This information is accurate as of May 24, 2021 and will be updated as new guidance comes out.
General Trail Policies (Group Policy below)
BNRC has always trusted and relied on visitors to be responsible users of our reserves. With increased visitation and stress on trailheads, now more than ever, we ask that visitors please respect these requests — if we all work together, we can keep the trails open.
- Berkshire Natural Resources Council’s trails and reserves are open. We recognize the importance of being outside for mental and physical well-being and our goal is to maintain this status for our community.
- Our use policies during this time follow the guidelines of the CDC and State of Massachusetts.
- Please be safe: maintain at least a 6-foot distance between yourself and others. Be prepared to step aside, and let people know you are near if they can’t see you.
- Avoid parking on the road. If you arrive at a location and the parking lot is full, please come back another time.
- Please leash your dog on BNRC trails, since our four-legged friends don’t seem to understand social distancing.
Group Visits to BNRC Trails
We recognize that hiking in a group can bridge a barrier for those venturing outdoors. Since the advent of Covid, Berkshire Natural Resources Council has seen significantly increased visitation and stress on trailheads. With the experience of all users in mind, we ask that those planning to lead group hikes on BNRC Trails please respect these requests:
- Limit group participation to 12 (Per Phase III, Step 1 Guidelines: July 3, 2020)
- Carpool (wear a mask while doing so) and/or shuttle participants so your group takes up no more than one quarter of all parking spaces
- Let us know at least one week in advance of your hike date and time so we can keep track of group activity on trails and prevent overlap (email Mariah at mauman@bnrc.org).
- Get in touch (email mauman@bnrc.org) if you are regularly leading hikes on BNRC properties.