Sperry Road Campground
Mount Greylock State Reservation
Williamstown, MA
Snowshoeing | Snowmobiling | Hiking
Berlin Pass Trailhead Berlin Road, Williamstown, MA
Managed by
Purple Valley NEMBA
Part of
Berlin Mountain
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Free
- Low Visitation
- Parking
An overlook along the trail, showing fields and distant mountains
A view of a mountain from the trail
Corner on a mountain bike trail.
The trail through the woods
The trail covered in grass
A view of the distant mountains and forest from the trail
Rock stairs along the trail
- Public Land
- Private Land
- Bus Route
- Trail
- Major Trail
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Free
- Low Visitation
- Parking
About Berlin Pass Trailhead
The Berlin Pass Trailhead will bring visitors to an expansive hiking area in Williamstown. Overall, visitors will have several options for an enjoyable day of outdoor recreation in the Berkshires.
Leaving from the trailhead toward the south, visitors will soon see the old Williams ski hill. When enough snow has fallen in winter, this hill is an excellent place for backcountry skiing. But, during the summertime, visitors can hike this trail to the summit of Mount Berlin. Though the path is extremely steep, it is both short and rewarding. Eventually, after about one mile, the trail will reach a grassy field at the peak. This area offers beautiful scenic views of the surrounding Berkshires toward the east.
Meanwhile, heading west from the trailhead on the Berlin Pass Trail, hikers will climb on a moderate slope through a dense forest toward the Taconic Crest Trail, a major north-south thru trail that straddles the MA and NY border. A recommended hike is to head south on the Taconic Crest Trail before looping back to the trailhead via. the Old Williams Ski Trail for a 3-mile hike with fantastic scenery. Plenty of local wildlife species, including songbirds and amphibians, are found in this rugged Western Massachusetts forest. There are also many wildflower species in spring.
Berlin Mountain is now home to seven new mountain biking trails, a mix of hand-built and machine-built singletrack that riders can reach directly by bike from downtown Williamstown. Offering the full spectrum of experiences—from beginner-friendly trails to expert-level technical trails and professionally built flow—this is the first phase of the Purple Valley Trails network, which is planned to expand into more than 25 miles. The trails are maintained by Purple Valley Trails, a member of the not for profit New England Mountain Bike Association.
There is a large parking lot at the end of Berlin Road. Further down the road, visitors will also find a trailhead for a small waterfall.
Managed by
Purple Valley NEMBA
Part of
Berlin Mountain
Purple Valley NEMBA
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Accessibility Assessment
Features- Accessible Parking
- Adaptive Equipment Trails (Mt. Biking and Skiing)
This trailhead has a large flat parking area with no designated parking spots. It is made of compact gravel. There is a short path that leads to the hiking trailhead from the parking lot that requires going up a 3" gap onto a wooden platform bridge. There is also a flat gravel path that leads from the parking lot to the start of the mountain biking trail. The hiking trail is wide, more than 3 feet for most of it; however, aggregate material of various sizes can be found on the trail. There are 7 different mountain biking trails, each of varying levels of difficulty. The Green Levels are accessible for adaptive mountain biking equipment, with flat trails and wide areas for turnaround. Most of the trails are 5 feet wide. There is plenty of signage that indicates the trail's difficulties.
A large gravel parking lot.
A section of the mountain bike trail, showing the 5' width
A section of the hiking trail with sticks and aggregate material
A sign for Mount Berlin Trailhead, by the mountain bike trailhead.
The flat gravel path that connects the parking lot to the mountain biking trails.
Clubs, Retail & Rentals
Looking to meet up with others for team sports or group activities? Check out our list of clubs, guides and leagues in the Berkshires on the Resources page. Our list of summer camps will help you plan an overnight or day camp adventure for your young ones.
We also link to an array of outdoor recreation retail shops for gear and rental facilities for equipment on the Gear page.
