Walking through North Adams

[GoldenBear]

If you conclude that you don't need photos of the path through the Massachusetts trail town of North Adams, read no further -- that's all this post is about.

There will be a little bit of info on the town itself but, for the most part, it's just showing what you see as go through.
Some people like to know what they'll see, I like to take and post informational photos -- so maybe there will be a good match.

WALKING NORTH
You'll be coming down as you approach the western edge of this town.
Mount Greylock is elevation 3491 feet; let's call it Mile 0.0
Mount Williams is 2951 feet
Wilbur Clearing is 2325 feet at Mile 3.2
Pattison Road is elevation 900 at Mile 5.4

In less than half a mile after that, you'll come across Phelps Avenue, a paved road that's basically a small-town street. Turn right here
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59779
and begin to walk down this paved road.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59780

In about a half mile of walking on this road, you'll come to State Road, aka Highway 2, aka Mohawk Trail. It's the main east-west corridor between North Adams and Williamstown, and a main street for both towns.
Note that North Adams also has a State STREET that is a north-south corridor in the city. State Road becomes Main Street as it enters the city.
On the right of the following photo, the white blaze and the AT sign are circled in red, "across" the street. The white diagonal is NOT a blaze, but a marker you find on most poles in this city. The red paint on this pole simply notes that there is fire alarm on it. That the red makes the AT sign easy to spot is just a fortunate coincidence.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59781

Cross over Highway 2 and you come to a ramp up to a green bridge
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59782
that goes over the Hoosac River and the rail road.
At the other end, as you get to Massachusetts Avenue, you find a marker noting a construction date of 1958.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59783
Turn right to walk along this street for about a hundred feet, at which point the Trail crosses this road.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59784
Go up the driveway with AT markers
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59785
where you see a sign telling you to use the hose to fill your bottles (very generous!), and then proceed over the bridge back into the woods.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59786


WALKING SOUTH
Basically the reverse of above. You see the driveway -- and Mount Williams -- as you leave the woods on the north edge of town
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59787
Turn right (west) after crossing over Massachusetts Avenue
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59788
and you soon come to the green bridge with the 1958 marker
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59783
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59789
Go down the ramp on the other side, and proceed across State Road onto Phelps Avenue.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59781
Continue along Phelps, even as it goes up a hill
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59790
Watch on the left as you go up the hill, as the sign for the Trail might be covered by plants.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59791
Turn left when you get there, and you're back in the woods, ready to climb Mount Williams.


At the intersection of Phelps and Highway 2, you can go west on the latter towards Williamstown. If you do, you soon come to a Super Stop & Shop at 876 State Road, a major grocery store that (1) is open 6am to midnight, (2) has a Citizens Bank with ATM, (3) has a pharmacy open 9am-9pm, and (4) is the start/end point for the #7 bus into Williamstown, and all the way to Pittsfield bus center.
http://www.berkshirerta.com/schedules.php?route=7&direction=I&timing=W
If you're just going to the Williams Inn, the #3 bus goes from downtown North Adams to that place of lodging.
http://www.berkshirerta.com/schedules.php?route=3&direction=O&timing=W
Price for riding these Berkshire RTA buses is $1.75

Riding this bus from the Williams Inn to Bennington cost $1.
http://www.greenmtncn.org/regional.html
Peter Pan buses pick up at the Williams Inn, and go to many other cities.
http://peterpanbus.com/tickets/bus-ticket-information/terminal-listings/#MA

About a mile beyond the Stop & Shop is
Aubuchon Hardware (200 Main Street)
http://www.aubuchon.com/094
Howard Johnson Motel (213 Main Street)
http://www.hojo.com/hotels/massachusetts/williamstown/howard-johnson-williamstown/hotel-overview
Rite Aid pharmacy (212 Main Street)
https://www.riteaid.com/store-details?storeNumber=10073
UPS Store (228 Main Street)
http://williamstown-ma-3076.theupsstorelocal.com/
Adams Community Bank, with ATM (273 Main Street)
https://www.adamscommunity.com/locations-and-hours/williamstown-branch-office/

As you continue towards Williams College, you'll pass by a variety of motels, shops, and restaurants.
Two that MIGHT be confusing are the Williamstown Motel and the Williams Lodge. These are NOT the lodgings where the buses stop, they stop at the Williams Inn, which is west of Williams College.


