Peter's Rock
| Peter's Rock | |
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 373 ft (114 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°20′31″N 72°51′11″W / 41.34194°N 72.85306°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | North Haven |
| Parent range | Metacomet Ridge |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 200 Ma |
| Mountain type | Fault-block; igneous |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Red Trail |
Peter's Rock, also known as Rabbit Rock, Rabbit Hill, Indian Rock and Great Rock, with a high point of (est.) 373 feet (114 m) above sea level, is a trap rock peak located 4 miles (6 km) northeast of downtown New Haven, Connecticut in the town of North Haven. It is part of the Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border. Peter's Rock is known for its scenic views, unique microclimate ecosystems, rare plant communities, and columnar basalt rock formations. It is traversed by a number of hiking trails managed by the non-profit Peter's Rock Association.
Peter's Rock rises steeply 300 feet (91 m) above the surrounding landscape, with a high point of (est.) 373 feet (114 m). It is roughly three quarters of a mile long by a quarter of mile (1,000 m × 400 m) wide. The peak lies within the town of North Haven, near the border of East Haven.
The summit is open with a 360° view encompassing Long Island Sound, the Quinnipiac River estuary, New Haven Harbor, and the surrounding peaks of the Metacomet Ridge.
The Metacomet Ridge continues west from the isolated Peter's Rock as East Rock, east as Totoket Mountain and southeast as Saltonstall Mountain. Like East Rock, Peter's Rock lies between the main east and west ridges of the Metacomet Ridge. The east side of Peter's Rock drains into the Farm River, thence to the East Haven River and Long Island Sound; the west side into the Quinnipiac River, thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound.
The peak bears a number of competing names. The name Indian Rock was derived from the peak's alleged use as a Native American lookout. Rabbit Rock or Rabbit Hill came about by the peak's notability as a source of cottontail rabbits in the 19th century. According to local folklore the name Peter's Rock is derived from the alleged Peter Brockett, an American Revolutionary War veteran, who, suffering from a crippling and deforming spinal injury, built a small hut on the peak and lived there as a hermit. The United States Board on Geographic Names and the United States Geological Survey refer to the peak as "Rabbit Rock."
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Wikipedia