Ya think? You should see the historical tags on the rocks at Judges Cave.

This is a state park...not a City Park.

We do not have control and clearly the State / DEP does not care about this treasure. Aside from the history of the Ridge itself, the biodivsersity / open space is truly a great oasis with the urban landscape.

It's a shame!

Thank you for reporting this issue! I think New Haven needs to form a "Friends of West Rock" group before this area become blighted and too costly to restore.

:-(

Have tried to go back a couple times since this post and the gate has been closed even though it was during posted open hours. Was not prepared to walk up.

The road to the summit is closed between the end of October and the spring. Let me know if you want to hike up one day. In response to the LCI Watcher comment, the DEP Park staff (Ranger Lori Lindquist) is awesome, but they are INCREDIBLY understaffed, and under budgeted. Now more than ever. I am currently working on the West Rock Ridge Park Association website (to be up in the next month). This is the citizen group that created the park back int eh 1970's. Our hope is in the coming year to get more people to know about the group, and possible organize people to help advocate for the park. Let me know if anyone following this wants me to send you the site link once it is done.

The state should be ashamed!

The city built a huge ghetto housing project directly across from the park - what would you expect to happen in the park other than garbage and graffiti everywhere, shootings and muggings, illegal dumping, vandalism. Keep the gate closed year round.

Hey - did the West Rock Park Association website go up?

What's the latest scoop on the park? I agree it is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful places in New Haven and more activity would make it safer and more comfortable for folks to use year-round.

I think that the gates should stay shut year round. It's a bit of a trek up to the top, but that would prevent some illegal activity.
I tend to only go in the off season, since I always walk up, and I would rather not worry about my dog or me being hit by a car on the steep, windy road.

The gates need to be kept shut permanently. Even if there weren't a housing project across the street. the area would still be a magnet for trash dumpers, thugs and other undesirables.

So what you all are saying is that a PUBLIC park should be made inaccessible to a significant portion of the PUBLIC? Why don't we just burn it down so that NOBODY can access it.

Locking the gates or closing the park is NOT the answer. Inviting more people to USE the park as it was intended will bring more eyes into the park.

Furthermore, the folks who live in the projects near the park are not necessarily the ones dumping there. And being poor and living in subsidized housing does NOR automatically make you a trash dumper, thug or undesirable!!! I've seen more thugs, dumpers and people I have no desire to spend time with at Yacht and Country Clubs than I have in the projects. And I've seen INFINITELY more 'illegal activity' that hurts more people happening in corporate board rooms than I've ever seen in the projects.

Apparently the criminals make it up there even when the gates are closed and toss rocks on climbers down below (when they arent painting the rock) so the theory of keeping the gate shut wont work.

The West Rock Park association website is posted at http://westrockpark.wordpress.com/ . It seems like we need more local residents to organize around this.

As of 2013 City departments have begun to review, acknowledge and respond to SeeClickFix issues. Since your issue is in the category titled "No Service Request" and was submitted prior to 2013, we are going to close and archive it. If this issue still requires City attention, please report as a new SeeClickFix issue. Thank you.