You can also go east on State Road towards North Adams, where you pass by a liquor mart and then a Price Chopper
http://www.pricechopper.com/stores/34/245-State-Road-North-Adams-MA
at 245 State Road (0.7 miles from the intersection). Its hours are 6am to midnight, and it also has a pharmacy.
In this same shopping mall is a laundromat
http://www.yelp.com/biz/thrifty-bundle-laundromat-north-adams
Friendly's restaurant
http://www.allmenus.com/ma/north-adams/99135-friendlys/menu/
Oriental Buffet
www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1049998/restaurant/Massachusetts/Northern-Berkshire-Region/Oriental-Buffet-North-Adams
and a True Value Hardware
http://www.carrhardware.com/locations/

Also east of the Trail on State Road is the Greylock Community Club.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?85154-Trailhead-parking-near-North-Adams&p=1882820

[rafe]

A bit confusing but nobo thru hikers by the time they get to North Adams have seen and dealt with worse.

That driveway on Mass. Ave. is a trip, though. You're thinking, "this can't be right" but it is.

Rte. 2 is a busy commercial stretch so pretty much any kind of services you want (starting about 1/2 mile west of Phelps Ave.) Supermarket, fast food, restaurants, strip mall.

If you seriously have time to kill, there's a really interesting art museum in North Adams, look up "Mass MoCA".

[Damn Yankee]

I have hiked up Mt. Greylock many times and love to watch the hang gliders.

[Lone Wolf]

just follow the blazes

[gsingjane]

Golden Bear, thank you so much for this wonderful post with so much helpful information! I am ending my section hike the second week in July by hiking the AT up to the VT border and then turning around and hiking out the Pine Cobble Trail into Williamstown. I have some familiarity with the area from visiting when my daughter was looking at Williams, but she didn't ultimately go there so it was just the one weekend.

Anything I should know about the Pine Cobble Trail?

Jane

p.s. A big "ditto" to Rafe on Mass MoCA. Not your average art museum by any means, and definitely worth a look-see.

[maptester]

The green bridge (Massachusetts Avenue end) is where my son finished his flip/flop AT thru hike. Here is his final AT hike photo--he got to slack-pack the last day:).

27278

[rickb]

If you seriously have time to kill, there's a really interesting art museum in North Adams, look up "Mass MoCA".

"Interesting" is a good adjective, Rafe.

Here is a shot of an exhibit they presented years ago. Yes, those are sleeping bags that are hooked up to the helium tanks and yes, the refrigerator at the far end of the wall had nothing but Ben & Jerry's.

[rickb]

The Clark is reopening in Williamstown on July 4th. It is on par with art museums in NY and Paris, but on a more manageable scale.

http://www.clarkart.edu

Then again, there is a decent museum that educates on the engineering marvel that was the Hoosatonic Railroad tunnel, right there in North Adams if you are an FTN.

[Old Grouse]

That would be the Hoosac Tunnel.:)

And yes, the Mass MoCa is worth the time if you like contemporary art.

[BillyGr]

At the intersection of Phelps and Highway 2, you can go west on the latter towards Williamstown. If you do, you soon come to a Super Stop & Shop at 876 State Road, a major grocery store that (1) is open 6am to midnight, (2) has a Citizens Bank with ATM, (3) has a pharmacy open 9am-9pm, and (4) is the start/end point for the #7 bus into Williamstown, and all the way to Pittsfield bus center.

You can also go east on State Road towards North Adams, where you pass by a liquor mart and then a Price Chopper
http://www.pricechopper.com/stores/34/245-State-Road-North-Adams-MA
at 245 State Road (0.7 miles from the intersection). Its hours are 6am to midnight, and it also has a pharmacy.


