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 Reporter |
Summary: Monument Mountain is a short but interesting hike in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. The trail starts from the North end of the parking area and is blazed with white. You will reach Inscription Rock which gives some history of the mountain. Continue straight. The trail steepens and you will cilmb a "staircase" made up of quartzite rock before reaching the summit. On the rocky summit, there is a nice view to the east (Beartown State Forest) and to the west (Taconic hills). Continue following along the ridge until you reach a sign marked "Scenic View". The side trail here will take you to a ledge where you can see the pillar of stones that is a "monument" to the Indian maiden who allegedly jumped to her death. There are a few more viewpoints before the trail descends to an old woods road. Turn left and follow it back to the parking area. Trailhead: Take NYS Thruway (Rte 90) east to Exit B3. Take Rte 102 heading east to Stockbridge, MA. In center of town, turn right onto Rte 7 South. Continue for 3 miles to parking area on right - just past Monument Mountain High School. (Lat:42.243 Lon:-73.335) Trail Guides for Monument Mountain: Hikes and Walks in the Berkshire Hills by Lauren Stevens (Berkshire House Publishers) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: The Trustees of Reservations - (413) 298-3239 for information Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by George Senft, who has posted 26 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by gregg on 7/27/2007 a nice hike,scenic spots on the top. easy hike, but a couple of tricky spots 
Reviewed by JB on 3/19/2006 Great hike for most any season (unless icy conditions). One of the better features of this hike is option for level of difficulty. If you choose to head up to the right the hike is quite a workout with quite challenging gradients. If you are looking for more of a moderate hike you may want to go to the left. The views all along the trails are spectacular, on a clear day you can see 5 states MA, NY, CT VT, & NH. (Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire).
Reviewed by Jennifer on 11/8/2005 Absolutely beautiful in fall. The second half of the loop has an amazing little waterfall. Good intermediate hike - not too hard or long, but on the way up to Sqauw Peak is challenging, especially if you climb the rocks. Lots of people took dogs all the way up to summit. Good place to rest before the second half of hike. Highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Christine on 10/24/2004 distances should be provided for trails. The second part of the loop was not clearly marked, so we hiked up the the Squaw Peak summit (very strenuous to summit) then all the way back on the same gradual trail. Beautiful views! Better not to bring a dog to the actual summit.
Reviewed by Stu on 8/29/2004 Enjoyed this hike. If visiting the Berkshires, a nice climb with interesting views. Enough of a workout yet a short enough hike just for an hour or two of hiking. What is nice is that there is a loop option. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Massachusetts Hiking, Massachusetts Trails, Massachusetts Hikes, Berkshire County Hiking, Berkshire County Trails, Berkshire County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||