Last minute plan... no prior research or anything just get up and go. Decided to look for the Giant’s head then realized at the end of the hike that we took one of the most difficult trail LOL. Our 8 year old enjoyed it very much though. Absolutely challenging! Trail is very well marked but we can’t really tell if I had arrived at the head of not. Ran into a group of young people who appear to be frequent hikers here and show us the way to go back to our car. Tower trail is easy and nice. And the view is breathtaking.

Looks so much different since the tornado hit a few years ago, its pretty surreal. Still a great place for hiking, fishing, walking the dog(s), or picnicking with the family. The restroom building that used to be there is no longer there but they put up a new facility about 50 yards back by the parking lot closer to the DEEP building. CT DEEP stocks the river that flows through Sleeping Giant a few times a year so keep an eye out on their website for info.

It was fun went their with family abd neighbors there is a end results hover love the different paths you can take to get there. I would give this a 4.5 but I does deserve more then a 4.

I dont go here often enough! Its a beautiful, spacious park that has been especially quiet on the weekdays lately. There are picnic table and tons of trails that intersect as you go! A hike here really does feel like an adventure. Im a fan of the slightly more difficult trails, but there are PLENTY of options at various levels. If you have any appreciation for nature & some solid views of the area, I definitely recommend.

Such a great park. The blue trail is the trail to be on if you like a challenge. When you drive in drive around the lot until the last one, the trail is right there by the stream on the right if your facing towards the main road. Plan your day there, its is just remarkable. Love this place.

Multiple paths available, the main path is gravel (a little difficult for dogs to walk) but has wonderful views and very easy to find. Will definitely head back to try other trails and see what else the park has to offer! Parking is free, and they offer water at there for dogs if you forgot yours. I definitely recommend good shoes, insect repellent, water, sunblock, and sunglasses!

Well marked/groomed main trail. Then there are side trails that lead all over, very well marked too. Get to the very top and you get an amazing view!

Love going for hikes here. Ive done all their trails and they are all enjoyable with nice views. This park is pet friendly!

The Trails are very well maintained. The trail ranges from easy to medium level. The tower path is usually the crowded one, But you can enjoy the red circle trail, yellow trail which are around 2-2.50 miles long. Good view of Quinnipiac University campus along the trail.

Great views! We liked all the different trails.

A great place any hiker - from a tower path to steep class A. Great maintaining and signage - especially after recent straight line winds and micro bursts. I love the philosophy - make the park safe then leave them where they lay. They will return to the soil for the future generations.

This was the most brutal climbing hike I have ever been on. My quads are burning from it! I took my boys up the blue trail and down the white trail and they loved every minute and said it was the best home ever!

Great basic trail to top with so many side trails. Good experience for all

The main tower trail is gentle, but there are other challenging hikes also. Very scenic views from the top, especially in Fall. Parking can get full quickly.

This is a beautiful park with access and easy parking, open fields and picnic areas, and a network of well-marked trails ranging from easy to moderately challenging. Great geology including some fun rock scrambling, too, and views of the areas rolling landscape.

Beautiful. Really nice hiking trails. Clean & beautiful views. They have rest rooms & cookout areas. Go get some nice fresh air in your lungs.

We took the long route to the top. To be honest, even for me in my 30s I was out of breath a few times. It took us about an hour to get to the top. I took my 4,10 & 9 year old girls with me. They complained and whined but when we got to the top ....it was breath-taking. Definitely worth the hike. Oh and bring a large bottle of water.

Great maintaining and signage - especially after recent straight line winds and micro bursts.

Amazing park and great hike. We did the hard one blue, yellow and the rocky climb and the views were worth the trip

Great place for hiking or a picnic. Plenty of space for social distancing on trails. No fee for CT registered cars.

A Hamden landmark. Beautiful setting across from Quinnipiac College. Lots of trails for hikers. Also picnic area and public restrooms. And at the mountain top a treasure awaits, a castle!

Easy and nice hiking path!Enjoyed with my kiddos

Great place for hiking, different trails for different levels (from strolling to rock climbing). Gets crowded fast on weekends.

Super fun!! We followed a couple trails, the map they offer was helpful and helps us not feel completely lost!