Just to note - I don't believe the Price Chopper has a pharmacy - they have a link on the store's page to online refills, but if you go to the pharmacy locations page that store is not listed. Easy to see confusion there.

Just from having been to the stores (not while hiking), my recommendation would be - if you just want groceries (and maybe something quick to eat, like what a store deli/food section would offer) go for the Stop & Shop as it's a bigger store (more choices) but is by itself (unless you go the extra distance to the listed other stores/eating areas up the street - just don't look for fried clams and frankforts at the Howard Johnson's :) - the motel as listed still exists but the restaurant (near the Aubuchon/RiteAid) is now a bank (though it could pass for a HoJo's if you didn't know there are only 2 left, and neither is in MA).
If you need more than groceries, the Price Chopper is a smaller store (less choices) but has the 2 restaurants and laundromat listed in the same lot so you can get more things in one spot.



Anything I should know about the Pine Cobble Trail?


Just to note that it ends in what looks like an access to a housing development, so if you are not getting picked up there you'll have to walk a few more blocks to get out to the main road (Route 2), unlike the AT that actually crosses Route 2.
If you are getting picked up, whoever is doing that may want to allow a bit of time to find the end of the trail (they can park there, a few spots anyway).

[WMR]

The Clark: One of the world's greatest collections of 19th and 20th century art, located on (or at least on the edge of) the AT. If you have any interest in the subject, and are zeroing in North Adams/Williamstown, or considering doing so, work the Clark into your schedule. Check their open/closed schedule, but it's worth the time and effort if you are so inclined. ("inclined" - get it? hiking pun)

[gsingjane]

BillyGR... thank you so much! I am hiking out to catch the Peter Pan bus back to Connecticut but really appreciate the heads-up for what I'll find at the end of the Pine Cobble. (I remember once coming off the trail in NY and the spur trail, or what we thought it was, led through an abandoned mental institution, and that was a really strange way to end the hike.) I'll have some time to kill in Williamstown and the Clark sounds like an awesome idea too!

Jane

[Sugarfoot]

Jane, you might also enjoy the archives at Williams College, which has one of the few complete sets of founding documents of this country, including the copy of the Federalist Papers that Hamilton presented to George Washington. And the Williams College Museum is worth exploring. I've seen a Degas show and a graphics art exhibit there. On a hike in 1998, southbound from Hanover, I intended to just resupply in Williamstown and hike on. I ended up spending three days in Williamstown instead and have been back to the Clark and MassMoca several times. The Clark is one of my favorite museums! I love it when I can combine art/music with hiking!

[bigcranky]

This is great, thanks.

We're starting a hike there next month. Is there a hotel that you'd recommend for the night before? Was thinking of the Holiday Inn in North Adams. Looks like an easy hitch to the trail from there, otherwise only a 2 mile walk. (Buses won't run on 7/4, dang it.)

[rafe]

Holiday Inn is "just OK" and not cheap. Unfortunately I can't name any better alternatives.

[GoldenBear]

> Is there a hotel that you'd recommend for the night before?

Don't bother to make reservations at the Redwoods Motel, no matter how close it is to the Trail. I have SERIOUS doubts about any lodging that has twenty reviews on TripAdvisor -- and nineteen of these give it the lowest rating.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g41715-d651320-Reviews-Redwood_Motel-North_Adams_Massachusetts.html

This may be a moot point, however, as the place seems to have gone out of business.

[gsingjane]

I don't know if it's in your price range, but when I visited there with my daughter in 2012, we stayed at the Orchards Hotel. It's really nice, although in the summer I think the prices might go up.

[Two Tree]

During the summer, Williamstown hosts a pretty big theater festival too with some big-name actors. If you time it right, you could catch a nice play. Otherwise, the hotels are just much more full/expensive...

[gsingjane]

Oh thank you so much Sugarfoot and WMR, I am getting really excited to visit Williamstown again! The only other time I was there was in February, and I just kept thinking, I think this town has a better season...

[Trillium]

Thank you to Golden Bear for starting this thread and to everyone who shared some great info about the area. I am going to use as ammunition to possibly entice my husband to accompany me to The Gathering in Oct.