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:''This article is about a mountainous ridge located in New Haven, Connecticut. See [[East Rock (neighborhood)]] for the residential neighborhood known by the same name.''
{{about|the mountainous ridge in New Haven, Connecticut|the neighborhood named after the ridge|East Rock (neighborhood)}}
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{{Infobox mountain
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| name = East Rock
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| photo = Eastrock01.jpg
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| photo_caption = East Rock
| elevation_ft = 366
| elevation_ref =
| prominence =
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| listing =
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| location = [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]]
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| range = [[Metacomet Ridge]]
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| coordinates = {{Coord|41|19|38|N|72|54|17|W|type:mountain}}
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| type = [[Fault-block]]; [[igneous]]
| age = 200 Ma
| last_eruption =
| first_ascent =
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| easiest_route = Auto road
}}


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<!-- ELEVATIONS: before changing elevations, carefully check primary USGS maps; do not relay on feature name lookup on USBGN or secondary sources -->
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{{Infobox Mountain
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'''East Rock''' of south-central [[Connecticut]], [[United States]], with a high point of {{convert|366|ft}}, is a {{convert|1.4|mi|0|adj=on}} long [[trap rock]] ridge located primarily in the [[East Rock, New Haven| neighborhood of East Rock]] on the north side of the city of [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]. A prominent landscape feature and a popular outdoor recreation area with cliffs that rise {{convert|300|ft}} over the city below, East Rock is part of the narrow, linear [[Metacomet Ridge]] that extends from [[Long Island Sound]] near New Haven, north through the [[Connecticut River Valley]] of [[Massachusetts]] to the [[Vermont]] border.<ref name="EF">Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. [http://www.mmmtrail.org/NaturalResourcesAssessmentFinal.pdf "Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807215610/http://mmmtrail.org/NaturalResourcesAssessmentFinal.pdf |date=2007-08-07 }}, 2004. PDF file. Cited Nov. 20, 2007.</ref><ref name="D">DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine</ref> East Rock is the central feature of [[East Rock Park]], a municipal park owned by the city of New Haven along the New Haven-Hamden town line.
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| Name = East Rock
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| Photo = Eastrock01.jpg
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| Caption = East Rock
| Elevation = {{convert|366|ft|m|0|lk=on}}
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| Location = [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]], | Range = [[Metacomet Ridge]]
| Prominence = 41° 19' 38"N, 72° 54' 17"W
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| Coordinates = {{coor dms|41|19|38|N|72|54|17|W|type:mountain}}
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| Type = [[Fault-block]]; [[igneous]]
| Age = 200 million yrs.
| Last eruption =
| First ascent =
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| Easiest route = Auto road
| Grid_ref_uk =
| Grid_ref_ireland =
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| Listing =
| Translation =
| Language =
| Pronunciation =
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}}<!-- ELEVATIONS: before changing elevations, carefully check primary USGS maps; do not relay on feature name lookup on USBGN or secondary sources -->
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'''East Rock''' of south-central [[Connecticut]], with a high point of {{convert|366|ft|m|0|lk=on}}, is a {{dist mile km|7}} long [[traprock]] ridge located on the north side of the city of [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]. A prominant landscape feature and a popular outdoor recreation area with {{convert|300|ft|m|0|lk=on}} cliffs that rises over the city below, East Rock is part of the narrow, linear [[Metacomet Ridge]] that extends from [[Long Island Sound]] near New Haven, north through the [[Connecticut River Valley]] of [[Massachusetts]] to the [[Vermont]] border.<ref name="EF">Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. [http://www.mmmtrail.org/NaturalResourcesAssessmentFinal.pdf "Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment."], 2004. PDF file. Cited Nov. 20, 2007.</ref><ref name="D">DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine</ref>


