<p>Hope to plan a short vacation to the area sometime this October. Lack of cartilage in left knee prevents me from planning the more ambitious sort of trip I would have enjoyed even five years ago, but an easy to moderate hike is still quite manageable. Both of us are photography buffs and love mountains, streams, the usual. Any suggestions? Thanks!</p>
<p>I haven’t visited Skinner state park yet but want to - it looks fun, scenic and not too difficult: <a href=“http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/skinner-state-park-generic.html”>http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/skinner-state-park-generic.html</a> Also, the Quabbin Reservoir is beautiful and has such an interesting history. Several towns were flooded in the 1930s to create the Quabbin - you can hike some or all of the reservoir (which is huge) and there’s a visitor’s center that goes into the history. Hampshire College - where my son attends - has several buildings named for the towns that were flooded and now are gone. <a href=“http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-central/quabbin-reservoir.html”>http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-central/quabbin-reservoir.html</a> I also found this about hiking in the Pioneer Valley: <a href=“Walking & Hiking Trails | PioneerValley.info”>Walking & Hiking Trails | PioneerValley.info; It’s such a lovely area - we’re thrilled our older son attends school in the area. I hope you have a wonderful vacation! </p>
<p>Both Skinner State Park and Mt Sugarloaf State Reservation (in Deerfield) are not-too-difficult walks (or drives) up a paved road to incredible views. Mt. Holyoke celebrates Mountain Day in the fall by the student body walking to the top of Mt Holyoke (Skinner SP), where the president serves ice cream at the summit.</p>
<p>Thank you, both! WIll start googling. Will be bringing youngest up towards Boston for her first college visits at the end of the summer, so may head up in that direction even sooner. Western MA is actually on my mental list of potential places to relocate to in a few years, so I like any excuse to visit.</p>
<p>The drive over to Williamstown from Greenfield across Rt 2 (the Mohawk Trail) is spectacular – along a rocky river, then up and over mountains with a hairpin turn. 60 miles, maybe 90 minutes from Northampton. Walking around Williamstown is gorgeous in the summer (hilly). The Clark Art Institute is a worthy art museum. And/or grab lunch. There is also Mt. Greylock – tallest mountain in MA. You can drive to the top, but there is also a lot of hiking, of various lengths and difficulties.</p>
<p>Here are some suggested options. I haven’t done these yet, so I can’t give you first hand recommendations!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dcr/parks/mtgreylock/suggestedhikes.pdf”>http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dcr/parks/mtgreylock/suggestedhikes.pdf</a></p>
<p>Ah - just found my way back here – belated thanks to you, interesteddad! HIgh mountain roads + hairpin turns = scary for me, but think my friend would probably be fine with that part of the drive. The whole area sounds very appealing to me.</p>
<p>It’s not scary, scary mountain roads and hairpin turns (except in a snow storm). Nice scenic road over to Williamstown.</p>
<p>The road up Mt. Greylock might be mildly scary, I can’t remember. It’s been rebuilt and paved all the way up, though. Not like driving up Mt. Washington (which is scary, scary).</p>
<p>The hairpin is kind of cool, and not scary because the road is in great shape. The road up Mt Greylock is also well maintained. I would drive up and pull off for one of many trailheads there. Easier hikes can be found at the Williamstown land foundation <a href=“http://www.wrlf.org/”>http://www.wrlf.org/</a>. It’s interesting, DD now that she is riding her bike across country, is now appreciating the beauty of where she went to college. </p>
<p>I need to check out some of these too as I have limited mobility in one ankle. Bascom Lodge on the top of Mt Greylock serves wonderful meals! <a href=“http://www.bascomlodge.net/Menu/Menus.aspx”>http://www.bascomlodge.net/Menu/Menus.aspx</a> <a href=“http://www.bascomlodge.net/2/Calendar.aspx”>http://www.bascomlodge.net/2/Calendar.aspx</a></p>
<p>In southern NH, not far away, is Mt Monadnock. Hikes ranging from easy ridge walk to part scrambles. Great views, and nice places to pause that were frequented by the Trancendentalists: Emerson’s Seat and Thoreau’s Seat.</p>
<p><a href=“Mount Monadnock - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Monadnock</a></p>
<p>just checking back in here - thank you again. My friend wants to aim for the Catskills, but I’m still leaning towards MA. Am going get links for some of these spots and send them to him. I just like the whole vibe. Sometimes in upstate NY the most beautiful areas are so remote that decent lodging is hard to come by.</p>
<p>I hike Monadnock twice a year, but I wouldn’t recommend it to a older folk unless they have already been doing some mountain hiking. It’s pretty short, but quite steep and physically challenging. I think most first-timers will be shocked by the challenging rocky terrain in the New England mountains. I know that I was unprepared for it, despite doing 3 to 5 mile walks on trails in local state parks several times a week.</p>
<p>The Natural Bridge state park is pretty cool. Not really a hike, but some pretty awesome photo potential. <a href=“http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/natural-bridge-state-park-generic.html”>http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-west/natural-bridge-state-park-generic.html</a></p>
<p>If the weather is not conducive to hiking, western MA has many great museums, etc to fill the time.</p>
<p>Tower Hill Gardens in Boylston. Going there this weekend. Costs though.</p>
<p>^^Tower Hill Botanic Garden is great. There are lots of paths around and through the gardens, and it’s fun to walk them, but if someone is looking for a more strenuous and/or in-the-woods-type hike, I’d suggest Mt. Wachusetts. It’s just up the road in Princeton, MA and free. </p>
<p>Tower Hill and Mr. Wachusett are really in central MA, as opposed to the western end of the state. They are both north of Worcester, which is just about in the geographic center of the state. You’re almost 90 min from the Berkshires at that point.</p>