Berkshires

anyone got decent suggestions for hiking in the Berkshires ?

found some maps from BNRC: http://www.bnrc.net/map.htm

any idea how we can find out about Winter road closures near Greylock ?

anyone know anything about Historic Valley Campground ? or decent places to camp ?

Arm:

Bish-Bash Falls area (or is it Bash-Bish?) . Really cool place.

Mount Everett (start at Jugs End Trail/great day hike).

Bearstown State Forest. Numerous trails.

Greater Barrington is one of my favorite places in Mass.

Peace.

Mt. Greylock has good day hikes, especially fine is the Hopper on the west side.

Trip report

It's Bish Bash Falls... Last October, a friend and I rode to Great Barrington from NJ and we stopped by Bish Bash falls (we didn't ride over the mountain but rode back to Copake and up to Hillsdale and then east on Rt 23 through Catamount into Great Barrington. Bish Bash falls is really nice even though we didn't do any hiking there.

We camped out in Beartown (Campsite #9 is great, BTW) and did day trips riding to Stockbridge and stuff, We rode up to Pittsfield one day to visit the Hancock Shaker Village and we did some hiking at Laura's Lookout (sort of a firetower) and some hiking around the AT through Beartown. Very nice park, October Mtn is bigger and is a little north but Beartown was very cozy and a nice little campsite.

I am told Monument Mountain which seems to be right west of Rt 7 is not to be missed too.

Jay

sure, it's tiny, only 400 ft, in fact

but I like Tyringham Cobble

Mt. Greylock is a fun hike.

If you're headed down to the southern Mass. area definitely consider hiking Mount Race -- it has really beautiful panoramic views and is a great hike. You could take Race Brook Falls Trail from Route 41 to the AT and head either south to Mt. Race or north to Mt. Everett. Mt. Everett is also a nice hike -- in the spring at least it doesn't have great views, but it may be better in winter with all the leaves off the trees.

- Ivy

Jay H said:

It's Bish Bash Falls...

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Actually,

Bash-Bish Falls site

You are right as in that it is a great place to hike and camp.
At one point on the trail, you can side track to a ledge and stand in MA, NY & CT at the same time.

Great indian lore for the family if you need a good campfire story.
You can also jump on the AT any place in that area and do tall or small. Blue, I like the Cobbles as well.

D'oh!!! I meant that, I even double checked, but now that you posted that, I went back and must be those sticky fingers...

When my friend and I went to the falls, we took the little emergency short cut because they don't allow bikes on the trail, so we biked up the road to the path after talking to the guy at the bike shop down below and stashed out bikes off the road. Then we walked down the steep fireroad and to the falls.

Hopefully NY state finishes that Harlem Valley Rail Trail, that's a real nice route. When we biked back to Jersey, we took the RT from Millerton all the way to Amenia and it was a very nice ride.

Jay

I took a quick spin down to Bash Bish falls last summer, a few pics HERE

Also did Monument Mountain and that was a fun hike, can find pics HERE

Bob

ps - Just found this site Sports in the Berkshires which has some more info.

Bob

Brings back a few memories Bob.
We take the younger Boy Scouts there every couple of years to break'em in to backpacking before we do longer trips.

Been two years now, we're due.

arm,

I don't think Central and Northern Berkshires have gotten a fair shake, so here's a few;
1) Follow the old (1840s) rail trail along the West Branch of the Westfield River in Middlefield and Chester.(not technically Berk.Ct., but close enough). You will be in awe of the half dozen or so stone arch bridges built in 1840s, some of them still in use by CSX. Plus if you're a train buff, there's nothing like a west-bound , 120+ car CSX train roaring to get to the top of the mountain.
2) Ragged Mnt. in Adams, just to the northeast of Greylock. Rugged terrain, but beautiful.
3) Yokun Mountain Ridge from Rt. 102 in West Stockbridge, heading north along West Stockbridge Mnt., Lenox Mnt., and ending up at Bousquets ski area in Pittsfield.
4) Taconic Crest Trail from Rt. 20, north to Pittsfield St. For., or beyond.
5) The A.T. from Becket Rd. in Lee, north past Finerty Pond, Bald Hill, Warner Hill, and finish in Dalton.
Good luck, and have a great time!