==Geography==
==Geography==
<!-- ELEVATIONS: before changing elevations, carefully check primary USGS maps; do not relay on feature name lookup on USBGN or secondary sources -->
<!-- ELEVATIONS: before changing elevations, carefully check primary USGS maps; do not relay on feature name lookup on USBGN or secondary sources -->
[[File:East Rock.jpg|thumb|right|East Rock with its eponymous neighborhood below]]
East Rock, located in [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] and [[Hamden, Connecticut]], is {{dist mile km|1.4}} long by {{dist mile km|.5}} wide at its widest point, although steepness of the terrain make the actual squire mileage much larger. Beside the high point, East Rock has three other distinct peaks: ''Whitney Peak'', a sharp-sided pinnacle on the north side of the mountain, {{convert|366|ft|m|0|lk=on}}; ''Indian Head'', {{convert|310|ft|m|0|lk=on}}, just south of the high point; and ''Snake Rock'' {{convert|205|ft|m|0|lk=on}}, the southern buttress of the ridge. Whitney Peak and Lake Whitney, located at the western base of the mountain behind the dammed Mill River, is named after [[Eli Whitney]], the inventor of the [[cotton gin]] and a former New Haven resident. A small museum dedicated to the inventor is located on the west side of the ridge at the base of the dam.
East Rock, located in [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] and [[Hamden, Connecticut]], is {{convert|1.4|mi}} long by {{convert|0.5|mi|m}} wide at its widest point, although steepness of the terrain make the actual land area much larger. Beside the high point, East Rock has three other distinct peaks: Whitney Peak, {{convert|300|ft}}, a sharp-sided pinnacle on the north side of the ridge; Indian Head, {{convert|310|ft}}, just south of the high point; and Snake Rock, {{convert|205|ft}}, the southern buttress of the ridge.


Whitney Peak and [[Lake Whitney (Connecticut)|Lake Whitney]] (located at the western base of the mountain behind the dammed [[Mill River (Quinnipiac River)|Mill River]]) are named after [[Eli Whitney]], the inventor of the [[cotton gin]] and a former New Haven resident. The [[Eli Whitney Museum]], a museum and workshop with hands-on projects and exhibits on Eli Whitney and A. C. Gilbert, is located at the base of the dam.
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At the summit of East Rock, clearly visible for miles below, is the {{convert|112|ft|m|0|lk=on}} high [[Soldiers and Sailors Monument (New Haven)|Soldiers and Sailors Monument]]. The monument honors the residents of New Haven who gave their lives in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War.<ref name="C">[http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp#directions City of New Haven]. cited Dec. 22, 2007.</ref>
[[Image:East Rock, New Haven.jpg|thumb|right|''East Rock, New Haven,'' an 1872 [[steel engraving|engraving]] showing the [[Mill River (Quinnipiac River)|Mill River]], with New Haven in the distance]]


⚫
On the summit of East Rock, clearly visible for miles below, is the {{convert|112|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Soldiers and Sailors Monument (New Haven)|Soldiers and Sailors Monument]]. The monument honors the residents of New Haven who gave their lives in the [[American Revolutionary War]], the [[War of 1812]], the [[Mexican–American War|Mexican War]], and the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref name="C">[http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp#directions City of New Haven] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221054030/http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp#directions |date=2007-12-21 }}. cited Dec. 22, 2007.</ref>
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East Rock is located entirely within the 425-acre ''East Rock Park,'' managed by the city of New Haven, which maintains a seasonal automobile road that climbs to the summit of the ridge, a network of trails, an environmental center, and a rose garden. A number of sports recreation fields are located at the southwest base of the ridge; these are also managed by the city. The ridge is completely surrounded by the urban neighborhoods of New Haven and its metropolitan extension into south Hamden. East Rock lends its name to the nearby upscale [[East Rock (neighborhood)|East Rock neighborhood]] of New Haven, known for its Queen Anne and Victorian architecture. [[U.S. Route 5]] borders the east side of East Rock while [[Interstate 91]] crosses below Snake Rock to the south.

