Big Hill Pond State Park received its name from the 35-acre Big Hill Pond which was created in 1853 when soil was scooped from a borrow pit to build a levee across the Tuscumbia and Cypress Creek bottoms for the Memphis to Charleston Railroad. The earliest inhabitants of the area were Native Americans Woodland Period Indian sites (800 BC – 800 AD) which can be found along the Tuscumbia and Hatchie Rivers. During historic times, Chickasaw Indians lived among the area up until 1818 when they signed a treaty relinquishing their traditional homelands in Tennessee. White settlers moved into the area in the 1820’s and made their livelihood mainly from agricultural pursuits. Years later the territory was designated a State Park by the Department of Conservation for reassessing the need for recreational opportunities in 1977.
The park’s 5,000 acres of timberland and hardwood bottom land is sparsely inhabited making it resemble a wilderness. Guests visiting Big Hill Pond State Park can utilize the campsites. There is no backcountry camping allowed, however there are shelter camping sites. These sites can have up to ten people at each, there are six bunks but four or more persons may sleep on the floor. Recreational activities for the outdoor enthusiasts may include fishing on the old Big Hill Pond or Travis McNatt Lake equipped with phenomenal views. Fishers will find bass, bream, and catfish throughout this area. The park is home to thirty miles of overnight and day use trails consisting of four backpack trail shelters and five miles of hiking trail and two trail shelters lie south of the railroad within our hunting area.
Visitors with a passion for horses can bring them along for the Big Hill Pond experience. The park has approximately 14 miles of horse trails and is shared with mountain bikers. The horses must stay on the red trail and fire roads and are not allowed on hiking trails or on the back or the front of the Lake Dam.
For more information, please contact Big Hill Pond State Park directly at 731-645-7967.
