McConnelsville, Ohio: Big Muskie's Bucket

"Big Muskie," the world's largest earth moving machine, was dismantled in 1999. But you can still visit Big Muskie's humongous bucket!

Bigger than I expected! If you're coming from McConnelsville, the first entrance to the park is right after a bend in the road, and can be easy to pass. There is a second entrance as well. The Bucket is a little out of the way but there is a small bathroom and covered picnic tables so you can spend some time there. There is a lot of information to read about Big Muskie and the mining area. The walking paths are all paved and looked very wheelchair friendly.

Not only is Big Muskie's bucket a great photo op (there is a metal staircase to make access a bit easier), but it is ringed by enormous chains with improbably huge links. Although signs discourage climbing the rock pile surrounding Big Muskie's bucket, people often clamber as close to the giant links as possible for a pose there too. Another highlight of the trip out to the bucket is the wild ride there, through hilly and curving countryside (reach the crest of a hill aaaand....hard left! Hard right! Hard left!).

The boom has literally dropped on Ohio's Big Muskie. The World's Largest Earth Mover continues to be dismantled, despite valiant preservation efforts....