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Letterboxing Northeast Sleeping Giant Series The Sleeping Giant is 1300 acres of magnificent volcanic ruggedness. Native Americans and European sailors both saw the outline of a man lying on his back in these hills. The landmarks are all named after his body parts. These anatomically correct trails represent some of the Northeast's earliest preservation efforts by conservationists who themselves were giants in their own day.  Difficulty: strenuous climbing, nearly vertical at times. About 5½ miles and 1200 vertical feet of climbing for the entire batch. Avoid letterboxing if there is ice on the ground as the cliff lines can become dangerous. Each of these boxes (except Hobbomock's Cap and BBQ, which are an easy ½ mile round trip) involve steep climbs. Sorry, no mountain bikes allowed at the Giant. Directions: on I-91, take exit 10 and head north on CT Rt. 40. At the expressway's end, turn right on Rt. 10 North. Go 1.3 miles toward Quinnipiac University. Turn right at Mount Carmel Avenue, and park at Sleeping Giant State Park a short distance farther on your left. Hobbomock's BBQ (Graciously recarved and rehidden by Sadie & Russ, Autumn '05) Picnic Pavilion's chimneys at 050° and 080°. Three steps from the corner to the lowest point. Giant's Cap, Chin, and Shoulders Hike west across the park entrance to the picnic grounds, and then continue west along the road behind the headquarters, passing the restrooms on your right. At the western end, find the Violet Trail, walk down some stairs, and turn right along Mill River. At the second fork bear right onto the blue trail, crossing over a small bridge. Just before the trail turns steeply uphill, find the Red Diamond trail that "Ys" off onto 025°. Climb gently about 150 yards to the first little hilltop, capped with a smooth floor of rock. Ten steps on 340°, directly in line behind the large-ish oak, you'll find the Hobbomock's Cap Letterbox. It's in the center of the cluster of fallen rocks, waist-high. Now continue up the Red Diamond trail to the Blue trail, turn right, and climb up the Giant's Head. This is the toughest, steepest trail at Sleeping Giant. The first top has a promontory with views westward to the hills and south to New Haven and Long Island Sound. Rest, sweat profusely, catch your breath. Then continue with the blue trail easterly a short way to a second overlook, the Giant's Chin, with views south and east. Enjoy the sights and explore along the shear edges. The trail jogs sharply left to 045°. Walk up over rocks to a short steep section and the main promontory. The trail zigs left again away from the edge, and then zags right. Take the left zig, but go straight instead of right at the zag, into a maze of older unmarked trails. Heading 310°, go up a small stepped ledge, then bear right at a juniper to another patch of bare rock with a small copse of evergreens. The Giant's Chin Letterbox is in these junipers on the left side of the path. Before finishing with the Chin, look east across the valley along a bearing of 075°. Eagle eyes can spot a large rock cairn near our next destination, the Giant's Chest Letterbox. Ride the blue trail northerly and down, crossing over the dirt road Tower Trail, and continue on the blue footpath. Soon turn right at a white crossover trail. This trails' blazes have a pointy bottom. Head generally south, turning left at the intersection with the main (square-blazed) white trail. Raise the overlooks at the Giant's Chest. Continue with the white trail to the large stone cairn you spotted from the Chin, then a short way farther to another big cairn. Cut left, north, here on the green trail, then after a few steps, bushwack left to parallel the white trail that brought you in. 15 steps will bring you to the Giant's Chest Letterbox in a trap door, hidden right up against the rock that carries the white trail, behind the first cairn. Returning to the big cairns, backtrack briefly along the white trail to your intersection with the crossover trail (blazed blue from this direction). Go left on the main (square-blazed) white trail and give up all your hard-earned elevation. Turn left briefly on the Tower Trail before going right on the white again, down to the picnic area and south to your waiting car. A hot bath is optional. Now for the harder letterboxes...you'll need your map and lots of energy for the strenuous hiking ahead! The entire route is about 5 miles, with 1200 feet of elevation gain, and takes 3-4 hours. Right Hip A high spot without the feeling of being on edge, with views from a white water tower in the southeast to the western hills. Stand in an area of dark smooth rock surrounded by a small cedar grove. The trail here makes a zig zag, heading east-to-north, and then north-to-east. From that high spot where the trail turns north-to-east, with the New Haven skyline at 204°, go 25 steps along a bearing of 020°. The Right Hip Letterbox lives in the southern lip of a shin-high rock. Ned's Cabin (Not marked on the SGPA map...) Ned's Cabin lies between the Giant's Right Hip and Right Leg. Follow the eastern wall 25 steps along 345° to some blocky stones (Ned's Privy?). Right Leg Here are some of the park's finest views, with a 180° panorama. Incongruously, there are three fresh, unweathered pines along the ridge. From the middle one, follow a tongue of rock 15 steps on 235° to a little knoll, then 10 steps on 020°. You'll need to hop down a couple of "stairs" to find this letterbox under the northern overhang of a dislodged block of stone. Right Knee Another overlook, with subtle views to the south, west, and north since the surrounding hills are all just a little bit higher. From the eastern promontory, just before the trail drops north-northeast off the cliff, take 20 steps along a bearing of 076° to find the Right Knee Letterbox hidden in a low cairn above a vernal pond. Hezekiah's Knob On the crest at the major trail intersection, a cedar splits the panorama of the view to the east from the vista west. The Tower bears 260°. Hezekiah's Knob Letterbox is placed a couple of steps southwest, behind that blocking cedar, in a northern overhang of rock. Left Knee This spot doesn't have the fine views, but if you search for it, you can find a sweet sightline along 250° to the Tower, just beyond a tall standing deadwood. Try this from the northwestern-most nubble just before the trail drops down on a 300° heading. You'll find what you're looking for tucked just off-trail in the northern edge, under pine. Left Hand Enjoying the views north to the Totoket cliff line, with a sentinel pine to your left, about-face and traipse 20 steps on 160°, past a dead 3-trunked cedar. Look in an eastern overhang. Gorge Cascade (Known to the Drew Family as "Dip-Sea Trail East"). Now where to put this thing? How about...stream cascades through the gorge below, flowing southwest, and makes a sharp bend to the northwest. From a spot along the trail just a few steps upstream from the bend, take 25 steps on 120° to a northeast facing stump-butt. Tower (Graciously recarved and rehidden by Sadie & Russ, Autumn '05) From the Tower, the blue trail descends to the southwest in an eroded double-track. Most hikers naturally will pick the right side. Where the separate tracks merge together, go another 20 steps downhill, probably still staying to the right, to a tree in the middle of the trail. There is some low ledge to the northwest and the Tower bears 080°. From the tree, take 15 steps at 325° to the fallen, hollowed stump. ...page last updated Tuesday, November 08, 2005