At the top of Sleeping Giant, you are treated to a beautiful clifftop vista
Just north of New Haven, Connecticut is a 739-foot peak called Mount Carmel, also known as “Sleeping Giant”. Why is it called Sleeping Giant? The large rock features resemble a giant human, when viewed from north or south (according to Native Americans of the Quinnipiac Tribe).
This geographically significant area became Sleeping Giant State Park in 1924. The mountain is now a popular hiking destination, with over 30 miles of trails, and 1500 acres. Some of these trails are very rugged, as you can see in this photo. At the top of Sleeping Giant, you are treated to a beautiful clifftop vista.
It is amazing how resilient these trees are. Some trees at Sleeping Giant are barely hanging onto the side of the mountain. Sleeping Giant is said to have a variety of microclimates because of its unique topography. Dry upper ridges house oak savannas. Eastern red cedar are known to cling to the sides of cliffs (as seen in this image).
The lower slopes within Sleeping Giant tend to support oak-hickory forest species. The steep ravines support eastern hemlock. Besides tree diversity, Sleeping Giant is also located along an important migratory path for raptors.
Some trees at Sleeping Giant are barely hanging onto the side of the mountain
0 Comments