Southern Berkshire Friends Meeting The Dark Side

280 State Road, Great Barrington, MA

About The Dark Side

The Dark Side is one of just a handful of crags in Western Massachusetts conducive to climbing. Hidden in the forest off Route 23, The Dark Side's boulders receive little traffic, and climbers constantly find and establish new projects. However, this seemingly untouched supply of climbing opportunities comes with the cost of difficult access to boulders, which are spread out and require hiking through unmaintained woods and marshland to reach. The rough path to the boulders is an approximately three-quarters-of-a-mile journey that can get muddy and is often covered in leaves. For those willing to make the trek, The Dark Side offers some of the best boulder problems in the Berkshires. The largest boulder is known as The Whale, which provides a variety of problems from warm-ups to expert-level climbing.

Access to the site and parking is granted through the Southern Berkshire Friends Meeting property. While the group welcomes climbers to explore the property, they ask that visitors email them before arrival. It is possible to bushwhack to the rocks through the East Mountain State forest, as most boulders are located on this public land. However, those seeking more direct access are encouraged to do so through the Southern Berkshire Friends.