[[File:East rock winter.jpg|thumb|left|View south from East Rock in winter.]]
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The Metacomet Ridge extends west from East Rock as series of smaller, unnoteworthy traprock outcrops to [[West Rock Ridge]] and east over another series of traprock outcrops to [[Saltonstall Mountain]]. The west side of East Rock drains into the Mill river thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound; the east side into the [[Quinnipiac River]], thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound. Both rivers abut the base of the mountain.<ref name="D">DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine</ref><ref name="P">[http://www.visitnewhaven.com/pdfs/trails/New_Haven/TrailMap-NewHavenEastRock.pdf East Rock Park] Map and brochure. South Central Regional Counci of Governments. North Haven, Connectecut. Cited Dec, 23, 2007.</ref>

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East Rock is located entirely within the 425-acre (172&nbsp;ha) [[East Rock Park]], managed by the city of New Haven, which maintains a seasonal automobile road that climbs to the summit of the ridge, a network of trails, an environmental center, and a rose garden. A number of recreation facilities are located at the southwest base of the ridge; these are also managed by the city. The ridge is completely surrounded by the urban neighborhoods of New Haven and its metropolitan extension into south Hamden. East Rock lends its name to the nearby upscale [[East Rock (neighborhood)|East Rock neighborhood]] of New Haven, known for its [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne]] and [[Victorian architecture]]. [[U.S. Route 5]] borders the east side of East Rock while [[Interstate 91]] crosses below Snake Rock to the south.

⚫
The Metacomet Ridge extends west from East Rock as series of smaller, unnoteworthy traprock outcrops to [[West Rock Ridge]]; it extends east over another series of traprock outcrops to [[Saltonstall Mountain]] and [[Peter's Rock]]. The west side of East Rock drains into the Mill River thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound; the east side into the [[Quinnipiac River]], thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound. Both rivers abut the base of the mountain.<ref name="D"/><ref name="P">{{cite web|title=Map of East Rock Park|url=http://cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/media/2008EastRockMap.pdf|publisher=City of New Haven, Connecticut|access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref>


==Geology==
==Geology==
[[Image:East Rock from SSS Hall, October 17, 2008.jpg|thumb|The trap rock cliffs of East Rock]]
East Rock is a [[fault-block]] ridge formed 200 million years ago during the [[Triassic]] and [[Jurassic]] periods and is composed of traprock, also known as [[basalt]], an [[extrusive]] [[volcanic]] rock. Basalt is a dark colored rock, but the iron within it weathers to a rusty brown when exposed to the air, lending the ledges a distinct reddish appearance. Basalt frequently breaks into octagonal and pentagonal columns, creating a unique "postpile" appearance. Huge slopes made of fractured basalt [[talus]] are visible beneath many of the ledges of East Rock. These basalt cliffs are the product of massive [[lava]] flows hundreds of feet deep that welled up in faults created by the [[rifting]] apart of [[North America]] from [[Eurasia]] and [[Africa]] over a period of 20 million years. Erosion occurring between the eruptions deposited deep layers of sediment between the lava flows and around the dike, which eventually lithified into [[sedimentary rock]]. The resulting "layer cake" of basalt and sedimentary sheets eventually faulted and tilted upward. Subsequent erosion wore away the weaker sedimentary layers a faster rate than the basalt layers, leaving the abruptly tilted edges of the basalt sheets exposed, creating the distinct linear ridge and dramatic cliff faces visible today.<ref>Raymo, Chet and Maureen E. ''Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States''. Globe Pequot, Chester, Connecticut, 1989.</ref>
East Rock is a [[fault-block]] ridge formed 200 million years ago during the [[Triassic]] and [[Jurassic]] periods and is composed of [[trap rock]], known as [[basalt]], if [[extrusive]], or [[diabase]], if [[Intrusive rock|intrusive]]. East Rock, being intrusive, is diabase. Diabase is a dark colored rock, but the iron within it weathers to a rusty brown when exposed to the air, lending the ledges a distinct reddish appearance. Diabase frequently breaks into octagonal and pentagonal columns, creating a unique "postpile" appearance. Huge slopes made of fractured diabase [[scree]] are visible beneath many of the ledges of East Rock. These diabase cliffs are the product of [[lava]] intrusions hundreds of feet deep that welled up through faults creating [[sill (geology)|sill]]s during the [[rifting]] apart of [[North America]] from [[Eurasia]] and [[Africa]] over a period of 20 million years. Erosion and glacial abrasion over the subsequent 200 million years wore away the weaker sedimentary layers, under which the sill had intruded, at a faster rate than the diabase, leaving the abruptly tilted edges of the diabase sheets exposed, creating the distinct linear ridge and dramatic cliff faces visible today.<ref>[[Raymo, Chet]] and [[Raymo, Maureen E.]] ''Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States''. Globe Pequot, Chester, Connecticut, 1989.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Geology of Connecticut|url=http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1995/5/95.05.01.x.html|publisher=Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute}}</ref>


