Get outdoors!

You don't have to go far to have an outdoor adventure in the Berkshires. Choose one or more outdoor locations to explore from our outdoor directory.

Appalachian Trail: Appalachian Trail runs north and south throughout the Berkshire region in western Massachusetts, through Department of Conservation and Recreation properties: Clarksburg State Forest, October Mountain State Forest, Mount Greylock State Reservation, Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, Beartown State Forest, Jug End State Reservation, Mount Washington State Forest and Mount Everett State Reservation. mass.gov/dcr

Arrowhead: Trails on the grounds, woods and fields around Herman Melville’s historic house. 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfi eld, 413-442-1793

Ashintully Gardens: Grounds of Berkshire Cottage estate, trails and gardens open 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, June 5 to Oct. 12. Hike to the ruins of the former mansion or explore the landscaped paths and waterways created over the course of decades by John McLennan, a composer of modern music. Free. Sodom Road, Tyringham, Trustees of Reservations.

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail: Converted railroad corridor, now a paved path, running 13.7 miles from Adams to Pittsfi eld, along Cheshire Lake and Route 8. Access at Visitors Center in downtown Adams, Cheshire Lake on Route 8, near the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough, at the Allendale shopping center or along the route. 413-442-8928

Bartholomew’s Cobble: River and unique wood and meadow habitat with bald eagles, turtles and abundant wildlife: 800 species of plants and one of North America’s greatest diversities of ferns. Hikes and nature programs. Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset; museum and visitors’ center open year-round, hours vary by season. Trustees of Reservations, 105 Weatogue Road, Sheffi eld. 413-298-3239 ext. 3013.

Beartown State Forest: 1.5 mile Benedict Pond Loop Trail open year-round. From Route 23 in Monterey, turn left on Blue Hill Road, then follow signs. mass.gov/dcr or 413-528-0904. Bear Swamp: Three miles of trails with moderate hiking, strenuous in places. Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. From the intersection of Route 112, Route 116, and Hawley Road in Ashfi eld, follow Hawley Road to the entrance on the left. 413-213-4751. Becket Land Trust: Becket historic quarry and trails. Quarry Museum and self-guided tour of nature preserve and 100 years of history.

Becket Historic Quarry permanent exhibit is now open at Mullen House Education Center. Trails open in daylight hours year-round. Quarry off Route 20, 456 Quarry Road, Becket. Mullen House off-site exhibits and office at 12 Brooker Hill Road (corner Route 8), North Becket Village. becketlandtrust.org. 413-623-2100.

Berkshire Botanical Garden: 26 display areas including perennials, thousands of annuals, rock, rose, pond, children’s and native plant gardens. Three greenhouses, an arboretum and a woodland preserve. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 through Oct. 11, 5 West Stockbridge Road. Stockbridge.413-298-3926, berkshirebotanical.org.

Berkshire Natural Resources Council: Trails and properties maintained by non-profit land conservation organization to protect farms, forests, streams and ridgelines. Guided hikes. bnrc.org, 413499-0596.

Chesterfield Gorge: A dramatic rock canyon first carved by centuries of glacial meltwater and the Westfield River, the gorge is the gateway to the East Branch Trail. Open during the warm season, daily, 8 a.m. to sunset, for hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, and anglers. River Road, Chesterfield.

Field Farm: A 1967 post-modern guest house designed by Ulrich Franzen for art collector Lawrence Bloedel. Trails and grounds open daily, free. 554 Sloan Road, Williamstown, 413-458-3135, 413-2983239, thetrustees.org.

Garden Conservancy: Garden tours through the summer in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. No reservations; rain or shine. For times and places: 888-842-2442 or 845-4246500 or gardenconservancy.org.

Glendale Falls: A quarter-mile trail to the falls and a wood road to land owned by the Massachusetts Division of Fish & Wildlife. Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. From the intersection of Routes 143 and 112 in Worthington, take Route 143 West to River Road. Turn right onto Clark Wright Road to entrance. thetrustees.org or 413-532-1631

Great Barrington River Walk: Native landscaped path along the Housatonic River in downtown Great Barrington; entrances at 195 Main St., River Street, Bridge Street and Dresser Avenue, W.E.B. Du Bois River Garden Park. William Stanley Overlook. Laboratory for natural resource protection and stewardship. Open in daylight hours, free. 413-528-4061, gbriverwalk.org.

Hoffmann Bird Club: Birding expeditions across Berkshire County and the region, weekly. 271 US-7, Lanesborough. hoff mannbirdclub.org. Hoosic River Watershed Assoc.: Self-guided brochures for this river walk are available at tourist information outlets in Adams, North Adams and Williamstown. Information: hoorwa.org/ or 413-458-2742.

Hopkins Forest: Trails maintained by Williams College in Williamstown and along the Taconic crest. Trailheads on Northwest Hill Road in Williamstown and on Route 2 in Petersburgh, N.Y.. Spring and fall festivals with canopy walks, demonstrations, games, local food and live music. hmf.williams.edu.

