It鈥檚 a late Sunday in May and the weather is perfect for a hike on any of the 32 miles of trail in 黑料新闻鈥檚 1,500-acre Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden. Today, volunteer trail guide Mick Martucci of the Sleeping Giant Park Association is leading about a dozen hikers on an introductory trek.
鈥淚 love this place,鈥� Martucci says. 鈥淚 come up here all the time. I try to hike two or three times a week 鈥� I鈥檝e hiked all the trails many, many times.鈥�
The group includes several neuroscientists, a lawyer, parents and their children 鈥� and one public radio reporter.
鈥淲e just moved here and we decided this was going to be an awesome way to show him around,鈥� says Victor Olmedo, pointing out his wife, Julia Xia, and their 6-year-old son, Calvin.
鈥淚 wanted to go for a hike and had no one else to go with me, so I figured what better way than to go with a group of people?鈥� says Emily Griffin of Meriden.
Helmuth Sanchez of New Haven is examining a fallen branch, deciding if it鈥檚 the right one to use as a trekking stick.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know North American standards, but I suppose it works,鈥� jokes Sanchez, who鈥檚 already found sticks for his kids, 10-year-old Anabel and 12-year-old Albert, who are accompanying him.
After about 45 minutes of walking uphill past (and over) streams and small chasms, Martucci stands on a rock face and points out the New Haven skyline.
鈥淲e鈥檙e on the white trail up on, probably, I think, the best overlook in the park,鈥� Martucci says, peering. 鈥淵ou can see New Haven out in the distance, East Rock, and on a really clear day you can see Long Island. It鈥檚 a little hazy out there right now.鈥�
After a summit break for snacks, water and photos, Martucci gathers his fellow hikers.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 lost anybody yet 鈥� well, not that we know of. How would we know that they鈥檙e lost? We never saw them again,鈥� Martucci jokes, the full group following down the trail.
Back at the trailhead, Sanchez, who still has walking stick, is effusive.
鈥淚 love it, I enjoy it, and certainly I鈥檓 coming back again,鈥� he says.
His favorite part?
鈥淐ertainly the summit, but really everything. I didn鈥檛 know this place, so of course every moment now is a new experience. I really love it. I really love it.鈥�
Tom Morse works as a research scientist at the Yale School of Medicine. But in his free time, he鈥檚 a volunteer trail guide and Sleeping Giant Park Association board member.
鈥淚 would like to invite everyone to come, because I just think it鈥檚 great for our society to get out, get away from the screens, the cell phone addiction, and just come out and relax, unwind, and recharge,鈥� Morse says.
Martucci agrees that the park is special. So why make a point to try to get new visitors rather than keep it more to himself?
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big place,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 good for people to know what 黑料新闻 has and there鈥檚 so many incredible places in 黑料新闻.鈥�
is located at 200 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518. Entry and parking are free for 黑料新闻 residents and between $6 and $15 for non-residents, depending on time of day and day of the week.
The leads guided hikes, volunteer clean-up days, and more 鈥� .
