Click here for more information on BNRC trails and COVID-19
Berkshire Natural Resources Council’s trails 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. We also ask that you avoid parking on the road if a parking lot is full and to come back at another time. Please leash your dog on BNRC trails at this time, since our four-legged friends don’t seem to understand social distancing.
Take a hike! Go for a walk, a swim, catch a fish, have a picnic, climb a mountain. We keep land so you can enjoy it. Our top trails offer a range of activities. Find the one that is right for you…then try another one next time.
For more hikes and adventures, pick up BNRC’s Go Wild at any local brochure rack, or request one at frontdesk@bnrc.org or 413-499-0596. Take a moment and let us know about your walk!
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2. STEEPLETOP, New Marlborough
3. STEADMAN POND AT HUDSON-HOWARD, Monterey
4. THOMAS & PALMER BROOK, Great Barrington
5. CLAM RIVER, Sandisfield
6. HOOSAC RANGE, North Adams
7. PARSONS MARSH, Lenox
8. MAHANNA COBBLE, Pittsfield
9. BOB’S WAY, Monterey/Sandisfield
10. THE BOULDERS, Pittsfield/Dalton/Lanesborough
11. OLD MILL TRAIL, Hinsdale/Dalton
12. ALFORD SPRINGS, Alford
13. BASIN POND, Lee
14. STEVENS GLEN, West Stockbridge/Richmond
15. OLIVIA’S OVERLOOK AT YOKUN RIDGE SOUTH, Lenox/Richmond/Stockbridge/West Stockbridge
16. HOLLOW FIELDS, Richmond
Trail difficulty rating:
All time estimates are for walking in dry weather.
Difficulty ranges from 1 to 5
1- Accessible
2- Easy- Gentle grades, smooth footing
3- Moderate- uneven footing, elevation changes
4- Difficult- Strenuous due to length and/or terrain
5- Expert – No marked trails
1. Housatonic Flats, Great Barrington
1 mile, round-trip; 30 minutes
Difficulty: 2, easy
Features: Views of pastoral Housatonic River, birdwatching, dog walking. Super easy place to “air out” in a short time.
Especially good in: Spring
Directions/more information
2. Steepletop, New Marlborough
Louise Lane (North Loop): 2.2 miles, round-trip; 1.5 hours
Edie’s Way (South Loop): 2.2 miles, round-trip; 1.5 hours
Difficulty: 2, easy
Features: Expansive wetlands, miles of wood road
Especially good in: Winter/Summer
Directions/more information
3. Steadman Pond at Hudson-Howard, Monterey
.25 miles, one-way; 10 minutes
Difficulty: 2, easy
Features: Pond in beautiful setting, excellent bass fishing. Swimming raft and rowboat await! Terrific bird watching. Great picnic and hangout spot.
Especially good in: Summer
Directions/more information
4. Thomas & Palmer Brook, Great Barrington
Trail: 0.5 miles, round-trip
Difficulty: 1, accessible
Features: Gorgeous views across wetlands
Especially good in: Spring/Summer/Fall
Directions/more information
5. Clam River, Sandisfield
Clam River Loop Trail: 1.5 miles, round-trip; 1 hour
Difficulty: 2, easy
Clam River Trail: 3 miles, round-trip; 2 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Hammertown Loop Trail: 1.6 miles, round-trip; 1.5 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: Beautiful, romantic stream valley, canyon-like in spots with access to Clam River. Old stone foundations and millworks along this cold water stream. Abundant wildlife.
Especially good in: Summer
Directions/more information
6. Hoosac Range, North Adams
Sunset Rock: 1.6 miles, round-trip; 1.25 hours
Difficulty: 2, easy
Spruce Hill: 6 miles, round-trip; 4 hours
Difficulty: 4, difficult
Features: High elevation long views: prepare for the sublime! Cool rock cliffs formed by “glacial plucking” with trees twisted into fantastical forms by wind and ice. Blueberries at Sunset Rock and open ledges near Spruce Hill in summer. Awesome spring snowshoeing. Migratory raptors in fall, great viewing at Spruce Hill. Views over North Adams, Mount Greylock, and Florida State Forest.
