Mount Greylock State Reservation

   At 3, 491 feet, Mount Greylock in Lanesborough is the highest point in Massachusetts. You can see 60-90 miles of beautiful landscape from the summit. The park has a paved road open from late May-November for driving to the summit, numerous trails for hiking and backpacking, a campground, a lodge for less primitive overnight accommodations, and a small restaurant. The sights are breathtaking and for only $2 (for parking) it is well worth the trip!

   I first heard about Mount Greylock last winter and was anxious for the weather to get warmer so that I could check it out. I used directions from Googlemaps and they made the reservation very easy to find. There were also signs in Lanesborough along the side of the road pointing in the direction of the park. Our first stop after driving up Rockwell Road was at the Visitor Center. Inside were restrooms, maps, a model of the reservation, some artwork, and a little area for kids to explore.

  

   From the visitor center, it was eight miles to the summit. There were various spots along the way to park and hike, as well as several overlooks for picture taking. Once we arrived at the summit, we headed over to the War Memorial Tower. I wanted to take pictures from the top, so we climbed up the several flights of spiral staircases to the top of the tower. The views from the top were amazing!

   We climbed back down and went to the overlook to take some more pictures. On that particular day, several people were hang gliding so we got to witness all of the excitement!

   Next we went inside of Bascom Lodge. The Lodge offers private rooms for overnight stays, a restaurant and dining area, snacks, and restrooms.

One of the dining areas was being set up for a wedding reception later that evening.



    We decided on the way back from the summit to stop and do the Rounds Rock hike. We were told that it was one of the easier hikes for kids. The hike was about a mile and took us about thirty minutes to complete. I’d say it is probably a hike best for children five years of age and older. An interesting aspect of the hike was a little over half way through, you pass the site of a plane crash from 1948. John Newcomb, a veteran Army Air Corps radioman during World War II, crashed his twin-engine Cessna plane on Greylock while delivering late editions of the New York Daily Mirror newspaper to Albany. Even after all of these years you can still see the remnants of the plane.

    Mount Greylock is a great place for breathtaking views of Western Massachusetts. It is a fun way for the family to spend the day (or night) together. It is easily accessible for everyone and has accommodations for both the adventure-seekers and the more sedentary. No matter who you are, you don’t want to miss seeing one of Mother Nature’s gems!

   To learn more about Mount Greylock and to plan your trip, visit http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/mtGreylock/index.htm.