==Ecosystem==
==Ecosystem==
East Rock hosts a combination of [[microclimate|microclimates]] unusual in [[New England]]. Dry, hot upper ridges support [[oak savanna]]s, often dominated by [[chestnut oak]] and a variety of understory grasses and ferns. [[Juniperus virginiana|Eastern red cedar]], a dry-loving species, clings to the barren edges of cliffs. Cooler north facing backslopes tend to support extensive stands of [[Tsuga canadensis|eastern hemlock]] interspersed with the [[oak-hickory forest]] species more common in the surrounding lowlands. Narrow ravines crowded with hemlock block sunlight, creating damp, cooler growing conditions with associated cooler climate plant species. Talus slopes are especially rich in nutrients and support a number of calcium-loving plants uncommon in eastern Connecticut.<ref>[http://www.connix.com/~harry/twep.htm The Traprock Wilderness Recovery Strategy]. Cited Dec. 13, 2007</ref><ref name="EF"/>
East Rock hosts a combination of [[microclimate]]s unusual in [[New England]]. Dry, hot upper ridges support [[oak savanna]]s, often dominated by [[chestnut oak]] and a variety of understory grasses and ferns. [[Juniperus virginiana|Eastern red cedar]], a dry-loving species, clings to the barren edges of cliffs. Cooler north facing backslopes tend to support extensive stands of [[Tsuga canadensis|eastern hemlock]] interspersed with the [[oak-hickory forest]] species more common in the surrounding lowlands. Narrow ravines crowded with hemlock block sunlight, creating damp, cooler growing conditions with associated cooler climate plant species. Talus slopes are especially rich in nutrients and support a number of calcium-loving plants uncommon in eastern Connecticut.<ref name="EF"/><ref>[http://www.connix.com/~harry/twep.htm The Traprock Wilderness Recovery Strategy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816185019/http://www.connix.com/~harry/twep.htm |date=2007-08-16 }}. Cited Dec. 13, 2007</ref>


East Rock is also an important seasonal [[raptor]] migration path.<ref name="EF"/>
East Rock is also an important seasonal [[birds of prey|raptor]] migration path.<ref name="EF"/>


==Recreation==
==Recreation==
[[Image:Eastrock02.JPG|Left|thumb|180px|Soldiers and Sailors Monument]]East Rock is a popular outdoor recreation destination, especially to the residents of the nearby metropolitan New Haven region. Views from the clifftops span metropolitan New Haven and [[Long Island]]. <ref name="P"/>
[[Image:Eastrock02.JPG|left|thumb|180px|Soldiers and Sailors Monument]]East Rock is a popular outdoor recreation destination among residents and visitors of the greater New Haven region. Views from the clifftops span metropolitan New Haven, Long Island Sound, and [[Long Island]].<ref name="P"/>