Especially good in: Fall
Directions/more information
7. Parsons Marsh, Lenox
Trail: 1/3 mile, one-way
Difficulty: 1, accessible
Features: Marsh, forested wetland, and quarry pond
Especially good in: Spring/Summer/Fall
Directions/more information
8. Mahanna Cobble, Pittsfield
Mahanna Cobble Trail: 3.2 miles, out-and-back, 2 hours
Difficulty: 4, difficult
Features: Gorgeous views south from George’s bench
Especially good in: Summer/Fall
Directions/more information
9. Bob’s Way, Monterey/Sandisfield
2.5 miles, round-trip; 1.5 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: Multiple loops, so it’s easy to customize your walk with fabulous beaver pond views. Formerly a heron rookery, still teeming with wildlife. Dave’s Bench, a stone seat created from bedrock ledge and artisanal stonework sits atop with the best view of the house!
Especially good in: Spring
Directions/more information
10. The Boulders, Pittsfield/Dalton/Lanesborough
Healthy Heart Loop: 0.5 mile, round-trip; 0.5 hour
Difficulty: 2. easy
Green trail: 1.4 miles round-trip; 1 hour
Difficulty: 2, easy
Red trail: 2.4 miles round-trip; 1.5 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Blue trail: 2.8 miles round-trip; 1.75 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: Miles of excellent trails, beautiful tall trees, and the natural slides at The Boulders
Especially good in: Winter/Spring/Fall
Directions/more information
11. Old Mill Trail, Hinsdale/Dalton
Accessible section: 1.4 miles round-trip; 1 hour
Difficulty: 1, accessible
Entire trail: 3 miles round-trip; 2 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: accessible trail, fishing access, and interpretive trail
Especially good in: Spring
Directions/more information
12. Alford Springs, Alford
Mother Loop: 2.4 miles, round-trip; 1.5 hours
Father Loop: 4.3 miles, round-trip; 2.5 hours
Saddle Trail: 1 mile, one-way, 0.5 hours
Difficulty: Walking, 3, moderate; Skiing, 4, difficult
Features: Blackberries in summer, noteworthy backcountry Nordic skiing in winter, with challenging ascents and descents. Gorgeous views of Alford Valley and beyond. Good hunting reported.
Especially good in: Winter
Directions/more information
13. Basin Pond, Lee
2.5 miles, round-trip; 2 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate (easy walking, but does include a couple of stream crossings on step-stones)
Features: Beautiful wetlands, with a wildlife viewing deck in the sun. Trail crosses a boulder field which provides a great place for kids to climb and hide on trailside rocks.
Especially good in: Summer
Directions/more information
14. Stevens Glen, West Stockbridge/Richmond
1.5 miles, round-way; 1.25 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: 19th century tourist attraction, reborn for the 21st century including a waterfall through romantic rock cleft, stream to dabble feet on hot day, a viewing platform with bench for reflection. Deep hemlock forest also awaits.
Especially good in: Spring
Directions/more information
15. Olivia’s Overlook at Yokun Ridge South, Lenox/Richmond/Stockbridge/West Stockbridge
Note: Yokun Ridge South is the central hub of a multi-spoked trail network. There are multiple options extending north and south from there.
Charcoal Trail: 1.6 miles, round-trip; 1 hour
Brothers Trail: 0.9 miles, one-way; 0.75 hours
Burbank Trail: 3.2 miles, round-trip; 2 hours
Old Baldhead Road: 1.5 miles, one-way; 1.5 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: Charcoal pits (can you spot them?) and a run alongside Shadow Brook, named by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Remarkable stone work on trail itself. Also includes the tri-town monument: where Stockbridge, Lenox and Richmond meet…Berkshires’ answer to Four Corners.
Especially good in: Fall
Directions/more information for all Yokun Ridge South trails
16. Hollow Fields, Richmond
Fields Trail: 2 miles, round-trip, 1 hour
Perry’s Peak Loop: 3.7 miles, round-trip, 2 hours
Difficulty: 3, moderate
Features: Walk mowed paths through open fields – truly a rarity! Long views that are both sun-splashed and windswept, stunning in all seasons. Great bird watching, particularly in spring. Mellow spot for picnicking.
Especially good in: Spring
Directions/more information