[7 Wishes]

Hi, being on summer break and the weather being a lot better than it seemed this morning it would be I decided to take an impromptu drive to New Haven and explore around a little for the day. Went to the top of West Rock State Park (never been there before....what a view!), took in the breeze at Long Wharf park for a bit, walked around Yale for awhile, had some "apizza" (tried Modern for the first time as I have been to both the original Pepe's and Sally's before as well as some of their chain locations), etc.



Before heading home I wanted to go to the top of East Rock park as I had never been there either and check out it's view. I read you could drive to the top and it showed as such on the map. But when I got there that road (as well as Farnum Drive past the parking lot) was blocked off and closed. This was around 2:30pm today

I saw people walking on the road to the top from the parking lot, but on the map it looked like it would be about a mile of walking with some elevation gain (and then the same distance back) and while I realized this would be a wide open paved path and not some rocky trail in the woods, I decided not to do it as I was pretty tired and knew I'd likely have traffic driving back to Westchester County, NY and called it a day. I asked some of the people walking and they had no idea why it was blocked to cars. I was pretty disappointed (at least I got the view at West Rock in!)

Does anyone know why the road was closed/blocked off? Is this a regular thing now? I tried calling the number for the park (203) 946-6086 and it just rang and rang literally 20 times without a pickup or a voicemail prompt (granted this was at 445pm so maybe they stop answering at 4?). Just curious, thanks!

[Stylo]

I honestly have no idea what the city is doing/thinking with that one. I've noticed a lot of the parks seem to be neglected under Elicker.

I've heard it's open sometimes? But have no idea when. I've not seen it open since 2019. It's a shame. Such a great attraction.

[smarcus]

I think they temporarily closed it to cars during Covid quarantine as part of encouraging people to be outside with social distancing. Recently, I’m not sure what kind of schedule they are using.

[7 Wishes]

So the road to the top has been closed since COVID? Why don't they say that on their website? Good thing I wasn't coming only to do that since I live over an hour's drive away.....and the sign in the parking lot still says the road is open to cars 9am-4pm every day from April to November.


Also, I do a hobby called geocaching (go to www.geocaching.com if you don't know what it is) and someone created a thing called an Earthcache (let's just say it's an online tour that's a bit of a geology lesson) for that park in Sept. of 2020 and when he created it he said you can drive to the top.

Thanks for your input though....I just tried to call the number I noted in my OP again (since it's 1:30 in the afternoon!) and it again just rang and rang with no pickup nor voicemail....

[smarcus]

I think I saw a recent update on your question in the Reddit New Haven, if you search it or ask it there. It was hotly discussed post-quarantine and now I thought it was back open daily, but I don't know...

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

So the road to the top has been closed since COVID? Why don't they say that on their website? Good thing I wasn't coming only to do that since I live over an hour's drive away.....and the sign in the parking lot still says the road is open to cars 9am-4pm every day from April to November.


Also, I do a hobby called geocaching (go to www.geocaching.com if you don't know what it is) and someone created a thing called an Earthcache (let's just say it's an online tour that's a bit of a geology lesson) for that park in Sept. of 2020 and when he created it he said you can drive to the top.

Thanks for your input though....I just tried to call the number I noted in my OP again (since it's 1:30 in the afternoon!) and it again just rang and rang with no pickup nor voicemail....

LOL at you thinking a town or state would update their website with useful information in a timely fashion

Sorry for your frustration though - hope you get to see it sometime!

[smarcus]

Check today's New Haven Independent article "Who Gets To Go To East Rock’s Summit?"

[7 Wishes]

Thanks for all the info. I am on Reddit a lot so I will check that as well as the article (in fact I just found the article which explains it, thanks again!). Maybe I'll try again on a Sunday sometime though if I allow more time and/or make it the first part of my next time around there we probably could walk up, I've done much tougher "hikes" than that.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by smarcus

Check today's New Haven Independent article "Who Gets To Go To East Rock’s Summit?"

You should have linked the article so people could read it easily. It’s linked below.

It appears that the road is open on Sundays but that there is no real reason it’s closed the rest of the week. There’s questions of road’s condition which I can’t address but if it’s good enough to be open on Sundays, why isn’t it good enough for the other days. That doesn’t make sense. Jay

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/...l_inconclusive

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You should have linked the article so people could read it easily. It’s linked below.

It appears that the road is open on Sundays but that there is no real reason it’s closed the rest of the week. There’s questions of road’s condition which I can’t address but if it’s good enough to be open on Sundays, why isn’t it good enough for the other days. That doesn’t make sense. Jay

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/...l_inconclusive

Sounds like BS. Granted, I haven't been up there since 2019, but the road was fine then.