East Rock Park is open year round to hikers and walkers. the automobile road is open April 1 to November 1, 8 a.m. to sunset and November 1 to March 31, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Activities permitted in the park include [[hiking]], [[snowshoeing]], [[cross-country skiing]], [[picnicking]], [[bicycling]] (on roads only), [[boating]], [[bird watching]], and [[dog walking]]. [[Rock climbing]], [[swimming]], and [[alcoholic beverage]s are prohibited. A number of hiking trails traverse the ridge, most notably the Giant Steps Trail which ascends the summit near-vertically from the south. At the foot of the mountain are located football, baseball, and soccor fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts. The Trowbridge Environmental Center is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and at least one Saturday a month for public programs; it offers displays and information about the geology and ecosystem of East Rock. The Pardee Rose Garden and Greenhouse features roses and other flowering plants from spring to fall, and is a popular place to shoot wedding pictures.
[[East Rock Park]] is open year-round to hikers and walkers. The automobile road is open April 1 to November 1, 8 a.m. to sunset and November 1 to March 31, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Activities permitted in the park include [[hiking]], [[snowshoeing]], [[cross-country skiing]], [[picnicking]], [[bicycling]] (on roads and city-designated mountain bike trails only), [[boating]] (on the Mill River), [[bird watching]], and [[dog walking]]. [[Rock climbing]], [[human swimming|swimming]], and [[alcoholic beverage]]s are prohibited. A number of hiking trails traverse the ridge, most notably the Giant Steps Trail which ascends to the summit at a near-vertical pitch from the south. At the foot of the mountain are located football, baseball, and soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and playgrounds. The Trowbridge Environmental Center is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and at least one Saturday a month for public programs; it offers displays and information about the geology and ecosystem of East Rock. The Pardee Rose Garden and Greenhouse features roses and other flowering plants from spring to fall, and is a popular place to shoot wedding pictures.


The naturalist landscaping and other aspects of the park led to its being listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1997.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>
At the summit of East Rock, clearly visible for miles below, is the {{convert|112|ft|m|0|lk=on}} high [[Soldiers and Sailors Monument (New Haven)|Soldiers and Sailors Monument]]. The monument honors the residents of New Haven who gave their lives in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War.<ref name="C">[http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp#directions City of New Haven]. cited Dec. 22, 2007.</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Connecticut}}
*[[Soldiers and Sailors Monument (New Haven)]].
*[[New Haven, Connecticut]]
* [[East Rock (neighborhood)]]
* '''Adjacent summits:'''
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* [[Metacomet Ridge]]
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
* [[West Rock Ridge State Park]]
! < West !! East > !! East >
|-
| align="center" width="120pt" |[[Image:Frederic Edwin Church - West Rock, New Haven.jpg|center|thumb|120px|[[West Rock Ridge]]]]||align="center" width="120pt"| [[Image:Saltonstall_Mountain_on_Right_of_Lake_Saltonstall_with_fishing_boat.jpg|thumb|100px|center|[[Saltonstall Mountain]]]]||[[Image:Hermitage.jpg|thumb|100px|center|[[Peter's Rock]]]]
|-
|}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>

==Links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp#map City of New Haven map of East Rock Park]
*[http://www.visitnewhaven.com/pdfs/trails/New_Haven/TrailMap-NewHavenEastRock.pdf SCRCG map of East Rock Park]
* [https://www.newhavenct.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=25147 City of New Haven map of East Rock Park]
*[http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp City of New Haven East Rock Park page]
* [http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp City of New Haven East Rock Park page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221054030/http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Parks/ParksInformation/eastrockpark.asp |date=2007-12-21 }}
* [http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/ City of New Haven]
* [http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/ City of New Haven] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325214619/http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/ |date=2010-03-25 }}
*[http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325276&depNav_GID=1650 West Rock State Park]
* [http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325276&depNav_GID=1650 West Rock State Park]
* [http://www.friendsofeastrockpark.org/map.php East Rock Park in & out] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422161859/http://friendsofeastrockpark.org/map.php |date=2009-04-22 }}
* The Connecticut Historical Society - [http://www.chs.org/ransom/074.htm Civil War Monuments of Connecticut]
* New Haven Mayor's Office - [http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/angelofpeace/history.asp A Brief History of the Angel of Peace and the New Haven Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument]
* New Haven Mayor's Office - [http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Mayor/angelofpeace.asp A Brief History of the Angel of Peace and the New Haven Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument]
*[https://archive.org/stream/onfourrocksnewh00danagoog#page/n6/mode/2up/search/rock+street/On the Four Rocks of the New Haven James Dwight Dana 1891]

