Williamstown: Perfect New England Autumn Journey
Foliage Season Offers Senior Tourists Top Hiking, Biking, Art, Music
Sep 1, 2008
Senior travelers flock to northwestern Massachusetts meadows and museums in September and October, because the region is ideal for leaf-peeping, outdoor exercise and the arts explorations.
Trails – including portions of the Appalachian Trail and Mohawk Trail - are plentiful in the rolling hills and green pastures encircling this college town, which was first settled in 1749.
The most famous "hill" in the region is Mount Greylock. At 3,491 feet, it is the highest in Massachusetts and beloved by hikers and campers. Mount Greylock is also the heart of one of the oldest and largest state parks in the Commonwealth. At its summit sits Bascom Lodge, built in the 1930s and as a hostel by Natures Classroom.
Walks both Gentle and Strenuous
Hikers can try one of several moderately steep routes up Greylock from Notch Road in North Adams, the town just east of Williamstown. Cyclists can pedal up its paved road from the south, near Lanesboro. If the weather suddenly turns from crisp to cold, Bascom is a welcome shelter. On a clear day, the views stretch north toward Vermont and west toward New York.
Several gentle walks that combine culture with greenery goes up and around Stone Hill, located close to the center of the Williamstown behind the Clark Art Institute. They are listed in the indispensable Williamstown Outing Club's "North Berkshire Outdoor Guide". ($15 in local stores).
In typically quirky New England fashion, the start of one Stone Hill walk is marked by the site of two graves where a landowner buried his cherished dogs. A gravel road leads through a fence to a stone bench, placed there by local citizens in memory of a resident as an apology for treating him badly during World War I because he was of German ancestry.
Then there are the paths of Field Farm, a 296-acre property in South Williamstown off Route 2. Its owners donated the property to a Massachusetts conservation group and their modern farmhouse is now a luxurious B&B, complete with tennis court and swimming pool.
Smart visitors buy gourmet sandwiches and picnic goods for their day at the Store at 5 Corners, in South Williamstown.
Top Museums and Music
The area has compelling indoor attractions as well:
- The Clark Art Institute, with a splendid collection of French Impressionist paintings….
- Chamber music by world class groups such as the Guarneri String Quartet at South Mountain in nearby Pittsfield….
- A taste of the avant guard at Mass MOCA in North Adams – a museum with art, film, performances and multimedia exhibits housed in what formerly were brick factory buildings.
Boston is a 3 hour drive, New York City 3 ½ hours to Williamstown. There is also Peter Pan bus service from both cities.
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