High Point Series LbNA #7959 (ARCHIVED)

Box Status: Retired 5/9/2011





High Point Series

North Haven, CT

The town of North Haven is formed from land bought by the English in 1638 from the Sachem Montowese of the Quinnipiac Indian Tribe. In exchange for the land Montowese was given coats, fishing and hunting rights and promised protection by the English for the Quinnipiacs from their neighboring Pequot and Mohawk tribes.
Peter’s Rock, also known as Rabbit Rock is North Haven’s highest point at 373 feet providing panoramic views from Long Island Sound in the south to Mt. Higby in the north and is located in the Montowese section of town.

Driving Directions:
I-91, Exit 9.
Southbound: Right off exit, right at light onto Montowese Ave. under highway *see north bound clues.
Northbound: Right off exit onto Montowese Ave. *Continue straight through traffic light at Quinnipiac Ave. (Rte. 103) to the next traffic light at Middletown Ave. (Rte. 17). Turn right onto Middletown Ave and continue to the nice new parking lot on the left behind the gas station at 133 Middletown Ave.

Difficulty: Most of the hike is moderate with one steep scramble to the summit at Box #1. The series can probably be completed in less than 90 minutes. The trails can be muddy.

Beware of ATVs in the lower sections. This is designated Open Space and their use here is not sanctioned, but has continued nonetheless.

Clues:
Download the new color trail map found at:
http://www.petersrockassociation.org/links.htm

Follow the newly-blazed red trail up towards the summit. At the base of the steep scramble the red trail “Y,s” forming a loop around the summit. Take the left trail, following the red blazes almost to the top. Stop at the double-blazed tree on your right with a waist-high hole in its trunk. Sight due south of it to a small boulder with a tiny evergreen and stunted oak kissing it. The Rabbit Rock Letterbox hides here. The easiest approach is to go up and around from the back.
Please do continue north to take in the wonderful views of New Haven Harbor, East Rock, Sleeping Giant and Mt. Higby in the distance and the Town of North Haven and the meandering Quinnipiac River below. You may want to descend the same way you came up, as the other side of the loop is quite steep.

When you get back to the junction of the red-green-orange trails, take orange to the south (watch for the blazes, it zig-zags a bit) and follow it down the hill and across the little river on the new foot bridge.
Turn left onto the light blue trail and continue to the overlook at 267’ where Montowese’s scouts may have looked out for approaching Pequot marauders. Look out there, too and when you are sure no hostile tribes are afoot, do an about face to find a tree with two dead arms about 20 paces away at 120° slightly off-trail. The Sachem Montowese awaits your report on the south side under rocks.

Continue on the light blue trail as it winds it way back down towards the main parking lot. At a definite right turn in the trail notice on the slope before you a tall 4 sister tree with a largish rock in front of it. There will be 3 smaller rocks to the right of the tree. The "NO ATV-in' please" Letterbox has been re-located here on the north side of one of the smaller rocks.
Feel free to draw a "red circle with slash" over your stamp image when you get home ;-D

When the blue trail ends turn left on the red back to the parking area.

We hope you will enjoy the wonderful improvements the Peter’s Rock Association has made to the park this past year, from the parking / picnic area with gazebo to the newly blazed trails and trail map!