Better than fair.
I'll always remember my first trip on the AT

Your #5.

My son and I love that area.

If you head for the Bish Bash Falls area, consider Alander Mtn. Fairly open ridge with nice views in all directions. We approached it from the ranger station but there's a trail from the falls area, too, and it's only a few miles to the summit.

Arm

On the west side of Greylock is the Hopper and Roaring Brook.
There are 2 main trails out of Roaring Brook road, which is the entrance to the Greylock Ski Club, The Roaring Brook Trail is a moderatly steep hike which if you want will go to the summit or make some nice loops back to the parking place via Stoney Ledge trail. If you want ill email you a map with some hikes marked on it and you can make your own choice.
The Hopper has a real long loop over Prospect Mt via Money Brook Trail and the A.T., over Greylock and back down the Hopper trail. There are some great bushwhacks to slides that i know you would enjoy. these all go to the summit if thats what your looking for the Hopper cirque hike is about 11 miles. You can make things as difficult and long as you want.
steveo

Lots of good advice, but I'm a dye in the wool fan of the hikes around the AT between Lion's Head (Salisbury CT) and Mt. Everett (S.Egremont, MA). Best day hikes are from the east, off route 41. As Poison Ivy said, Race Brook Trail is very nice with options for Everett, Race or both. Undermountain Trail up to the AT and then to Bear Mt., down the steep north side and then back to Undermountain along Paradise Lane with a possible really nice detour down into Sages Ravine. Depending on what you consider a "day" you can also loop onto Round Mt., Mt. Frissel, Brace Mt., now we're talking about some miles.
A word of advice, I haven't been up there for a month or so, but given recent conditions, it could be very slick in there, especially if temps area below freezing. A thin coat of very packed snow and ice. Some traction devices of some sort could make the going much easier, even though probably not essential.

Gates

Arm
If a gate is shown on the map, its closed at this time of year. I dont think youll find a campground open now, and im not sure about car camping at trail heads. Sorry for such little info.
A nice short (timewise) hike, would be to the summit via the Cheshire harbor Trail. Gets you to the summit in about 1 and 1/2 hrs. With a loop south, down the A.T. to the old adams rd. back to the Chesire harbor trail and then to the trail head.
If in decent shape and the A.T. is broken out, should be doable in about 4 or 5 hrs. The old adams rd is also a snowmobile trail so im sure its packed. If you ski, this is all great skating or diagonal. The only place it would be tight is the A.T..
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Regards Steveo

A good half-day trip on Greylock would be to park at one of the trailheads on Gould Rd., follow the Gould trail to the AT, over the summit and down Thunderbolt or Bellows Pipe trail to the Bellows Pipe mountain bike extension and back to the truck. You'll need snowshoes, and probably won't need crampons.

Gates on Notch Rd. would be closed. The gate on Thiel Rd. was open a few weeks ago, but the road wasn't plowed past the gate. However, there isn't much snow up there and 4wd vehicles could drive right to the Thunderbolt trailhead. You could probably car camp at any of the trailheads without a hassle, but you never know.

The Miss Adams diner in downtown Adams has reopened and would have a good breakfast.

Originally posted by jfb The Miss Adams diner in downtown Adams has reopened and would have a good breakfast.

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Do you know how early in the a.m. the diner is open on Saturdays?

Tom

According to an article in the North Adams Transcript, it will open at 0600 on Saturdays.

jfb said:

According to an article in the North Adams Transcript, it will open at 0600 on Saturdays.

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Thanks much. I'll be doing Greylock early April and will check it out.

Tom