Appalachian Trail - Gulf Road
Appalachain Trail Corridor
Dalton, MA
Snowshoeing | Hiking
The Pines High Street, Dalton, MA
Managed by
Town of Dalton
Allowed Uses & Features
Information
- Dogs allowed - Leashed
- Free
- Near Public Transit
- Water Views
- Public Land
- Private Land
- Bus Route
- Trail
- Major Trail
About The Pines
Blocks away from Dalton's Main Street, the Pines is a forested area with open, flat, and navigable hiking trails. Located within a calm residential area, with its trailhead tucked behind the Dalton Senior Center, The Pines is a peaceful, relatively quiet Berkshires hiking option. Paths span and connect throughout the property, though a looped main trail allows a quick and easy walk through its woods. Along the way, visitors may encounter white-tailed deer, turkeys, and likely various bird species. Those visiting at dawn or dusk can expect to hear a symphony of peepers living in and croaking from an adjacent wetland. But of course, The Pines earns its name from its abundance of pine trees, which color portions of the trail orange with their littering of the eventually discolored needles.
The Pines is on a 40-acre property formerly owned by Crane and Company to protect the water they used to manufacture United States currency. Presently a highlight of outdoor recreation for the Town of Dalton, the forested trails and their improvement was the first project the town's 2020-founded Open Space and Recreation Committee decided upon and conducted. The forest now has a designated 10-year management plan alongside increased funding.
Street parking for The Pines is available on High Street.
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Accessibility Assessment
Features- Adaptive Device Trail
- Wheelchair / Stroller Friendly Trail
There is no parking at the Pines trailhead, and visitors will have to park nearby on High Street. From the trailhead, there is a half-mile ADA-compliant out-and-back trail. The trail is composed of hard-packed gravel, with a consistent width of between 6 and 7 feet. The trail is flat and smooth, with no cross slope, making it wheelchair friendly. The gravel trail leads to a pond, offering visitors a nice view at the midpoint of the hike. From the main ADA-compliant trail, visitors can venture into the woods on a network of trails sprawling out from the main trail. These other trails are narrower than the ADA-compliant trail, measuring between 3 and 5 feet wide. These trails are also steep in some sections, reaching slopes above 30%, and can be loose and rocky. The trails sprawling out from the main ADA-compliant trail are also in varying states of condition, with some trails being prone to mud and standing water. The main ADA-compliant trail offers a nice scenic and accessible hike to visitors.
Trail entrance
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.
