This week, try to get out and check out our beautiful mountain laurel. Some of the features on CT.gov will not function properly with out javascript enabled. Nipmuck State Forest and the adjoining Bigelow Hollow State Park offer over 9,000 acres of recreation opportunities including miles of hiking trails, and an 18-acre pond in Eastern Connecticut. Nipmuck State Forest is a Connecticut state forest. July 2018. Nipmuck State Forest and the adjoining Bigelow Hollow State Park offer more than 9,000 acres of recreation opportunities including hiking trails, an 18-acre pond for boating and fishing, cross country skiing, hunting, picnicking, scuba diving, and snowmobiling. So here… here’s what it looks like at peak from the state’s tourism site: Here’s the weird thing: There aren’t really any trails here. 85: Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust, Nature Preserve: 11. Nipmuck State Forest is a Connecticut state forest. Union has the highest elevation in the state east of the Connecticut River. The name … Apparently there used to be many more laurels here, as only a portion remains today. After all, it IS Snow Hill on Snow Hill Road. Go west onto Route 190. Bigelow Hollow State Park & Nipmuck State Forest Parks Directory of the United States / State Parks / Connecticut Location:Park is 2 miles east of Union on Route 197. I was through here most recently in June 2020 when completing my thru hike of the Nipmuck Trail though I’m fairly certain Steve from CTMQ and I left a note when we hiked this section in 2017. Filed Under: Biology & Geology, Everything Else, New Post, State Parks & Forests Tagged With: nipmuck state forest, Tolland County, Union, Your email address will not be published. Go west onto Route 190. Located on Snow Hill Road off Route 190 in Union, the entrance to the park, which is part of Nipmuck Forest, is well marked. Nipmuck is the second oldest state forest in Connecticut. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. The sanctuary entrance is a short distance from the intersection and well marked. Connecticut News A SANCTUARY FOR THE SENSES It’s right off of I-84 at the Ashford/Union line. Case Mountain State Park, Manchester. Last-minute getaway? This is mountain laurel time in Southern New England and you’d be hard pressed to find a better spot than along the narrow dirt road that cuts through Connecticut’s Mountain Laurel Sanctuary in Nipmuck State Forest. All combined, there are nearly 34,000 acres of forestland in Union. Take Exit 73 to visit another area of Nipmuck State Forest. From what I gathered, the laurel is pretty much along the road and doesn’t really penetrate the woods to any crazy degree. Spoons and other small utensils used to be carved out of the wood of mountain laurel so the name spoonwood can be used when referring to this shrub.”. Follow Route 89 north to the intersection of Route 89 and Route 190. The laurel was not in bloom then, so I wrote things like how I’d be sure to visit in mid-June someday. The sanctuary road, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, runs for about a mile and is bordered by laurels that extend deep into the surrounding forest. Monson road is also quite nice, several houses were built in the mountain laurel forest along that road. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The laurels in the area flourished after inmates from Somers prison were paid 25 cents a day in the 1950s to clear grape vines and trees to showcase the bushes. All combined, there are nearly 34,000 acres of forestland in Union. Required fields are marked *. Connecticut Waterfalls To Photograph This Winter - Whereaboutss. There are better stands of our state flower (mountain laurel, duh) in the northwest hills. And if there’s anything I know about people, it’s that they love finding single-track dirt roads at the Ashford/Union line. Nipmuck Trail: Breakneck Pond to Perry Hill Road is a 16.7 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Stafford Springs, Connecticut that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Here you can take a mile-long hike amidst the laurel, first planted in 1935 by the federal Civilian Conservation Corps. Cockaponset State Forest, Chester ... Bigelow Hollow SPark / Nipmuck SForest, Union. Go west onto Route 190. Apr 13, 2016 - 'Olympic Fire' will set your garden ablaze with dark red buds eruptining into beautiful pink flowers making a sensational color contrast against the dark, evergreen foliage. Bradley Park, Wilton. Reaching Connecticut’s second oldest state forest, located within its least populous town, can be a bit of a (gorgeous) trek. This area is just off of Rt. Besides, I honestly think this place was prettier in the snow. to attain the all-important highest point in Windham County on Snow Hill. Well. Connecticut’s State Forests Officially, These are lands managed on a multiple-use basis for silviculture and harvesting of forest products, protection of watershed quality enhancing fisheries, wildlife habitat including game species harvesting, and natural resource protection. Follow Route 89 north to the intersection of Route 89 and Route 190. I think it’s pretty cool that they “cared” in some small way to retain pretty things back then. A Flower-filled