Otis Town Hall Park
Otis, MA
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Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary Norton Road, Otis, MA
Managed by
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Family Friendly
- Free
- Parking
- Scenic View
Summit of Old Baldy.
View of the Berkshires from the summit of Old Baldy.
Entrance to the parking area for Old Baldy (left) from Norton Road.
- Public Land
- Private Land
- Bus Route
- Trail
- Major Trail
About Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary
Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Otis, with a parking lot available on Norton Road. The sanctuary offers hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities, with a short and steep hike leading to a large open summit that provides panoramic views of the surrounding Western Massachusetts forests.
Only a 0.3-mile hike from the parking lot, the climb is on the short and grassy Summit Trail. After curling through the woods, the trail finishes at the 1,700-foot peak of the Old Baldy, which has plenty of room to walk around. The peak is being kept clear to help restore the habitat for New England cottontail, so visitors have a 360-degree vista for viewing the surrounding sugar maple, white ash, and basswood forests. On a clear day, visitors may also be able to see a portion of the Otis Reservoir.
The Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary is a 154-acre property owned and managed by Mass Audubon. The protected property allows Mass Audubon to perform restoration and conservation practices essential for their (aforementioned) New England Cottontail Habitat Project. Visitors can appreciate the wildlife in the area and keep an eye out for the inhabiting moose and bears. The sanctuary is an excellent place to become immersed in and admire the natural beauty of the Berkshires.
Massachusetts Audubon Society
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Accessibility Assessment
There are no accessible features at this location.
Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary offers a compact, gravel parking area for at least five cars. The parking area is on a slight hill, featuring a 5-8% grade down towards the trailhead. A 3-fooet wide opening between a gate and a post provides access to the trail. The .6-mile trail to Old Baldy consists of mowed grass and is consistently wide. The trail also contains sustained slopes of 10-15%, with the summit of Old Baldy being flat.
Entrance to the Old Baldy trail.
Uphill section of the Old Baldy trail.
Parking area for the Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary.
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.
