Azalea Fields Group Hike at Pittsfield State Forest
Parking: Berry Mountain Vista Lot Main Entrance: 1041 Cascade Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Continue straight through the main entrance gate onto Berry Pond Circuit Road. The road bears left and up the mountain. Continue until you see a large vista and parking lot on your right.
Hike Rating: Moderate 3.36 miles ridgeline hike with 600 feet of total elevation gain, with options for less.
Join DCR Interpretive Coordinator Alec Gillman on one of the most beautiful mountaintops to experience the best the Taconic Ridge has to offer…sixty-five acres of wild azaleas. Berry Hill, named for William Berry, a Revolutionary War veteran who owned land here, is filled with the sweet smell of blooms of wide varieties of the pink wild flowers, and at 2,060 feet, Berry Pond is the highest natural water body in Massachusetts. We will hike the Berry Pond shoreline and then follow the Taconic Crest Trail to Tower Mountain, then return on the Pine Mountain Trail to visit Tilden Swamp with its bog vegetation. Our hike will start at the dirt parking lot known as the New York Overlook with commanding views of the Catskills and Albany. Berry Hill is also a well-known hawk watching site and many different varieties of wildlife can be seen here at this high elevation. Come explore this hidden gem on the New York-Massachusetts border, one of our greatest State Forests, filled with the most exciting trails and grand vistas!
Please register per vehicle on www.hilltownhikers.com. Maps and bottled water provided. Well-behaved dogs welcome. The event is volunteer-led. Suggested donation is $15. Please email westernmasshilltownhikers@aol.com or call/text 413-302-0312 if you have any questions. As always, be prepared for rocks, mud, and roots, bring trekking poles and a snack!
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GROUP HIKES AND TOURS SINCE 2010