Sanctuary. I apologize for not having any dazzling “mountain laurel in bloom” pictures for you, but it’s our state flower! A portion of the Yale-Myers Forest and Hull Foresters are located in Union. Hm. Marty Podskoch, who spoke recently at the Mansfield Historical Society, collects corps alumni stories. Mountain Laurel Sanctuary in Nipmuck State Forest Near intersection of routes 89 and 190 Union, CT Phone: 860-424-3200 Leisurely walking trails wind through the mountain laurel, Connecticut's official state flower. Of course there is also the Laurel Sanctuary located in the Nipmuck State Forest in Union, Connecticut. Bigelow Hollow State Park ... Upper Paugussett State Forest, Newtown. Follow Route 89 north to the intersection of Route 89 and Route 190. The first table lists state parks and reserves, the second lists state park trails, the third list state forests, and the fourth lists other state-owned, recreation-related areas. Union is the least-populated town in Connecticut and contains the point of highest elevation in the eastern-half of the state. Mountain Laurel Sanctuary, Nipmuck State Forest, Union Other Amenities: Boating, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hunting, Scuba Diving, Snowmobiling, Hiking Trails. 190 east of Stafford. Mountain laurel that towers alongside 1,000 feet of road in the Nipmuck State Forest in Union -- designated by the state as a mountain laurel sanctuary -- has benefited from the … Mashapaug Lake is a large lake in Union. So I revisited in mid-July and… it was as bloomy as it was in late December. Visitors to the sanctuary can drive through the preserve or park anywhere along the road and walk. We do… but we merely drove through it then to attain the all-important highest point in Windham County on Snow Hill. Viewing is best in June and July, when the laurel are in bloom. Eastbound on I-84: take Exit 72. Eastbound on I-84: take Exit 72. Go west onto Route 190. It seems that JavaScript is not working in your browser. The sanctuary entrance is a short distance from the intersection and well marked. For generations these plants have been pruned and … Hotels near (BDL) Bradley Intl Airport; Hotels near (ORH) Worcester Airport; All things to do in Stafford; Things to do near Nipmuck State Forest. I recommend walking through and watching the wind swaying the blossom-laden branches. 86: Snipsic Lake Road, Ellington One-third of the town is set aside as park and forest land and includes: Bigelow Hollow State Park, Mountain Laurel Sanctuary, Nipmuck State Forest, and Yale-Myers Forest (managed by Yale’s School of Forestry). Take a close look at the bowl-shaped blossoms that grow in bunches resembling white and pink exploding fireworks. Take Exit 73 … Bluff Point State Park, Groton. Take Exit 73 to visit another area of Nipmuck State Forest. Today Nipmuck State Forest and Bigelow Hollow total over 9,000 acres. If you want to enjoy and explore nature, this is where you go. Among projects undertaken by the young men from Camp Connor were construction of the road that runs to the top of Soapstone Mountain and creation of the unique Mountain Laurel Sanctuary in Nipmuck State Forest. This is a list of state parks and reserves in the Connecticut state park system, shown in four tables. And you should go there. Your email address will not be published. COVID-19 Information: Connecticut residents are urged to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Nipmuck State Forest Mountain Laurel Sanctuary Not to mention the Yale School of Forestry. With more than 40,000 acres of parkland, and under 1,000 residents, it boasts a playground for the hunting, boating, fishing, and hiking enthusiast in Bigelow Hollow State Park, Nipmuck State Forest, and the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary. A portion of the Yale-Myers Forest and Hull Foresters are located in Union. Eastbound on I-84: take Exit 72. Important stuff. Its 9,000 acres (3,600 ha) surround Bigelow Hollow State Park in the town of Union and include parcels in Stafford, Ashford, and other towns. While the sanctuary is in Union, Snow Hill’s summit is mere feet across the border in Ashford. Explore camper reviews and photos of the campgrounds in Nipmuck State Forest. And though they can be found all over the state, the best place to see the delicate pastel blossoms up close and in great numbers is the Nipmuck State Forest in Union. Facilities:Picnic tables (é), hiking trails, boat launch ramp, pit toilets. In 2014, The Courant’s Peter Marteka wrote: According to an informational kiosk in the sanctuary, the mountain laurel’s name “came from the settlers who noticed a resemblance to an unrelated laurel plant that is found in Europe. Nipmuck State Forest Mountain Laurel Sanctuary Eastbound on I-84: take Exit 72. Its 9,000 acres (3,600 ha) surround Bigelow Hollow State Park in the town of Union and include parcels in Stafford, Ashford, and other towns. The laurels in the area flourished after inmates from Somers prison were paid 25 cents a day in the 1950s to clear grape vines and trees to showcase the bushes. The sanctuary entrance is a short distance from the intersection and well marked. The recreation area in Bigelow Hollow was established in 1949 by the State Park and Forest