The Boulders - Gulf Road Trailhead
The Boulders
Dalton, MA
Mountain Biking | Hunting | Hiking
The Boulders - Dalton Ave Trailhead Gulf Road, Pittsfield, MA
Managed by
Berkshire Natural Resources Council
Part of
The Boulders
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Dogs allowed - Leashed
- Family Friendly
- Free
- Near Public Transit
- Parking
- Scenic View
Trail running through the forest of the Boulders Reserve
Trail running through the forest
Wider double track trail that is partially washed out
View from the trails in the Boulders Reserve
View of the Boulder at the top of the Blue Trail
- Public Land
- Private Land
- Bus Route
- Trail
- Major Trail
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Dogs allowed - Leashed
- Family Friendly
- Free
- Near Public Transit
- Parking
- Scenic View
About The Boulders - Dalton Ave Trailhead
This trailhead leads to an expansive hiking area managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council, containing 7 miles of trails. Upon leaving the parking lot, visitors will climb on a steady trail with blue blazes. Soon, the trail enters a forest of maple and ash trees, which provide plenty of shade on hot summer days in Western Massachusetts. Visitors will also undoubtedly see wildflowers here when the weather warms in the early spring.
The Blue Trail briefly merges with the Red Trail before soon branching away again. Continuing on the Blue Trail, visitors will climb through fern meadows in an open hemlock forest. Then, the trail arrives at The Boulders: large rock formations that erupt suddenly from the ground. From these boulders, visitors will access scenic views of the Berkshires toward the west.
Visitors can lengthen their hike by continuing on the Red Trail and trekking through the remainder of the preserve. Many local wildlife species, such as birds and chipmunks, are visible in this forest throughout the year.
Visitors will find a large parking lot off westbound Dalton Avenue, just before the stoplight at Hubbard Avenue. There is another parking lot on Gulf Road that can only be accessed from the Town of Dalton. The Boulders is open for hunting during the appropriate seasons.
Managed by
Berkshire Natural Resources Council
Part of
The Boulders
Berkshire Natural Resources Council
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Accessibility Assessment
There are no accessible features at this location.
When arriving at the Boulders trailhead on Dalton Avenue, visitors will first notice a large paved parking lot that provides ample parking. The parking lot contains no accessible parking spaces, but visitors can park close to the trail entrance. From the parking lot, the trail starts with more than a dozen stairs. The trailhead at Dalton Ave provides the best access to the blue and red trails. These trails can be wide, measuring around 5 feet wide at points, but can also become as narrow as 1 to 2 feet at other points. The trail surface at the Boulders also vary, with some sections being smooth and hard-packed while others are rocky and loose.
The parking area for the Boulders Trailhead on Dalton Ave
The trail entrance from the parking lot
Nearby Locations
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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.
