No Child Left Inside

Bigelow Hollow State Park

Route 171

Union, CT

860-684-3430

Park Hours:

Daily 8:00 a.m. - Sunset

Park Admission:

Parking fee (weekends/holidays): in-state $7; out-of-state $10

Directions:

Off I-84: Take exit 73 or 74, then follow Route 190 north to Route 171 east to the park entrance.

To visit Shenipsit State Forest, proceed east on Route 190 at the junction of Routes 190 and 83 in Somers for 2.6 miles to the Forest entrance on the right. For the observation tower, follow to the end of the road. For the CCC Museum, continue on Route 190 for 0.7 miles east of the forest entrance and turn right.

Bigelow Hollow State Park

Bigelow Hollow State Park

With more than 9,600 acres of land offered by Bigelow State Park and the adjoining Nipmuck State Forest, there is plenty of space for recreation in Eastern Connecticut. Three large ponds serve as main attractions, and popular activities on these waterways include boating, fishing and even scuba diving. Bigelow Pond, the smallest of the three, lies at the park entrance and features a boat launching site and picnic area. Mashapaug Pond, a 300-acre lake, is the largest and is situated at the end of the park road. It is often stocked with brown and rainbow trout, and is also a great place to fish for chain pickerel, sunfish, yellow perch, and large and smallmouth bass. Breakneck Pond is a remote, shallow pond that is only accessible by trails and is a nice spot to canoe or fish. There are terrific hiking and biking trails throughout this park, and one of the nicest areas to visit is a spot called "the Point" located off the Mashapaug Pond View Trail. The Point is a great place to picnic or take in the remarkably clear water. Shenipsit State Forest is not far from this park, and is a great place to hike, fish, or even snowmobile in the winter. The Forest also features the Eastern States Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, where tools and equipment from the former "Camp Conner" are on display. The camp gave work to boys ages 17 to 24 during the Great Depression, mostly building forest roads and various structures. Photographs of camp life and work can also be found at the museum.

Activities

  • Boating
  • Cross Country Skiing
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Picnicking
  • Scuba Diving
  • Snowmobiling