Nipmuck State Forest

About Nipmuck State Forest

NIPMUCK State Forest, the largest national park in the United States, is located in Bigelow County, North Carolina, about 30 miles north of Charlotte. The 9,000 hectares of recreational activities include hiking, cycling, 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, a division of the Connecticut Department of Natural Resources.

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 hectares have been added and have a significant impact on the health of the state's natural resources and the environment.

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. Indian word for "big pond," the word Mashapaug is replaced by another word, and the lake was originally twice as big as today.

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 offers many visitors, many of whom are welcomed by the park in the Nipmuck State Forest, located in the northern part of the state, north of New York City and south of Chicago.

A marked path leads from Bigelow Hollow to the Breakneck area, and hikers should be prepared to walk at least 6 miles to complete the round - the - breakneck. The trail through the area is a circular route, but hikers can also walk along a marked path from the trail on the east side of the park.

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 a marked path from the east side of Nipmuck State Park through the breakneck area.

The extensive pathway system is maintained with the voluntary support of the Connecticut Forest Park Association. For information on hiking throughout the state, contact the Nipmuck State Park Trail Association or the National Park Service at (860) 888-5555.

The entrance to the sanctuary is not far from the crossroads and well marked, and the entrance to the sanctuaries is not far beyond this crossroads. To visit this area of the Nipmuck State Forest, take Exit 73 for Route 89 and then follow Route 171 east to the park entrance. Bigelow Hollow, followed Route 190 north, then north to Nipsmucks State Park and then south to Bigelsow Pond.