Lower Bowker's Woods
Stockbridge, MA
Wildlife Viewing | Snowshoeing | Hiking
Gould Meadows is a picturesque hiking area with an exciting labyrinth of family-friendly trails. Visitors will immediately see the park’s meadows when arriving at the parking lot. The primary hiking trail leaves from this lot, taking visitors through the fields along a thin row of tall trees. When summer comes, these fields abound with yellow wildflowers and the sound of crickets. Various benches rest in the shade of the park’s trees, allowing visitors to relax and watch the plants sway with the summer breeze. The Berkshire Mountains are visible from these meadows, giving this park a scenic view of autumn leaf colors when cold weather arrives.
The park also contains other typical ecosystems of Western Massachusetts, where visitors can spot diverse local wildlife. After crossing through the meadows, the park’s trails guide hikers through a forest of lofty trees and along the Stockbridge Bowl. Visitors may be able to spot chipmunks and salamanders in this woodsy environment. Then, further into the park, frogs and toads echo throughout marshy wetland habitats.
A large parking lot for Gould Meadows is off Interlaken Road, south of Hawthorn Road. The park also connects to Bullard Woods, where visitors can find picnic tables and more beautiful lakeside views of the Stockbridge Bowl.
Tell others about this place
Looking to meet up with others for team sports or group activities? Check out our list of clubs and leagues in the Berkshires. We also link to an array of outdoor recreation resources: retail shops for gear, rental facilities for equipment, and guides to get you where you want to go! Our list of summer camps will help you plan an overnight or day camp adventure for your young ones.