Around 20 minutes hiking from parking lot, you will get the top, and a Castile is here. There are many hiking trails, we don’t have time to try each. The view is beautiful.

Popular hiking trails, you can choose easy trail by walking the road or actually hike up and down withe the rocks. Be sure wear a pair hikingDue to Covid-19 the castle is closed but you still walk under and around.

Great place to go hiking. Beautiful view from the castle. Had an amazing time with my family.

Walking with your soul, your body and your eyes. Dasa nice

The blue trail is tough. great scenery though. the tower is currently closed due to c19, bit you can still visit it. nice hiking.

I hike here everytime Im in CT. I love the trail that takes you up to the cliffs, what a breath taking view.

Amazing! If youre an outdoorsy type person and love to hike, then this is the place for you! You can take a 3 mile hike up to the wonderful tower or enjoy a nice, slow, and steady walk just enjoying nature! Very convenient because its only 11 minutes from Yale University! Amazing view at the tower and very quiet and peaceful! Also, the trail is a nice wide gravel path so you can run on it if you prefer. I would not suggest bringing small children here because there are no side rails to hold on to as youre walking up to the tower. Great for pets and older kids and teens! Would absolutely 100% recommend!

Beautiful site - its a thick deciduous forest interlaced with hiking trails. Most people do the Tower Trail, which is wide and well maintained. Since COVID hit the Tower has been closed.

Various trails available to suit your difficulty. Remember to bring a mask if you want to go inside the tower on top.Damn shame what the storms have done to the park.

I love going up the trail. Its a great workout to do in safe outdoor environment. Always others on the trail. Theirs bathrooms available, picnic tables at bottom and in the tower at the top. At peak hours (weekend afternoons) parking is a mission impossible. I go after work and its not a problem however.

Awesome spot in CT... Ive been hiking there my whole life basically and it never get old! Blue trail up the head is quick with beautiful views, but if you have time and like some steep climbs white trail is my favorite and had its own nice views in different spots. But all trail colors bring offer unique features and intersecting red trails make it easy to change up your hike on the fly. Unfortunately I find the ever popular tower trail boring and too busy but use it occasionally if Im tired and want a easy path back to the parking lot. Ps dogs love the giant!

Nice place for a day hike. Can get very crowded, show up early.

Awesome! Much more parking now. And the trails are very well kept...

Beautiful views, trails with a good range from easy to strenuous. On our first visit we just walked the main trail to the lookout (tower closed at the time). We cant wait to explore more of the park.

Simply beautiful especially during the Autumn foliage. The park is safe with plenty of parking spaces among the parking lot and main road. This state park is a popular dog walking destination by many locals, however, is also very clean. Restroom facilities are located near the parking lot before you begin your hike. This particular mountain is great for anyone new to hiking overall. There are clear pathways to follow on your journey up the Giant. I would highly advise any newcomers to pack some snacks and water with them to indulge in as a reward after completing the hike.

I love this place. I come here almost every day and highly recommended.

Trails were decently marked but it was so incredibly rocky, we didnt have an enjoyable hike. Views were just alright. Maybe it wouldve been better on a different trail but I will not be back

Lots of trails for all skill levels. Been a while since Ive been able to get out and this is the perfect place to rehab myself back to where I was.

A great state park with multiple trails to the top of both mountains and to the castle. I highly recommend you study the map and legend to choose a route that suits you. I take the blue trail up the face of the giant all the way to the castle, then backtrack, cut down the red trail and circle back to the main parking lot.The blue trail approach from the main parking lot up the face is the hardest trail up, but also the most rewarding, with an unusual rocky climb followed by the greatest views in the park while continuing toward the castle. I highly recommend you go that way, though only if you’re in excellent shape.The reason why I gave 4 stars is because the park is too popular for my taste and also because portions of the views are marred by buildings.

Very nice place now, despite many downed trees. The clean up crew did great

Avoid the Tower Trail unless you want hordes of people annoying you. Try the other trails.

Fantastic hiking for ALL levels. Check out the website. Expert hikers should do the Giant Masters Challenge!!

Never a disappointment been coming here since I was a kid

Our familys favorite hiking place! Breathtaking views while you hike to and from the castle! A great workout! Stone walking/running path and bathrooms!! Love this place!!!!

