“formed 200 million years ago”
East Rock was formed about 200 million years ago as the continents were in the process of moving away from each other. Molten rock from deep in the earth surged through stress cracks formed in the sandstone bedrock of the New Haven area. The molten rock cooled to form dolerite, also know as basalt or traprock. Dolerite is much more resistant to erosion than the surrounding sandstone. As glacial action and the forces of weathering eroded away the softer sandstone, East Rock (and other traprock ridges such as West Rock) became more prominent. The summit of East Rock Park now rises more than 350 feet above the floor of the Mill River valley at its base.
Reviews
We're back! We returned in warmer weather as we had said we wanted to do. It was a clearer view, and it had a different feel. There were more people, but not as many as I was expecting for Memorial Day Weekend. There were a decent amount of joggers, bikers, hikers, and walkers. Some people were grilling out, and it's a dog friendly park. There are benches, picnic tables, grills, and even a gazebo in ERP. There's a sign board up top that shows the important places of the city of New Haven below. There's also a Soldiers & Sailors monument up top that's pretty neat. Our GPS did not take us exactly where we needed to be, but we followed the tall monument we could see from the road to the park. Not sure if I liked the Fall or this better, but it was nice both times we went.
We went here in early November. Even though it was a foggy and rainy day, it was still quite beautiful! The fall foliage was beautiful to drive up the windy mountain. There was a covered pavilion and picnic area near the top. We saw benches throughout the park. The Sailors' and Soldiers' monument overlooking the city of New Haven below at the top of the mountain is quite spectacular! If you like architecture and history, this would be a good place for you to visit. There's also a huge information board/map overlooking the city of New Haven, CT below. The views were pretty on a dreary Fall day, but I'd like to revisit in warmer weather, as I think the view would be even better. There was plenty of parking at the top. I'd definitely return if in the area.
It was nice, nothing too special.
Beautiful views, quite busy in August
Be the first to add a review to the East Rock Park.
East Rock Park
Hours
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
Good for boating, cycling, and walking.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The top things to do on an I-95 road trip
- 50 Places
- 41:46
- 1,983 mi
The top things to do on an East Coast road trip
- 32 Places
- 48:54
- 2,584 mi