Wharton Brook State Park in Wallingford has reopened to the public and Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden is expected to open in the spring. Both had been closed since May when storms caused extensive damage.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said hundreds of trees were damaged at Wharton Brook State Park and they conducted extensive tree clean-up, stump removal and re-grading throughout the park.
Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden remains closed and DEEP is working with the Sleeping Giant Park Association to reopen the park, which is expected to happen sometime this spring.
PHOTOS: Look Back at Damage at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden
"Wharton Brook and Sleeping Giant are among Connecticut's most popular state parks and we know that people have been anxious for them to re-open. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of all visitors to our state parks, and I want to thank everyone for their patience during these ongoing efforts and for heeding the closure warnings. We're excited that Wharton Brook has re-opened and are hopeful that we'll get Sleeping Giant back open in time as the warmer weather approaches. I want to especially thank all of the state's partners who have assisted in the clean-up efforts – their teamwork with the state is part of what makes Connecticut's natural resources so great," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement,
DEEP Commissioner-designate Katie Dykes said in a statement that, “thanks to help from the Sleeping Giant Park Association” they have made progress clearing the damage along several miles of trails but much of the park remains unsafe.
The park will reopen once the work of clearing and repairing the trails is substantially complete, she said.
