Nipmuck State Forest

Explore Nipmuck State Forest

The second oldest state forest in Connecticut the Nipmuck was 9,411.9 as of 2016.  It is made up of five main blocks and two small parcels in Union, Woodstock, Willington, Ashford, and Stafford.

Highlights of the forest include the Cat Rocks Cave, the highest elevation in Windham County at Snow Hill (1,210 Feet), and amazing scenery of the Quinebaug Highlands.

Links

History

The first tract of what was originally the Union State Forest was purchased for $3.57 an acre in 1905 making it the second oldest state forest.  Then State Forester, Austin Hawes, wanted the second State Forest to be in the pine type, as Connecticut had to import most of its softwood lumber at the time.

The majority of the acreage came much later when was purchased in 1944 from the Quinebaug Forestry Company. The Wells family had started the Quinebaug Forestry Company to buy up woodlots and abandoned farmland to manage as forestland and use the pine to make shipping boxes for the American Optical Company.  The company is also operated a sawmill in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and later became known for creating Old Sturbridge Village. The state ended up purchasing a total of 4,586 acres from the company.  Bigelow Hollow State Park was part of Nipmuck State Forest was split out and  designated a State Park in 1948.

Bear Den

★★☆☆☆

198 Skopek Rd, Union, CT, USA

Bear Den / Paine Hill – Nipmuck State Forest Connecticut State Forest Roughly 2600 acres in Union, CT Parking: North End: Shoulder parking near 198 Skopek Rd,…

Morey Pond Boat Launch

★★☆☆☆

41.970439, -72.194359

Morey Pond Boat Launch Connecticut State Water Access 44 acres in Union, CT Parking: Down the road near 723 Buckley Hwy Union, CT Trail Map     …

Mountain Laurel Sanctuary

★★☆☆☆

41.955897, -72.209270

Mountain Laurel Sanctuary Connecticut State Forest 337 acres in Union, CT Parking: Shoulder parking on Snow Hill Rd, Union, CT Trail Map       Trails: Less than…

Nipmuck State Forest: South Parcel

★★☆☆☆

41.943590, -72.252048

Nipmuck State Forest – South Parcel Connecticut State Forest 900+ acres in Willington and Stafford, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 57 Polster Road, Willington, CT Trail Map   …

Bigelow Hollow State Park

★★★★★

41.994655, -72.130835

Bigelow Hollow State Park Connecticut State Park / Nipmuck State Forest 516 acres in Union, CT Parking: Several large lots along the park’s road off CT-171. Trail… Read more…