Many students are looking to enjoy the weather in a more peaceful, private, and out-of-campus environment – and that is where the Sleeping Giant State Park falls into play. Featuring two miles of trails leading to its summit, Sleeping Giant State Park remains a distinctive feature on the Connecticut skyline.
“I’ve been hiking since I was younger. I’ve always loved the castle at the top of the mountain and I always loved the time I’d spend with my dad there on those trails. Now, I like the mountain for exercise purposes and due to the fact that it’s right near campus,” Amy Dellaventura, a Hamden resident and sophomore marketing student at Quinnipiac said.
Dellaventura, like many Quinnipiac students, deems the mountain as a beneficial source for a good cardiovascular workout. Kim Driscoll, a junior, diagnostic imagining student could not agree more. “I like to be active outdoors. The gym can get crowded and the mountain is the perfect place to go to get exercise. It also gives you a chance to get away and relax in a natural environment.”
Some students are not so fond of the Sleeping Giant and its trails. “I don’t like to hike because it’s boring and holds no purpose or value to me,” Jason Goldstein, a sophomore management major said.
Other students hold the mountain valuable due to the time well spent with friends there.
“I’ve been going there [Sleeping Giant State Park] since I was four or five with my family; so it’s nothing new to me. I like to go now because I enjoy nature and I like to do the trails with my friends,” Kristen Hull, a sophomore physical therapy major said.
Students that hike the mountain may do so because they simply just find it to be enthralling to observe.
“I like to hike the mountain because I think it’s pretty,” sophomore marketing major Jackie MacDonald said.
Many students that describe the mountainside refer to it as being a peaceful and enjoyable getaway.
“The mountain is so relaxing and peaceful. I simply love the natural environment and I enjoy challenging myself by traveling along some of the more difficult trails. I like to feel that I’ve experienced the full potential of the mountain,” sophomore marking major Joanna Soricelli said.
“I went for an exhilarating experience,” junior Michael Denino said, of his Sleeping Giant hike.
Whether attracted to the mountain’s challenging trails or to its “exhilarating” views from atop, many students are fascinated with this historic Quinnipiac neighbor and its captivating trails.
If interested in learning about The Sleeping Giant State Park’s history and various trails, visit http://hometown.aol.com/drewclan/giant.htm. Before you set out to climb the mountain, you can learn about its countless trails, such as the ones that travel up to the “Giant’s” chin, left hand and even to the mountain’s scenic tower.
