Peru WMA Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife Baumann Road Parking Area

Baumann Road, Peru, MA

About Baumann Road Parking Area

The Baumann Road Parking Area provides access to the middle section of the Peru Wildlife Management Area, a 5,000-acre forest excellent for hunting/fishing, wildlife viewing, and primatively exploring the woods of the Berkshires. The most notable feature of this parking area is its easy access to Trout Brook, which contains native and stocked trout for excellent fishing opportunities. This brook is just a few hundred yards to the south. Additionally, the surrounding forest provides excellent hunting opportunities, with white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, snowshoe hare, black bears, and eastern coyotes being abundant.

Those seeking a more passive activity can opt for wildlife viewing, birding, or simply roaming the woods and connecting with nature. Since the Peru Wildlife Management Area is extremely remote, it can be a great place to spot the more elusive creatures of Western Massachusetts like moose and fishers. Visitors will find a forest full of northern hardwoods, with maple, birch, white ash, black cherry, and American beech trees being most prevalent. Most sections of the property are dry, but wetlands are scattered throughout the lower regions. Lightly rolling topography dominates the landscape, as the WMA rests on a high plateau ranging between 1800 and 2000 feet.

The parking area on Baumann Road is an informal pull-off on the northern side of the road with room for a couple of vehicles to park. Although a handful of old forest roads scatter the Peru Wildlife Management Area, no maintained trails exist, so visitors should be prepared to navigate the property independently. It should be noted that the WMA takes the form of irregular-shaped parcels, meaning visitors and especially hunters should be cautious about remaining on public land.