Mount Washington (Massachusetts)
Mount Washington is a tiny town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. It is at the southwest corner of the state, the only Massachusetts town to border both New York and Connecticut. It is somewhat isolated — all the roads are back roads — and has a cluster of state parks with beautiful scenery. While it's well worth visiting Mt. Washington, Massachusetts, you won't be able to climb to the top of Mt. Washington with your car there: That Mt. Washington is in New Hampshire.
Get in
You will need a car to get in, unless you are a really good cyclist.
By car
From Interstate 90 (Mass. Turnpike), take Exit 2 in Lee. Route 102 west for 4.7 miles to Stockbridge. Turn left and take Route 7 south for 7.7 miles through Great Barrington. Turn right and follow Route 23 west for 4.9 miles to South Egremont. Turn left onto Route 41 south, then take immediate right onto Mount Washington Road. Continue for 8.8 miles (becomes East St.).
See
Do
- Bash Bish Falls State Park, ☏ +1 413 528-0330. Falls Road. Perhaps the state's most dramatic waterfall. The falls cascade through a series of gorges, and then drop 60 feet into a sparkling pool below. Wilderness camping available year round. There are two paths from the parking lot on the Massachusetts side of the park: One to a scenic lookout and the other to the falls. The view from the scenic lookout is a bit disappointing. From there, it is possible to do a difficult hike all the way down to the falls. The path from the falls back up to the parking lot is moderately difficult (make sure you take the path to the right parking lot, as there is one on the Massachusetts side and another on the New York side). Numerous signs warn that swimming in the park is prohibited, yet you will see some people swimming at their own risk, anyway. It is possible to see multiple hawks gracefully gliding in the sky over the falls, if you look at the right time. Free.
- Mount Everett State Reservation, ☏ +1 413 528-0330. East St. Year-round, sunrise to sunset, but no services are available (carry in, carry out). Seasonal road access and parking is available to the Guilder Pond day-use area (informal picnic area). From there a 3/4 mile path leads to the summit of Mount Everett (2,624-foot elev.), and a breathtaking 360-degree panorama of Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut. Even if you lack time to hike to the summit, it is worth driving up the dirt road to see a great view of the peaceful pond.
- Mount Washington State Forest, 3 East Street, ☏ +1 413 528-0330. Year-round sunrise to sunset. Offers 30 miles of trails over 4,169 acres of rugged terrain. Hike the South Taconic Trail to the top of Alander Mountain for excellent vistas. Or follow the Appalachian Trail along the ridgeline and through Sage's Ravine.
Sleep
Camping
- Mount Washington State Forest, 3 East Street, ☏ +1 413 528-0330. Year-round wilderness camping. Motorized off-road vehicles, snowmobiles and alcohol prohibited. First-come, first-served, no fee required. Limit up to 5 people at each site. Leave-no-trace camping ethics are strongly encouraged. Fires are allowed only at the designated pit.
Connect
There is no to very poor connectivity in Mount Washington for all wireless devices, so don't count on using online maps to get around, and if you are not at least somewhat familiar with the area, bring a good paper map.
Go next
Great Barrington is not too far away, and a pleasant place to take a walk and have a meal. Take State Route 23 East. To get to the center of town, turn left onto Federal Route 7 North when you get to the junction.