Best hike in SW Mass?

[audrey]

I'm soliciting opinions about the very best hike out in SW Mass/Eastern NY during our Tanglewood weekend...I've got guides and maps and of course everything looks good, and I haven't hiked anything at all there. We'll have a couple of hardly-hikers along, so I'm looking for some loop options in case they quit early. We're staying on the NY side in Valatie.

I hope nobody remembers, but last year I took us to Stratton Pond/Lye Brook and split up the entire group and nearly got half of them lost. Well, it takes an expert in unfamiliar territory! I'll behave myself this time.

 

[Quietman]

Here is a link to a previous thread that might help

Alander Race & Everet

There are a few loop opportunities in this area. The views from Alander, Brace, and Race are great!

 

[Jay H]

I second Quietman... the whole AT in NW CT is very nice as well as Bear Mtn, Brace, Everett...

As far as southern MA, I've heard that Monument Mtn is very nice, in the berkshires.... I've stayed at Beartown State Forest but it was a bike trip and not a hiking trip...

Jay

 

[Dugan]

A second vote for Alander. Perhaps a section of the South Taconic Trail?

 

[marty]

As far as southern MA, I've heard that Monument Mtn is very nice, in the berkshires....
Jay

Audrey and Pat,

I agree that Monument Mountain is a nice little hike. It's on Route 7 in Great Barrington, just south of the Stockbridge line. Here is the URL, which has a link for a trail map: Monument Mountain

I redlined the trails to get a better workout and fully check out the area. It has nice views, interesting rock formations, some minor scrambling and a nifty little waterfalls on the north (east?) loop. There is also the most excellent Barrington Brewery about 2-3 miles south on Route 7, on the other side of the street: Barrington Brewery .

Hope all is well with you two and Genie, of course!
Marty

 

[marchowes]

I say anything on the south taconic. Brace was really nice. When I was there (in the fall) the twisted dwarfed hardwoods gave the entire area a very cool eerie feeling.

Everett is also good dunno about the rest. Everything I've tried down there I would recommend.

 

[roadtripper]

This is a Tanglewood weekend for me as well

Bash Bish Falls is my favorite waterfall in Massachusetts, and it's about 15 minutes southwest of Great Barrington. Unfortunately, it hasn't rained much lately, so I don't know what the flow is going to be like.

I agree with others that Monument Mtn is a good suggestion. It's a nice little hike with good views.

As Marty said, the Barrington Brewery is quite good! (I know I'll be making a stop at some point this weekend )

- Greg

 

[Dugan]

I forgot about Monument - very nice. Both this and STT are very doggable. I wasn't as thrilled about Bash Bish, but I was greeted by the crowd gathered on a hot summer day. Perhaps February would be better?

 

[rocket21]

Monument Mountain (technically the trail/view is from Squaw Peak) is a good hike for casual hikers. Mt. Race et al on the tri-state borders provide more challenging hikes that feel more like southern/middle New Hampshire rather than Connecticut/southern MA.

Mt. Frissell is steep in places but not that long or bad - and you get the CT high point. Round Mountain, on the way to it if you start near the AMC hut, is also neat. If you go a bit further from the CT highpoint, you can hit the NY-MA-CT tristate granite marker, another neat thing.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Many good suggestions already.

I am a particular fan of the waterfalls along the Race Brook Trail up to Mount Race. The best cliff top views on Mount Race are south of the summit. Further south Sages Ravine is also very nice.

Bartholomew's Cobble is very good for botony explorations, however, they have a no pets policy. I also suspect you may have already been there.

Not far south of Valatie in Philmont NY is a small, but attractive High Falls Conservation Area. There was thread on it here.

