Bigelow Hollow State Park In CT

[DayTrip]

I know a few of you on here hike in Northeast CT. I'm wondering if Bigelow Hollow State Park near the MA border gets plowed in Winter. I believe it has in past years because it is used as a snowmobile parking area. Up until this last storm there has certainly been no snowmobiling. Can't get up to NH this weekend again so I figured I'd head over there but I drive a Hyundai Accent and I don't want to chance all the big hills on Rte 171 with tonight's expected 1-3 inches of snow only to find that I have nowhere to park and find myself stuck at the bottom of those hills.

Anybody know if it still gets plowed and how quickly it generally gets plowed?

 

[Jazzbo]

I know a few of you on here hike in Northeast CT. I'm wondering if Bigelow Hollow State Park near the MA border gets plowed in Winter. I believe it has in past years because it is used as a snowmobile parking area. Up until this last storm there has certainly been no snowmobiling. Can't get up to NH this weekend again so I figured I'd head over there but I drive a Hyundai Accent and I don't want to chance all the big hills on Rte 171 with tonight's expected 1-3 inches of snow only to find that I have nowhere to park and find myself stuck at the bottom of those hills.

Anybody know if it still gets plowed and how quickly it generally gets plowed?

I think it is safe bet that it gets plowed. Besides snow mobiling, the ponds are good for ice fishing if the ice is good. Many years ago we hiked out to Breakneck Pond to go ice skating. Main park roads were plowed. Breakneck Pond is like a piece of Maine in CT.

 

[DayTrip]

I think it is safe bet that it gets plowed. Besides snow mobiling, the ponds are good for ice fishing if the ice is good. Many years ago we hiked out to Breakneck Pond to go ice skating. Main park roads were plowed. Breakneck Pond is like a piece of Maine in CT.

Thanks. I was pretty sure they plowed but not positive. It is a great little park. I usually do a lot of my Spring tune up hiking there in late March and April or weekends where weather is bad and the drive to NH is not worth it. In Spring when the rhododendrons bloom the trails are spectacular! Good place to bushwhack and brush up on navigational skills too.

 

[Jazzbo]

Thanks. I was pretty sure they plowed but not positive. It is a great little park. I usually do a lot of my Spring tune up hiking there in late March and April or weekends where weather is bad and the drive to NH is not worth it. In Spring when the rhododendrons bloom the trails are spectacular! Good place to bushwhack and brush up on navigational skills too.

I spent many good years in halls of academia at UConn in Storrs. Another winter activity we did was cross-country skiing when only option was wax and wooden skis. Blizzard of 78 was good way to get into cross-country skiing. But I'm showing my age. Two of my subjects was floristics of vascular plants and dendrology. So permit me to be didactic and advise you the primary leafy evergreen in Bigelow is Mountain Laurel - I seem to recall is State flower or shrub. The forest there is pretty cool when laurel is in bloom. Cat Rocks is pretty nifty with big ledges and rocks. Perhaps its grown in since then, but you y=used to get nice view from ridge trail runs along the top.

 

[DayTrip]

So permit me to be didactic and advise you the primary leafy evergreen in Bigelow is Mountain Laurel - I seem to recall is State flower or shrub. The forest there is pretty cool when laurel is in bloom.

I'll defer to you on that one. Couldn't tell you a thing about plants. I do know when those big purple/pink flowers are in bloom the trails are gorgeous.

 

[Sematary]

I live about 20 minutes from there so if you ever want someone to tuneup with - just let me know

 

[Mike P.]

MT. Laurel there should be white and in bloom in late May to early June, depending on the season. It would not be much different than the blooming schedule at Mashmaquet. If you have the chance to hike in TN on Guyot in TN, Cliff Top is covered in rhododendrons and is also beautiful. Typically while we can have both, Mt. Laurel are taller &the leaves are smaller. Believe they are both relatives of the Azelea.

 

[Stan]

Pachaug State Forest in Griswold and Voluntown, CT has a nice woods walk with lots of Rhododendrums. There is also a peak that offers nice views of the countryside, Mount Misery. Some trails and other features of this forest were built by the CCCs.

 

[DayTrip]

Pachaug State Forest in Griswold and Voluntown, CT has a nice woods walk with lots of Rhododendrums. There is also a peak that offers nice views of the countryside, Mount Misery. Some trails and other features of this forest were built by the CCCs.

I've done a bit of that forest too, including Mt Misery. I don't know what the name of it was but there was a spur path off one of the camping areas that I took in error that was like walking in the Everglades in Florida or something. Had a paved and then gravel path that led through Cypress looking trees with wetlands, boardwalks, etc. Had a few overlooks on a river. Was very cool but short and dead ended. That's another area I need to go back and visit in the Spring.