The Great Outdoors
Activities for Small Kids
Thousand-Acre Swamp Trail, near Southfield, www.alltrails.com/trail/us/massachusetts/thousand-acre-swamp--4. Lily pads and frogs, and a cool suspension bridge.
Fruit picking, www.pickyourown.org.
Hancock Shaker Village, https://hancockshakervillage.org/.
Noble Heart Sanctuary, New Marlborough, https://nobleheartsanctuary.org/. Email Julie@nobleheartsanctuary.org or text 571-277-0039 to schedule a tour.
Art Omi in Ghent, NY. Picnic, and kids can run around.
Highlawn Farm Creamery, www.highlawnfarm.com.
Hokahe Goat Farm, Housatonic, www.facebook.com/hokahehgoats/?paipv=0&eav=AfalJPR0fjgd-YcFYkR8eDIj31SzMo8eLl6Edabeil6DUoKHiHwSzY41upkTTLhklLg&_rdr.
French Park, North Egremont. Playground, trails.
The Circle Museum, Rte 22 in Austerlitz, https://cargocollective.com/circlemuseum.
Berkshire Museum has lots of "playroom"-type activities.
The Mason Library in GB has a fun playroom for kids…and of course, great kid books!
Pony rides at Blue Rider Stables, https://bluerider.org/
Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent, NY. Its a drive but its worth it. And they have a great bakery and farm store.
Hancock Shaker Village, https://hancockshakervillage.org/. Baby animals in the spring. West of Pittsfield.
Cross-Country Ski Trails
Inquire at Kenvers.
Cross Country Assoc. (xcskimass.com) has information on larger areas in the Berkshires -- ski rentals, instruction, trail maps, conditions.
Egremont Country Club -- not groomed but fun and close.
Jug End Preserve
Appalachian Trail off Sheffield Rd
French Park trails
Project Native, 54 acres -- Rt. 41 in Housatonic, free, open dawn to dusk.
Hilltop Orchards in Richmond. Groomed trails, and snowshoeing. They charge a fee, but they usually have great cider and donuts, and you can check out their winery. www.hilltoporchards.com
Notchview in Windsor, MA. This Trustees of Reservations property has a cafe, rentals, and lessons. 413-684-0148
Canterbury Farm in Becket has skiing and ice-skating, and a nice little inn where one can take a break with a soup or beverage. 413-623-0100
Cranwell -- skiing, snowshoeing. 413-637-1364
Roe Jan Park in Hillsdale, NY, where the Hillsdale-Copake Farmers Market is held.
Kennedy Park – Situated in the historic village of Lenox. The Park’s 502 acres of tree lined forest features 15 miles of trails carved out of a network of old carriage roads. While there are a variety of terrains, including several moderate climbs, the park’s trails are predominately flat and smooth. However, the trails are not groomed.
Pittsfield State Forest – A sprawling 1000-acre forest located in the town of Pittsfield, this year-round destination offers 30 miles of trails – many specifically marked for winter activity. It’s a pretty rustic set-up. No bells and whistles here. Just lots of majestic outdoor scenery and hearty trail excursions.
Mt. Greylock – The ultimate challenge for snowshoeing in Western Massachusetts. Reaching a peak of 3,491 feet, it is the highest point in Southern New England. What’s more, there are few mountains in the Northeast with as much diversity and access. There are over 70 miles of trails, many of which can be trekked in winter.
Fly Fishing Info
Berkshire Rivers Fly Fishing (http://berkshireriversflyfishing.com/) , email: berkshireriversflyfishing@gmail.com.
The tackle shop at Taft Farm: http://www.chartertheberkshires.com/tafts_tackle , 413-429-5366
Hikes in the Berkshires
Bess Dillman. 528-7974 berkshirehiker@gmail.com. She leads individualized hikes, designed for your abilities, interests, and time constraints.
Hot Air Balloons
Spirit Ballooning in Canaan Ct, 860-464-4359, spiritballooning.com. Highest possible rec. A wonderful family-run business and the flight is an incredibly beautiful experience. (5/19)
Swimming Pools (Local)
Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Crissey Rd
Simon's Rock College (Kilpatrick Athletic Center)
The Spa at Cranwell
YMCA at Geer Village in Canaan, CT
Where to Hike on Your Own
Alford Springs: 2 loops, totals about 4 miles, good signage, run by BNRC. Father's Loop: Go up Mountain Rd and to the left.
Harlem Valley Rail Trail: accessible in several places.
Short trail off of Anthony Street in Hillsdale—a nice paved walk with a scenic view past tree farms and some grazing animals. A designated parking area in a lot that services the Roe Jan Brewery and Herrington’s. Or access a much longer piece of the trail at Copake Falls off of Route 22 south, also good for biking.
Housatonic Flats in GB. www.bnrc.org/trails-and-maps/top-berkshire-trails/housatonic-flats/. Short (~1 mi) flat hike.
Immediately south of Stockbridge: (1) Laura’s Tower Trail ends at the tower, which you can climb for a great view of the surrounding area. (2) Ice Glen Trail.
Art OMI in Ghent, NY, offers a vast, outdoor sculpture and architectural art park. The outdoor part is accessible with restrictions—see www.artomi.org. As of May 11, only 20 parking spots are available, and if that number is reached, visitors will be turned away.
Sheffield: Lime Kiln Farm run by the MA Audubon; nice 2.8 mile trail.
Mt. Washington:
path around Guilder Pond - just off the AT; beautiful when mtn. laurel blooms in mid-to-late June
Guilder Pond to site of former fire tower on AT & back; great views east
Guilder Pond north along the AT. You can walk up the AT & back or leave a 2nd car at the Berkshire School and hike down the mountain
Sunset Rock - enter from Mt. Washington or Copake, NY; lots of trails; ties into Bash Bish Falls
Alander Mtn. - up to 15 miles of trails, but several cut-offs where you can do a nice 2-hour hike
The roads of Egremont - 35 miles of public roads (excluding Routes 41 & 23), including
Townhouse Hill Rd, Phillips Rd, Baldwin Hill N/S, and Baldwin Hill E/W.
North Egremont Store to General Knox Rd to Shun Toll Rd to the end & back
North Egremont Store to Prospect Lake Rd to Blunt Rd to Baldwin Hill W, and on to Baldwin Hill
North Egremont Store to Boice Rd to Green River Rd (in Alford) & back on Rowe Road to the NoEg Store.
Also in Egremont:
Jug End Reservation: many lovely paths, especially the Loop Trail.
April Hill Farm, run by the Greenagers: 62 Undermountain Rd., 644-9090. Use mowed paths around all the hay fields and into the back orchard and pastures. Keep your eyes peeled along hedgerows for newly planted chestnuts, hazelnuts, mullberries, and more---the beginnings of a food forest. Take a peek at the developing educational garden, featuring permaculture concepts. All the food from April Hill this year will go to local food pantries and/or schools. Near the parking area is the apiary with five hives of very happy bees. If the parking area is full, please come back at a different time. Our farm crew is working under COVID protocols and restrictions so please be respectful with physical distancing.
Berkshire Natural Resources Council has an app: BNRC Berkshire Trails. And their website at www.bnrc.org/bnrc-trails-maps.