10 Vistas for Leaf Peeping

The best leaf peeping excursions are ones that not only happen during a countryside drive or a solitary hike in the woods, but up high with a view! Once you know when the foliage will peak, make a trip to a nearby vista for a view that has inspired artists and poets for centuries.

In addition to bountiful harvests, autumn brings with a dramatic change in the color scheme of the local landscape. Leaf peeping is a favorite activity of folks from out of state – and for good reason! Make time to get outside as a family this fall and explore the brilliant red, orange, and yellow that the woods have to offer. The best leaf peeping excursions are ones that include not only woods walking but a view from a high place. We recommend…

Pioneer Valley:

• Mt. Tom State Reservation in Holyoke
• Mt. Holyoke in Hadley’s Skinner State Park
• Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation in Deerfield
• Historic Poet’s Seat Tower in Greenfield

Hilltowns:

• Shelburne’s High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary or Fire Tower Trail (which give very different views from two separate points on the same ridge)
• Pony Mountain in Ashfield
• Goshen fire tower at the DAR State Forest

Berkshire County

• Berkshire Natural Resource Council’s Hoosac Range Trail in North Adams
• Stockbridge’s Laura’s Tower Trail (home to an observation tower)

[Photo credit: (cc) MOTT]

Excerpt from Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts (Seasons: Sept/Oct), a downloadable bimonthly publication produced by Hilltown Families that sheds light on embedded learning opportunities found in cultural resources that exist within the geography, history, and cultural traditions of Western Massachusetts.

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