The park surrounds and includes the mountainous ridge named East Rock and was developed with naturalistic landscaping.

East Rock is a popular outdoor recreation destination among residents and visitors of the greater New Haven region.

Activities permitted in the park include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, picnicking, bicycling (on roads and city-designated mountain bike trails only), boating (on the Mill River), bird watching, and dog walking.

The Trowbridge Environmental Center is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and at least one Saturday a month for public programs; it offers displays and information about the geology and ecosystem of East Rock.

[2] The covered bridge is named after A. Frederick Oberlin, a local hero of the First World War.