{{Mountains of Connecticut}}


[[Category:Geology of Connecticut]]
[[Category:Hamden, Connecticut]]
[[Category: New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Metacomet Ridge, Connecticut]]
[[Category: Mountains of Connecticut]]
[[Category:Landforms of New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Mountains of Connecticut]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Geography of New Haven, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in New Haven, Connecticut]]

Latest revision as of 12:48, 21 February 2024

This article is about the mountainous ridge in New Haven, Connecticut. For the neighborhood named after the ridge, see East Rock (neighborhood).
East Rock
East Rock
Highest point
Elevation366 ft (112 m)
Coordinates41°19′38″N 72°54′17″W / 41.32722°N 72.90472°W / 41.32722; -72.90472
Geography
LocationNew Haven, Hamden
Parent rangeMetacomet Ridge
Geology
Age of rock200 Ma
Mountain typeFault-block; igneous
Climbing
Easiest routeAuto road

East Rock of south-central Connecticut, United States, with a high point of 366 feet (112 m), is a 1.4-mile (2 km) long trap rock ridge located primarily in the neighborhood of East Rock on the north side of the city of New Haven. A prominent landscape feature and a popular outdoor recreation area with cliffs that rise 300 feet (91 m) over the city below, East Rock is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border.[1][2] East Rock is the central feature of East Rock Park, a municipal park owned by the city of New Haven along the New Haven-Hamden town line.

Geography[edit]

East Rock with its eponymous neighborhood below

East Rock, located in New Haven and Hamden, Connecticut, is 1.4 miles (2.3 km) long by 0.5 miles (800 m) wide at its widest point, although steepness of the terrain make the actual land area much larger. Beside the high point, East Rock has three other distinct peaks: Whitney Peak, 300 feet (91 m), a sharp-sided pinnacle on the north side of the ridge; Indian Head, 310 feet (94 m), just south of the high point; and Snake Rock, 205 feet (62 m), the southern buttress of the ridge.

Whitney Peak and Lake Whitney (located at the western base of the mountain behind the dammed Mill River) are named after Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin and a former New Haven resident. The Eli Whitney Museum, a museum and workshop with hands-on projects and exhibits on Eli Whitney and A. C. Gilbert, is located at the base of the dam.

East Rock, New Haven, an 1872 engraving showing the Mill River, with New Haven in the distance

On the summit of East Rock, clearly visible for miles below, is the 112-foot (34 m) Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The monument honors the residents of New Haven who gave their lives in the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War.[3]

View south from East Rock in winter.

East Rock is located entirely within the 425-acre (172 ha) East Rock Park, managed by the city of New Haven, which maintains a seasonal automobile road that climbs to the summit of the ridge, a network of trails, an environmental center, and a rose garden. A number of recreation facilities are located at the southwest base of the ridge; these are also managed by the city. The ridge is completely surrounded by the urban neighborhoods of New Haven and its metropolitan extension into south Hamden. East Rock lends its name to the nearby upscale East Rock neighborhood of New Haven, known for its Queen Anne and Victorian architecture. U.S. Route 5 borders the east side of East Rock while Interstate 91 crosses below Snake Rock to the south.

