A Walk Across the Giant

...he was but an extinct volcano; he had been active in his time, but his fire was out, this good while, he was only a stately ash-pile now; gentle enough, and kindly enough for my purpose, without doubt, but not usable. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain When I think of an extinct volcano, I picture something like this - a mountain peak, maybe a flat top, but there's no question it looks like a volcano. Is there an extinct volcano on Sleeping Giant?  The area's mountains were formed by massive lava flows (the traprock), tipped up after a little fault here and there shuffled the landscape.  But can you find the mouth of a volcano?  There's a spot just off the White trail on the Giant's right knee.  It is a depression surrounded by boulders, filled with water during the spring, but drying out now.  Is it a volcanic crater? 

My son was down from Boston, we took time for a little hike this morning - starting at the Tuttle Ave Red Circle trailhead, east over the horsetrail to the Red Square trail.  We took an unmarked trail off the Square.  It's on the park map as just a dotted line.  Maybe the Lost Vista trail I've heard of?  If so, the vista was lost behind the trees.  I'll check again in the winter - there should be good views north and east.

Since I've done all the Giant's trails, I can venture outside the park now without risking the bad karma attached to leaving our impish friend Hobbomock unfinished.  The Quinnipiac trail continues past Sleeping Giant, over to the Naugatuck State Forest, up into Cheshire and Prospect.  Once I found the Blue Trail parking lot on Bethany Mountain Road (Rt 42), it was about a mile hike north toward the Falls.  The terrain is a lot like Sleeping Giant - forest, then higher to a grassy plateau with Cyprus and Pine.  Without the leaf cover, there would be good views of the ridges to the west and north.  And of course it wouldn't be the Blue Trail without the occasional rock climb. Just when I got the feeling I missed the turn off, I heard the falls in the distance.  The trail comes out at the top of the falls, and there is an orange blazed trail down the south side of the river to an entrance on Roaring Brook Road.  It's a steep hike down (400' change in elevation), bu

That's it!  The Nature Path was the last trail I needed to complete my goal of hiking every blazed trail in Sleeping Giant Park.  There were trails I've been on over and over, and trails I have never seen before.  And it just took a few weeks.  It's a great park to wander around - come on out! But in hiking all over, and reading about the park, there are spots I haven't checked out yet.  What's the Lost Vista trail?  Where was the Carriage Path?  Is there really evidence of a long dead volcano? I guess I'm just not done yet.  The Sleeping Giant Park Association sponsors the Giant Masters Program, and recognizes each member who has hiked all the park's trails.  But they also note Four Season Giant Masters, and 12 Month Giant Masters.  Since I've done the trails, and it's still spring, I could always do it again this summer... and fall, and winter...  Here we go - the Four Season Giant Masters Program!

How old it that pine tree?  Is that a hemlock, dogwood or oak tree? How does a tree grow on stilts? What's the difference between sandstone and trap rock? And what the heck is a tallus slope? Geology, botany, plant science, natural history...  and you just thought you were going on a hike this morning!

or What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger 6 miles, 3 hours. In my first blog entry, I said I'd been up and down the Giant many times, but I was sure there were trails I'd never been on.  Well, I have never been to this part of the park.  Started at Hartford Turnpike, a steady hike up away from the street.  The CFPA Blue Trail sign reminded me that these trails exist by the goodwill of landowners.  So let me say it right here - for anyone bordering the trails who allows their land to be used by me and countless other hikers, Thanks! Parallel Lines - trail through the trees Have you ever bought a "relaxation tape" with bird songs, and the sounds of gentle breezes?  Great.  Now picture that, hear that.  Do you feel relaxed?  That's what I heard, what I felt this morning...  It was going to be a nice hike. It was a half hour walk before I hit parts I recognized - crossing the yellow trail, the orange - knowing that meant the "nice hike" w