Bigelow Hollow State Park

About Bigelow Hollow State Park

Bigelow Hollow State Park, one of the largest national parks in the United States, is located on the west coast of New Mexico, north of Albuquerque. It offers over 9,000 hectares of recreational activities, including hiking, biking, camping, fishing, hunting and a variety of other outdoor activities.

Nipmuck is the second oldest state forest in Connecticut, and the first property was purchased in 1905 by the Connecticut State Forest Service, the predecessor of the National Park Service.

In 1949, the State Parks and Forestry Commission established the Bigelow Hollow recreation area, and additional land was added to the forest. Today, more than 9,000 acres have been added and have a significant impact on the state's natural resources and Connecticut's economy.

The name "Bigelow" is a mystery, as no person or name appears to be associated with the area.

According to an elderly Union resident, the name comes from an 18-hectare pond of the same name, which lies deep in the hollow. The lake was originally twice the size of today, and the word Mashapaug is an Indian word for "large pond."

In the mid-1880s, two different parties tried to draw water from the natural pond, but one party retreated to the north, the other to the south. The latter party was forced to give up the struggle when they came across a ledge and united to create the lake they now have.

The lush beauty of Bigelow Hollow State Park, located on the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, offers many visitors, many of whom are welcomed by the park at the main entrance at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 75.

A marked path leads from Bigelow Hollow into the Breakneck area, and hikers should be prepared to walk at least 6 miles to complete the round - the - breakneck. The path in this area is a circular one, but it is not the only one in the park, with a number of marked paths on the east and west sides.

The extensive pathway system is maintained with the voluntary support of the Connecticut Forest Park Association. The path west of the park road is less long than the path to the Breakneck, so hikers have to find a path that starts and ends in the same place. There is no marked path to Briggs Pond, but marked paths around Briggs Pond.