Hale Forest Park is the largest park in Burdale. Spanning over 8,000 acres (roughly 12.5 square miles) it includes much of Crown Rock, Burdale’s northernmost mountain, as well as The Witch’s Well (a beautiful pond, perfect for fishing). The park wraps around to Burdale’s east, beneath Specter Ridge.

 

​​The park was named after the notable arborist and Burdale resident, Silas Hale, who first began maintaining the trees and grounds around Burdale in 1907. He created trails, picnic areas, and lobbied to have the first camping ground designated. Silas inspired The Town of Burdale to commission a parks maintenance department to their town’s municipality, which expanded in 1910 to include a Park Ranger division. This consisted of a dozen rangers, three ranger stations, and one fire-watch lookout station. He’s also thought to be the person who planted Widow's Willow Tree, though there is no documentation stating as such.