25 Self-Guided Hikes in Western MA to Support Place-Based Learning
Here is a list of self-guided hikes to do with your family or on your own. To support place-based learning, before you head out, conduct an online search about the natural and human history of some of these community-based educational resources. Bring with you field guides, sketchbooks, cameras, and magnifying glasses and spend the afternoon engaged in self-directed, nature-based learning!
Easy Hikes in Western MA:
- Chesterfield Gorge, West Chesterfield
- Dinosaur Footprints, Holyoke
- Field Farm, Williamstown
- Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley, Lenox
- Mass Audubon Arcadia, Easthampton
Moderate Hikes in Western MA:
- Bear Swamp, Ashfield
- Bear’s Den, New Salem
- Bullitt Reservation, Ashfield
- Chapel Brook, Ashfield,
- Land of Providence, Holyoke
- Little Tom Mountain, Holyoke
- Dry Hill, New Marlborough
- McLennan Reservation, Tyringham
- Mt. Warner, Hadley
- Mountain Meadow, Williamstown
- Notchview, Windsor
- Questing, New Marlborough
- Tyringham Cobble, Tyringham
- Bradley Sanctuary, Williamsburg
- Breckenridge Sanctuary, Williamsburg
- William Cullen Bryant Homestead, Cummington
- Bartholomew’s Cobble, Sheffield
Strenuous Hikes in Western MA:
- Glendale Falls, Middlefield
- Monument Mountain, Great Barrington
- Peaked Mountain, Monson
- Petticoat Hill, Williamsburg
- Skinner State Park, Hadley
Excerpt from Hilltown Families publication, Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts (Seasons: Sept/Oct), a downloadable resource guide that sheds light on embedded learning opportunities found in cultural resources that exist within the geography, history, and cultural traditions of Western Massachusetts.