Berkshires hike
 

Can anyone recommend a good day hike to take with my two teens in the Stockbridge MA area? <BR>We are all active and are looking for some good fall scenery.

Well, this is not a heavy-duty hike, but you will get a great view: go south to just north of Great Barrington, then climb Monument Mountain. The round-trip loop will probably take you no more than 2 hours, but the views from the top are great.

You can also hike Mt. Greylock further north in the county. On a clear day you can see VT, NH and NY from the top. There is a paved road to the top and trails leading away from the monument at the top, which might be the best way to do it. Am not sure where you pick up the trail starting from the base. <BR> <BR>For more enjoyable exploring, ask for directions to Bash Bish Falls after you get to Stockbridge. It's beautiful any time of year, but especially so in the fall.

There are lots of hiking books covering the Berkshires. One of my favorite, more adventurous hike begins around 12 miles south of Bash Bish Falls. The trailhead is in the Northern tip of Dutchess County, east of 22, off of White Horse Crossing Road (I think). YOu begin by hiking up a mountain with great views, and end by hiking down into Bash Bish Falls, using cables along the way due to the steepness. It should take around seven hours, although you could probably shorten it by starting nearer to Bash Bish. Have fun! <BR>

Steve, I've done the cable portion near Bash Bish, but not intentionally. We parked at the wrong spot so took the wrong route down. We all still laugh about that hike, "Mom (moi)in her Italian slippers". I'm sure it would have been less of an adventure with proper hiking boots, but as it was all I could hear were my own parents warnings echoing in my ears..."people have died at Bash Bish". :&gt; (And they have, most often by climbing out on rocks above the falls and slipping.) <BR> <BR>It was fall, the leaves were down and it was slippery. We are all in pretty good shape, but you must really *haul* yourself up by this cable. <BR> <BR>For those interested in seeing the falls without this type of hike, you can drive to a spot over the falls and walk, (you couldn't use the term "hike" with this route) down a short groomed trail which will put you at the bottom of the falls. It's well marked and quite tame, far more suitable for "Italian slippers". <BR> <BR>Regarding the Greylock hike I mentioned above, there is a ranger station at the entrance off of route 7 where you should be able to get maps showing trail locations.