I recall having hiked a short trail along the Kinderhook Creek in Valatie NY. IIRC it is located off River Street, which is reached from US Route 9 (Kinderhook Ave), south of the intersection with Main Street. The views along the Creek are nothing special, but it might be a good place to give Geenie some exercise. There are several historic sights south on Route 9H that could serve that purpose also: The Martin Van Buren home; the Luykas Van Alen house (a Dutch colonial home with an attractive pond and with the Icabod Crane schoolhouse on the same site).

 

[audrey]

Wow! Thank you everyone! You've made it harder rather than easier to decide.

Too bad it's not a Genie weekend, though Beethoven does make her quite mellow.

 

[Amicus]

I've enjoyed hiking on Tanglewood weekends for many years. Most of my favorites have been mentioned, including the Race Brook Trail up to the Race-Everett stretch of the AT (but strenuous on a hot day and the Brook falls are likely to be quite low) and Monument Mt. (which also has literary associations - Hawthorne is said to have given Melville the idea for Moby Dick when they were trapped ina slab cave near the summit by a thunderstorm).

I would also note:

- Pleasant Valley Sanctuary, just north of Lenox, with a network of mellow trails and one steep one up to Mt. Lenox. That has a fire tower which, at least as of a couple of years ago, a reckless daredevil willing to navigate around burned-out steps and landings could scale, at least part-way. (Strongly discouraged, and it may be posted.)

- The underappreciated trail system maintained by the Berkshire Natural Resources Council over Yokun Ridge, which is just north of Tanglewood itself. The Walsh Trail, for one, which leaves 183 at Olivia's Outlook just over a mile from the Tanglewood main entrance, links with miles of other very pleasant trails that may not be spectacular but see little use and have some views (including one south to Monument).

- Special situation hike: You are with a non-hiker (or exhausted hiker) who wants to spend an hour or so at the huge outlet shopping mall at Exit 2 in Lee. Just 10 minutes to the south, you can hike a two-mile clockwise loop over Tyringham Cobble, which seems to take you back about 150 years. Great views of the village of Tyringham, and one small piece of the loop is the AT.

 

[jjo]

Monument is a nice, quick, short hike w good rewards for little effort. Nice woods and easy climb..

 

[jjmcgo]

Want to get away?

I've loved Bash Bish since I was a kid but the NY cops have ruined the swimming enjoyment.

There are two other relatively nearby waterfalls with swimming holes where you are less likely to be bothered. Of course, I'm talking about behaving in a legal manner in a safe environment.

The falls on the Umpachene River in Mill River can be found here:
http://www.massbike.org/bikeways/berkconn/sidetrpb.htm

Campbell Falls in New Marlborough on the Connecticut border is here:

http://www.ctwaterfalls.com/pictures/CampbellFalls.jpg

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.ad...dress=&city=new+marlborough&state=ma&zipcode=

Campbell Falls affords great privacy because you park on a turnout and walk down a short but steep hill to a small beach at the bottom of the falls. You can wade and swim in the pool. I've never been there when someone else was there and there are acres and acres nearby for privacy. So you can get a little romantic without bothering other people.

Chesterfield Gorge in Chesterfield is farther away but you can walk for miles along the river, cross it and climb the hill and see the chasm from the other side.

 

[rocket21]

including the Race Brook Trail up to the Race-Everett stretch of the AT (but strenuous on a hot day and the Brook falls are likely to be quite low)

It should be noted that if one ends up only having time for doing one of the peaks from the Race Brook Trail (Race or Everett), Race is more scenic. Mt. Everett used to have a fire tower, but without it the views don't compare to Race. There's a lookout ledge on the east side of Everett, as well as some views on the ascent up the AT, but nothing like Race's open summit area.

 

[audrey]

Let's see, the five of us getting romantic at the ole swimmin' hole...I love VFTTers for their variety and originality. And my trip report will be about how I missed the concert doing time in the local poky.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[marchowes]

Chesterfield Gorge in Chesterfield is farther away but you can walk for miles along the river, cross it and climb the hill and see the chasm from the other side.

WOW I never thought I would see Chesterfield Gorge mentioned on this site!