The Metacomet Ridge extends west from East Rock as series of smaller, unnoteworthy traprock outcrops to West Rock Ridge; it extends east over another series of traprock outcrops to Saltonstall Mountain and Peter's Rock. The west side of East Rock drains into the Mill River thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound; the east side into the Quinnipiac River, thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound. Both rivers abut the base of the mountain.[2][4]

Geology[edit]

The trap rock cliffs of East Rock

East Rock is a fault-block ridge formed 200 million years ago during the Triassic and Jurassic periods and is composed of trap rock, known as basalt, if extrusive, or diabase, if intrusive. East Rock, being intrusive, is diabase. Diabase is a dark colored rock, but the iron within it weathers to a rusty brown when exposed to the air, lending the ledges a distinct reddish appearance. Diabase frequently breaks into octagonal and pentagonal columns, creating a unique "postpile" appearance. Huge slopes made of fractured diabase scree are visible beneath many of the ledges of East Rock. These diabase cliffs are the product of lava intrusions hundreds of feet deep that welled up through faults creating sills during the rifting apart of North America from Eurasia and Africa over a period of 20 million years. Erosion and glacial abrasion over the subsequent 200 million years wore away the weaker sedimentary layers, under which the sill had intruded, at a faster rate than the diabase, leaving the abruptly tilted edges of the diabase sheets exposed, creating the distinct linear ridge and dramatic cliff faces visible today.[5][6]

Ecosystem[edit]

East Rock hosts a combination of microclimates unusual in New England. Dry, hot upper ridges support oak savannas, often dominated by chestnut oak and a variety of understory grasses and ferns. Eastern red cedar, a dry-loving species, clings to the barren edges of cliffs. Cooler north facing backslopes tend to support extensive stands of eastern hemlock interspersed with the oak-hickory forest species more common in the surrounding lowlands. Narrow ravines crowded with hemlock block sunlight, creating damp, cooler growing conditions with associated cooler climate plant species. Talus slopes are especially rich in nutrients and support a number of calcium-loving plants uncommon in eastern Connecticut.[1][7]

East Rock is also an important seasonal raptor migration path.[1]

Recreation[edit]

Soldiers and Sailors Monument

East Rock is a popular outdoor recreation destination among residents and visitors of the greater New Haven region. Views from the clifftops span metropolitan New Haven, Long Island Sound, and Long Island.[4]

East Rock Park is open year-round to hikers and walkers. The automobile road is open April 1 to November 1, 8 a.m. to sunset and November 1 to March 31, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Activities permitted in the park include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, picnicking, bicycling (on roads and city-designated mountain bike trails only), boating (on the Mill River), bird watching, and dog walking. Rock climbing, swimming, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. A number of hiking trails traverse the ridge, most notably the Giant Steps Trail which ascends to the summit at a near-vertical pitch from the south. At the foot of the mountain are located football, baseball, and soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and playgrounds. The Trowbridge Environmental Center is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and at least one Saturday a month for public programs; it offers displays and information about the geology and ecosystem of East Rock. The Pardee Rose Garden and Greenhouse features roses and other flowering plants from spring to fall, and is a popular place to shoot wedding pictures.

The naturalist landscaping and other aspects of the park led to its being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[8]

See also[edit]

< West East > East >
West Rock Ridge
Saltonstall Mountain
Peter's Rock

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. "Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment." Archived 2007-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, 2004. PDF file. Cited Nov. 20, 2007.
  2. ^ a b DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine
  3. ^ City of New Haven Archived 2007-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. cited Dec. 22, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "Map of East Rock Park" (PDF). City of New Haven, Connecticut. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  5. ^ Raymo, Chet and Raymo, Maureen E. Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States. Globe Pequot, Chester, Connecticut, 1989.
  6. ^ "Geology of Connecticut". Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute.
  7. ^ The Traprock Wilderness Recovery Strategy Archived 2007-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. Cited Dec. 13, 2007
  8. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.

External links[edit]

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