Mother Loop Trailhead

Mountain Road, Alford, MA

About Mother Loop Trailhead

The Mother Loop is a three-mile hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing trail in Alford Springs. At the parking lot, visitors will find a narrow trail that travels alongside a marshy forest. The trail soon reaches a junction with the Father Loop, which features an open meadow with excellent mountain views. This trail junction also offers a bench, perfect for relaxing and listening to the sounds of various local wildlife species.

Continuing toward the right on the Mother Loop, visitors will trek on a rooty path. Eventually, this path provides scenic views of the Berkshires to the east. When the weather begins to cool in autumn, these mountains erupt with the yellows and oranges of fall foliage.

As the trail continues beyond these mountain lookouts, the forest opens and showcases old buildings and other remains of the region's agricultural past. Visitors will then return to the parking lot after passing near private property and heading north.

A small parking lot is at the end of Old Village Road, which branches from Mountain Road. Visitors will find a larger parking lot for the Father Loop at the end of Mountain Road. Alford Springs is a BNRC property that is open for hunting during the appropriate Western Massachusetts seasons.