Housatonic Heritage Area: Trails and historic sites along the river from Connecticut to Berkshire County.24 Main St, Salisbury, CT. housatonicheritage.org. Housatonic Valley Assoc: Paddle trips on the Housatonic River. Hvatoday.org or 413-298-7024. Jug End State Reservation: Two-mile Jug End Loop Trail through open fields, northern hardwood and Eastern Hemlock woodlands. From Route 41 in South Egremont, take a right onto Mount Washington Road and to Jug End Road, to the entrance. mass.gov/dcr or 413-528-0330.

McLennan Reservation: 1.5 moderate miles. Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. From Tyringham center, take Tyringham Main Road south. Turn left onto Fenn Road (dirt road). Park at the roadside and walk to entrance. thetrustees.org, 413-298-3239.

Monument Mountain: Moderate loop trails and beautiful views at the top. Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Admission is free, parking $5. Route 7, Great Barrington. Trustees of Reservations. 413-298-3239

Mount Greylock State Reservation: Trails and entrances in Williamstown, North Adams, Adams and Lanesborough; open through mid-October. Hiking access to the Appalachian Trail, Scenic Byway, Veterans War Memorial, Bascom Lodge and breath-taking views. Auto road

to the summit. Visitors Center at 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough.. 413-499-4262 or mount.greylock@state.ma.us Mountain Meadow Preserve: Wild meadows at the homesite of Grace Greylock Liles, the woman who wrote “Bog-Trotting for Orchids” a century ago. Entrances on Benedict Road in Pownal, Vt., and Mason Street in Williamstown. Free. Trustees of Reservations. 413-298-3239.

Mount Washington State Forest: Thirty miles of trails over rugged terrain, wilderness camping. Hike the South Taconic Trail to the 2,250-foot summit of Alander Mountain for amazing views. From Route 41 in South Egremont, take a quick right onto Mount Washington Road and follow to park entrance. 545 East St., Mount Washington. mass.gov/dcr or 413-528-0330.

Natural Bridge: Geological phenomenon, arch carved by water into 550-million-year-old bedrock marble in a 48-acre park. Follow Route 8 north from North Adams to entrance. Open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Memorial Day to Columbus Day, 413-663-6392, Massachusetts DCR. Notchview Reservation: 25 miles of trails, historic hayfields and pastures, stone walls and cellar holes. Open from sunup to sundown, daily, year-round. Visitor Center with picnic area and restrooms. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor. 413-684-0148.

October Mountain State Forest: Scenic trails and views including Schermerhorn Gorge, which has intrigued generations of geologists.317 Woodland Road, Lee. mass.gov/dcr or 413-243-1778 Onota Lake: Lifeguards on duty at the public beach periodically in summer, check at cityofpittsfield.org.

Pleasant Valley Sanctuary: Trails, boardwalk, canoe trips and nature programs weekly. 472 West Mountain Road, Lenox. Berkshire Sanctuaries, 413-637-0320, massaudubon.org.

Pine Cobble Trail: 2.1 miles of moderate to strenuous hiking through oak forest interspersed with white pines, expanse of 600-million-year-old gray Cheshire quartzite cliffs overlooking most of Northern Berkshire County from an elevation of 2,100 feet. Trail begins 0.1 miles north of North Hoosac Road on Pine Cobble Road in Williamstown. woc.williams.edu/pine-cobble-trail-2/

Springside Park: Trails across 237 acres of woods and meadows. Master Gardeners workshops select Saturday mornings. Master Gardeners often at work in the demo behind Springside House gardens before “Tuesday Night in the Park” music series. Springside Park, 874 North Street, Pittsfield. Gardeners: 413-743-5193. Park: 413-347-3812.

Tamarack Hollow: Highland valley nature and cultural center in boreal forest. Hikes on the property and in neighboring conservation lands in Windsor and Savoy with naturalist Aimee Gelinas. 1515-16 Savoy Hollow Road, Windsor. tamarackhollownatureandculturalcenter.org.

Tyringham Cobble: Walk through mountain meadows and up hillside trails to watch for bobolinks. Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. 20 Jerusalem Road, Tyringham. Trustees of Reservations. 413-296-3239

William Cullen Bryant Homestead: From 1865 until his death in 1878, William Cullen Bryant summered here at his boyhood home, now a National Historic Landmark. A self-guided map highlights the 2-mile Rivulet Trail, where old-growth, including ancient hemlock and a magnificent cherry tree, rise near the Rivulet, a trickling stream immortalized by Bryant’s 1823 poem. House tours are offered on weekends during the fall and summer seasons; grounds open year-round for hiking, picnics and sightseeing. 207 Bryant Road, Cummington, 413-532-1631, bryanthomestead@thetrustees.org.

Williamstown Rural Lands: Fields and trails on Sheep Hill at a former dairy farm, summer hikes and children’s programs. Route 7, 671 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown. wrlf.org.