Church Street Trailhead
Housatonic River Walk
Great Barrington, MA
Wildlife Viewing | Snowshoeing | Hiking
Dresser Avenue Trailhead 7 Cottage St, Great Barrington, MA
Managed by
Great Barrington Land Conservancy
Part of
Housatonic River Walk
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Dogs allowed - Leashed
- Family Friendly
- Free
- Near Public Transit
- Parking
- Scenic View
- Public Land
- Private Land
- Bus Route
- Trail
- Major Trail
About Dresser Avenue Trailhead
The Dresser Avenue Trailhead provides access to the Housatonic River Walk, a national recreation trail that follows the Housatonic River in downtown Great Barrington. Nestled into the fabric of one of the most lively small towns in Western Massachusetts, the River Walk provides residents and visitors with a greater appreciation of nature. Despite its downtown location, restoration efforts have returned the trail's surrounding environment to its natural state, granting visitors easy access to nature. This walking trail is mostly flat, and the steeper sections that climb up the river's embankment are equipped with stairs. Lining the trails are kiosks that identify trees and recount history. While the Dresser Avenue Trailhead is primarily used to access the River Walk's upstream section, a short walk from Dresser Avenue onto River Street provides access to the mellow downstream section of the trail. The River Walk is most popular in the summer, but it is also known for delivering beautiful riverside fall foliage from September through November.
At the Dresser Avenue Trailhead is a large public parking lot that provides direct access to the trail. The family-friendly environment makes the River Walk beloved by visitors and residents of all ages. The trail's short length makes it easy to fit the River Walk into a long day of exploring the Berkshires. The Dresser Avenue Trailhead is a common spot to park the car while checking out Great Barrington's vibrant downtown, and the River Walk is often used by people as they wait for a table at local restaurants.
Great Barrington Land Conservancy
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Accessibility Assessment
There are no accessible features at this location.
The north section of the Housatonic Riverwalk consists of crushed stone, and is consistently wide throughout. Parking for the Housatonic Riverwalk at Dresser Ave can be found in a flat, paved lot with room for at least 25 cars to park. A trex staircase descends from the parking lot down to the Riverwalk. The north riverwalk section is mostly flat, with a few sections with grades between 5-10%. Stone benches overlook the river throughout the trail. Additionally, there are short boardwalks that also consist of Trex throughout the trail. An additional entrance to the north section of the Riverwalk can be found between Green Branch Urban Farm and Dollar General, near Rosseter Street. This entrance also requires a trex staircase to be taken down to the trail. The north section of the Riverwalk runs for .15 miles, while the entire Riverwalk spans roughly half a mile.
Parking area for the Housatonic Riverwalk at Dresser Avenue.
Connection to the downstream section of the Housatonic Riverwalk, via
Staircase that descends down to the upstream section of the Housatonic Riverwalk.
Housatonic Riverwalk - upstream section.
Main street entrance to the Housatonic Riverwalk - upstream.
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.