Hiking trails are awesome, and some are very challenging. Expect a well marked and taken care of trail system, maintained paths. If youre up for a challenge, the blue trail is as hard as it gets, and all hikers are rewarded by views at the chin and tower.I had to take off one star because:-Many trees are down after the tornado in 2018. Trails are 100% open, but surrounding trees are down in many soots.-The new tower trail was surfaced with loose gravel that is short and can cut and irritate dog feet.

Easy access, alot of parking,short trails though and very confusing,get a trail print out from all trails if u plan on hiking trails here.because all the trails are colored and cross each other. But once you get a hang of the trail system becomes easy.alot of mosquitoes in summer.

Beautiful place ️ hard to find parking

I just love this park any time of year. It offers seven or eight different trails that even over lap so you can go sixteen times and the seventeenth will be like a new one. Scenic, inviting, sometimes a great challenge, and a lot of times happy dogs share your trail! (On leash for course)

Sleeping Giant is a nice scenic area to hike in the area, it offers a variety of trails for both beginner and more advanced hikers with mountain climbing opportunities. Theres a tower at the top of the mountain as well.

Fantastic hiking with views of the surrounding area from two ridges. Plenty of hiking trails to explore, never have to take the same hike twice.

Amazing hike to the tower! The view from the tower is heavenly!

The tower at the top of mountain is not huge. Its a good place if u go after Covid-19. There is a small lake at the bottom of the mountain that many kids are swimming.

Very nice place... Lots of trails plenty of parking

Very nice trail! Great views.

I love to go hiking at this park up to the castle from this park. There are some spectacular views from there. There are shaded picnic areas you can use. There are trails that are rated differently for difficulty levels. The main trail is pretty easy, but the blue trail is more difficult and offers some nice views.

Tons of great trails. The tower trail is a long way up but is gravel and paved. All the other trails are not paved and are moderate to difficult terrain.

This is an awesome park with ledges and views, and miles of trails of all difficulties. There’s something for every nature lover, hiker, runner, mountain biker... there are even equestrian trails. Worth noting, there have been fatalities here, so respect the heights and ledges.

Nice hiking trail. Most constant incline. Small fort at the end of the trail.

This description will be better understood for anyone who attended a 10 year class reunion.Remember going to see all your old classmates and you ran into someone who went from a full head of hair to having the horse shoe look? Imagine if all that hair was trees at Sleeping Giant. Thats what it looks like now.The cleanup crew after the last big storm did a fantastic job. I tip my hat to them for the perfection of their work. It came out better than I can get my yard.Its a great day trip for a hike or climb, depending on your likes and capabilities. There are other activities you can do - search online for details.Ill definitely be back year after year. Hope to see you all there too.

It feels good to get out.

Always a good time. Beautiful views.

**Disclaimer: I would normally give this park 4 stars however it was significantly damaged previously due to storms and has since reopened. Although all the trails are clear the more advanced trails still contain a lot of debris and less clear markers due to the loss of so many trees**Sleeping Giant is a beautiful park with an abundance of parking which is free to CT residents. There is a $15 charge for non residents. They offer toilets and water stations as well as several areas for picnics. The area around three parking is partially blocked off making it harder to determine trail head locations (since the storms). There is a variety of trails you can pick from and their maps are well marked. As stated earlier, overall the trails are clear and well marked but less frequented/harder trails you are likely to hit a few spots where you have to check around for markers to determine your route due to downed trees. The trails wind through the woods and are predominantly family friendly and heavily used, there is a college directly across the street so excited the main trails to be well populated. Dogs are allowed in the trails as well. The most popular trail is the tower trail which leads you up to a stone large stone structure with several windows and view points great to relax, break for lunch and take pictures.

In my opinion- the best place to hike in CT. I always really liked the purple trail along the water.

Always nice to escape into nature.

My favorite place to hike

Offers a variety of trails for every level of hiker, from difficult scrambles (violet to blue trail) to easy marginal incline (white tower trail). Scenery and views are beautiful and rewarding regardless which trail you take. The Park has open areas to picnic and grill.

Great hiking and nature trails with amazing vistas and views to Long Island.

