| Cost | Free to visit. | |
| Parking | There are 2 ways to drive to the park. You can take English drive (on the side of Rice Field) or the route to the Farnham parking lot. English Dr Parking is the closest parking lot. Farnham Dr. Parking is about 1 mile further out. | |
| Special Considerations: Eli Whitney’s Museum & Workshop is at the top left corner of the park. He was the inventor of the cotton gin—a key invention during the Industrial Revolution that helped shaped the economy of the Antebellum South (1783 –1861). | ||
A Nature Adventure
East Rock Park offers great outdoor activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing, bicycling, canoeing, and rock climbing, among others.
Toward the top, near the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, you can find a view of the new Haven Skyline.
The City of New Haven is one of the oldest in the United States. It was settled by Puritans in 1638 and is home to Yale University.
Soldiers and Sailors Monument
The most popular hiking trail (on the Rice Field side) leads toward the Soldier and Sailors Monument. It’s a very steep hike (the elevation change exceeds 400+ fairly quickly), but there’s plenty of railing and steps for proper footing.
Standing over 284 feet (86.6 meters), the Soldier and Sailors Monument honors New Haven residents who died in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War.
13 stars rest at the base, representing the 13 original colonies.
The pedestal features 4 sculptures that depict scenes from each of the wars. Each female sculpture, standing (sitting?) at approximately 9 feet ( 2.74 meters), personify the virtues of History (facing west, holding a book), Patriotism (facing south, holding a sword), Victory (facing east, holding a wreath and trumpet), and Prosperity (facing north, holding a horn).
The angel, standing at 11 feet (3.35 meters) and weighing 5000 pounds (2268 kg), represents peace, harmory, and hope.
The monument is arguably the most iconic attraction in all of New Haven.
Excluding national parks, East Rock Park is one of the more unique parks that I’ve visited in the United States. Considering the scenic hike, sheer cliffs, and skyline view, it is a lot of fun—the kind often found in national parks—in a small area.
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