I’m not sure what possessed me to make this ridiculous fashion decision in the freezing, sunless weather. As a general rule, though, when facing the biting New England cold, you should wear more than a hoodie and jean jacket. Up until then, the cold weather had provided a welcome wakeup as we hiked. I couldn’t make out individual buildings, but instead saw hundreds of untethered street and building lights, all morphing into one constellation. I had hiked East Rock multiple times before, but darkness transformed the view completely. The Soldiers and Sailors monument, that tiny white statue in the distance, marks the top of East Rock.Įventually, we reached the top of the ridge. Through the trees, the night lights of New Haven started to emerge as we climbed higher. Slowly, the houses of the East Rock neighborhood gave way to East Rock Park and a forest-y incline that wound to the top of the ridge. We, too, stayed silent as we walked, not wanting to disturb the peace. Then, at 4 am, we set out, the New Haven streets eerily quiet. We wanted to really commit, so in the hours before, we pulled an all-nighter, baking Ghirardelli brownies, telling scary stories, and filming Tik Tok dances that are too embarrassingly bad to ever see the light of day. Pre-hike fueling: Ghirardelli brownies at 3 am. The end had arrived, and we needed something to cap off the year. Many of my housemates would be leaving for home over break, and they wouldn’t be coming back until 2021. The idea for the hike rose spontaneously the day before, suggested jokingly at first until we all looked at each other and realized we weren’t really kidding. We sought what immediately followed the darkness: a sunrise over the city. But this year, the weekend before Thanksgiving, my housemates and I-sleep-deprived and shivering cold-found ourselves on this journey. Normally, it doesn’t take place when it’s pitch black outside. Due to the urban setting and geography of the Park, it is an important island of habitat in the urban environment and is one of the most important landbird stopover areas in Connecticut in the spring.Įxisting Conservation Measures: Ongoing removal of invasive plants.A hike to the top of East Rock, a park on a ridge that overlooks New Haven, is a rite of passage for any Yalie.

On a good day in the spring, over 20 species of warblers are easily recorded within the park. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

IBA Criteria: High Conservation Priority Species of Birds Rare Unique, or Representative Habitat Exceptional Concentrations of Migratory Landbirds Long-term Research and/or Monitoring.īirds: The mixed deciduous forest habitat of the park serves as an important stopover area for many species of migratory songbirds. The western half of the park straddles the Mill River.

East Rock is a 369-foot high traprock ridge. Site Description: East Rock Park is a 426-acre urban park in the City of New Haven. Serious-Invasive or non-native plants, Cowbird parasitism, hydrologic changes Secondary-hunting/fishing, other recreation or tourism, and research Secondary-A river, tidal freshwater marsh, estuary and traprock ridge. Primary-Deciduous forest and riparian or floodplain forest Nominator: Dan Barvir, East Rock Park Ranger

Ownership: City of New Haven Parks Commission

New haven east rock park