Variety of trailsExcellent for hiking, walking, climbing, jogging, running.The place to be during spring and summer.

Love coming in hete with my family. We enjoy nature. Is very relaxing.

Beautiful! Outside of people leaving their trash littered everywhere took blue trail up, the crazy trail is amazing, be ready with good shoes and lots of water!

Excellent trails, especially the Tower trail. Pretty central location, about 1 hour drive from almost anywhere in the state

Excellent space for hike or rock scramble

Great place !!! Plenty of trails to explore

Beautiful views, nice walk up the main trail, will go back for the trails

Perfect place for a hike, a climb, or getting great views of the area. They have done a great cleanup job, and the trails are in great shape. Bring your dog, bring your kids, bring a picnic. There are trails for all skill levels. Its peaceful, and scenic any time of year.

Very beautiful trails but always packed with tons of people

Pics of some of the aftermath.... FYI- do not go unless you are an experienced hiker! Trees are still falling due to the rain for two weeks... Ground is very wet and rocks are slippery

Hiking here is fun. Occassionally you can see deer. The trails are marked with several colors- blue (the more challenging trail), red, yellow, purple, and white...be sure to take water and perhaps a protein bar, just in case.

Like a while new place after the tornado. Hardly recognize it

The main trail is great if its your first time going.

Beautiful state park with awesome trails. The castle, quarry and Quinnipiac river are all so cool. Love this place.

Fantastic park for hiking, picnicking and photography.

Awesome. Loved the hike up.

Orange trail was a pretty good hike.

Plentiful & great hiking trails for all levels. Incredible views going up the rock scramble on Blue though it is a moderate/hard trail. I also used the AllTrails app which made the hike easy to stay on track, though the trails are well marked. A lot of families do the tower hike where you can also get some great views. +Bonus points to Quinnipiac University across the street playing Christmas tunes on the church bells which made the hike up around Christmas even more enjoyable.

Ive been to Sleeping Giant State Park many times and there are many decent trails to hike there. The classic is the easy(?), wide path up to the Castle which brags some pretty views. Ive hiked other trails as well, and some are more difficult than others. Anyone who is in moderately good shape should be able to tackle these trails, but dont forget water and a snack!

One of the best places to hike in CT. The blue trail is rough, but so worth it!

Military and have out of state plates? Expect to pay a $17 parking fee for one day. No thanks.

Plenty of open space. Many people go but it doesnt feel crowded. The view from the tower is phenomenal. Took about 1.5h from beginning to tower and back

Love this hike! Not too hard not too easy!! It definitely gives you plenty of an opportunity to make it a workout or just a good walk. Love that it is easy to do in all seasons! Every time I have gone and I ask some of the staff a question they are always very friendly and informative!

Highly recommend this hike! It was an amazing day! The sights are unbelievable and trails were fantastic

I love this park! The trails are well marked, and so much to see, as long as you have your eyes opened and not talking too much. Creatures all over if you are watching, places to see I there are fantastic, theres even a cave if you look carefully on the green trail, not that you can see it but there are signs drawn on trees for it, so be watchful! Theres the gorge where there is a half cave near a waterfall, great for the kids to explore. Frogs, toads, deer, fox, snakes, just be aware of the copperhead off trail, not seen very often but those who like to really explore the enviroment, they can be found. Ive never seen a coyote, or bear, so I cant say much about them. But the different eco systems within the mountain are fantastic. The trail can be jarring to the joints so wear proper shoes and clothing, and in some areas there are tiny black flys that bug your face. But mostly this is a wonderful place to go. As of July 2018, the park has been closed due to a horrible storm we had a couple months back, the beautiful picnic area was totally destroyed, as as of the day I write this,they are still clearing the debris from that gorgeous place.. be patient and please go in the future. There is also a main walk there and a castle to go to but the trail is quite long, so be prepared.

Right across Quinnipiac University. Awesome views of the main campus from the top of the mountain.

Live near by .I trout fish here.there a lot to see.hike up to the castle on top you can see long island sound

We thought wed have a nice casual hike today but the trail is EXTREMELY ICY!! Even inside the tower! Please be careful if you go today or over the next few days. (Its Dec. 7)

Great hiking trails! Peaceful river.