Peter's Rock Circuit

This walk circles the periphery of Peter's Rock Park in North Haven, including both the north (red trail, 373') and south (light blue trail, 267') summits, which have fine views to the south, west and north. The park is entirely forested, with relatively few evergreens, and lots of maple and oak trees, so the Fall foliage is great. This route is the longest and perhaps the hilliest walk you can take. The walk starts near the bottom of Hermitage Lane, by the end of the yellow trail, climbing to the end of Hermitage Lane, where it joins the white trail to circle and the red trail to ascend the north summit. There are fine views of Sleeping Giant, Hubbard Park and the Hanging Hills of Meriden to the north, the meadows of Quinnipiac River and Ridge Road and the West Rock Ridge to the west. Then you descend the red trail until it meets the green and orange trails. Go left on the green trail until it joins the blue trail (about 100 yards) and follow the ascending and descending loop of the blue and green trails back to where the green, red and orange trails meet. Go left onto the Orange trail, which descends to the valley of the Little River (about 130' elevation). After crossing the river and turning left onto the light blue trail, you skirt the back yards of Glen Haven and Rabbit Rock Roads and then ascend to the south summit and views of New Haven Harbor, downtown, East Rock and, immediately below, the Covidien (former U.S. Surgical) campus. After a lengthy descent on the light blue trail, you will go right onto the red trail (Going left for 200 years would take you to the park's main entrance on Middletown Ave.) and continue to the intersection of the yellow trail. These stretches of the red and yellow trails are relatively flat. The route laid out here turns left onto the pink trail, which leads quickly to Middletown Ave. (Route 17), where a right turn will take your back to Hermitage Lane. In very dry weather or a deep freeze, you can follow the yellow trail back to Hermitage Lane, rather than taking the pink trail and Route 17.