Commission. Another section of the Natchaug State Forest trailed entirely by the Nipmuck Trail.From the trail kiosk along Perry Hill Rd the trail heads uphill passing a long standing log book attached to a tree. Last Visited: Sunday; July 1, 2012 What to do here: Bigelow Hollow State Park is part of Nipmuck State Forest in Northeastern Connecticut. Hotels near Nipmuck State Forest; Hotels near Stafford Library; Hotels near Stafford Motor Speedway; Near Airports. The beautiful mountain laurel sanctuary in Nipmuck State Forest in Union was a corps project. You’ve all seen it a million times. The mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is Connecticut’s official state flower. The sanctuary entrance is a short distance from the intersection and is well marked. Click here for the latest updates on DEEP's response to COVID-19. The forest is part of a larger network of forest lands making up some 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) in all. Camping near Nipmuck State Forest is easy with Hipcamp, where private landowners offer one-of-a-kind camping experiences. The first parcel was acquired in 1905. Content last updated October 2019. I’m sure this place is beautiful in June. Near intersection of routes 89 and 190 Union, CT Phone: 860-424-3200. State Parks, Forests, Reserves, Preserves, & WMAs, Best, Historic, & Unique Restaurants & Foods, Firsts, Onlies, Oldests, Largests, Longests, Mosts, Smallests, & Bests, Houses, Communities, Libraries, & Businesses, Towers, Bridges, Tunnels, Roads, Canals, Dams, Airports, & Ferries. It is also the Connecticut state flower. DEEP is continuing to carry out its mission and provide services while keeping both the public and our workforce safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bigelow Hollow State Park, the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary and Nipmuck State Forest all call Union home. © Approximately one-third of the town is state park land, including Bigelow Hollow State Park, Nipmuck State Forest and the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary. This property was acquired and/or developed with the assistance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. 2016 CT.gov | Connecticut's Official State Website, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Nipmuck State Forest & Bigelow Hollow State Park. West Hartford Reservoir, Farmington. Mountain Laurel Sanctuary in Nipmuck State Forest. Follow Route 89 north to the intersection of Route 89 and Route 190. Destroying the myth that there is nothing to do here, Peak Failage I’ll trust that the laurel “extends deep into the forest.” I had Damian in the car with me and the deer flies were swarming as I poked around quickly. Get the facts at ct.gov/coronavirus. The forest is part of a larger network of forest lands making up some 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) in … I-84 to Exit 73 or 74, then follow Route 190 north to Route 171 east to the park entrance. There’s Snow Hill Road which is the gravel/dirt road that traverses the 3/4 mile or so of the sanctuary. This place was begun as a beautification project of the Civilian Conservation Corps from Camp Conner in 1935. Renowned for its beauty, rolling hills and abundance of trees and water, one secret to Union's tranquility is that one-third of the town's area is set aside as state park and forestland: Bigelow Hollow State Park, the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary and Nipmuck State Forest. Mountain Laurel Sanctuary Connecticut’s Official State Flower gets its proper due in the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary within Nipmuck State Forest in Union. We found the blossoms peaking in heavy clusters of white or pink flowers. Viewing is best in June and July, when the laurel are in bloom. BUT! Pachaug State Forest, Voluntown. DEEP COVID-19 Response. Who visits a Mountain Laurel Sanctuary in the dead of winter? Dogs are … The campers also helped local towns with clean-up after the flood of 1936 and the hurricane of 1938. I forgot. The Laurel Sanctuary, a tiny section of the Nipmuck State Forest and a little-known gem among state recreational lands, is in bloom. Mountain laurel is a shrub that reaches 20 feet in height. The sanctuary road, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, runs for about a mile and is bordered by laurels that extend deep into the surrounding forest. Approximately one-third of the town is state park land, including Bigelow Hollow State Park, Nipmuck State Forest and the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary. Additional lands in the towns of Stafford, Ashford, Willington, and Woodstock have been added to the forest over the years. On New Years Eve Day in 2016, I visited this place with my son Calvin. Nipmuck State Forest Mountain Laurel Sanctuary. Take Exit 73 to … It could be because it is not supported, or that JavaScript is intentionally disabled. Leisurely walking trails wind through the mountain laurel, Connecticut's official state flower. Pretty cool that they “ cared ” in some small way to retain things. White and pink exploding fireworks latifolia ) is Connecticut ’ s summit is mere across. 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