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View Full Version : Urgent Need For Cool Tent Site In Western Mass



srestrepo
04-16-2009, 23:04
i desperately need to get rid of some cabin fever but being new to this area i'd like to know if anyone knows of any cool camp sites anywhere near western massachusetts... i've reviewed a couple of sites on the AT but my friend going with me doesn't feel like hiking too too far to go tent camping. PLEASE HELP?!?!

Homer&Marje
04-17-2009, 06:31
Kay Wood Shelter is a cool spot, shelters on top of a big hill and the water source is at the bottom. Plenty of space for a tent if you don't want to use the shelter and it's only a 3 mile walk in from Dalton MA. Some of the other people that have hiked that area more might have a better spot, but I liked that one last June.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=19397&catid=searchresults&searchid=23285

Nice fire pit on top of the hill. Really quaint little spot.

sasquatch2014
04-17-2009, 07:38
Even shorter if you park on the road between Dalton and the Shelter.

Cosmo
04-18-2009, 12:25
October Mtn Shelter, .5 mile flat walk south from West Branch Rd.
The Hemlocks Shelter 1 mile up a moderate hill on a dirt road from Mt Everett gate, then left (north) on AT for 15 mins.

Cosmo

bullseye
04-18-2009, 12:37
The Hemlocks Shelter 1 mile up a moderate hill on a dirt road from Mt Everett gate, then left (north) on AT for 15 mins.

Cosmo

I second the Hemlocks. I camped there on my last night SOBO through Mass. Nice little site.

peakbagger
04-18-2009, 13:31
The hike up to Upper Goose Cabin isnt that long (but a steady up hill). Lots of nice tenting sites and the pond makes it special.

Tinker
04-19-2009, 21:47
The hike up to Upper Goose Cabin isnt that long (but a steady up hill). Lots of nice tenting sites and the pond makes it special.
This would be the choice for me if I were taking a newbie or seldom hiker.

srestrepo
04-19-2009, 22:47
Does anyone know if you're allowed to make campfires up at upper oose pond if you tent by the lake??? i know that someone is going to say DUH!! but i'm new at all of this... thanks so much for the info!

Surplusman
04-20-2009, 05:29
If you want to go tent camping, try Benedict Pond. Beautiful area. The AT runs right by it.

Cosmo
04-20-2009, 08:24
Here's the thing. One of the reasons there is the Upper Goose Pond Cabin is to concentrate use at one site. Before the Cabin and the land surrounding the pond was donated to the Trail, there were several campsites around the shores (both locals and hikers) and things were getting pretty well trashed out. The Cabin caretaker plan was put in place to educate campers and get them to use the campsites near the Cabin.

Upper Goose Pond is a pretty special place, one of the few large ponds in Mass that do not have any shoreline development. Jet skis are not permitted because the pond is not wide enough, and powered boats are limited to 5mph. All this makes the place a real gem, so do your part and camp at the Cabin--not on the shoreline. Fires are permitted in the fire place in back of the cabin. The Cabin will be open beginning May 18th, but camping is permitted all year long.

In Mass, AT camping is only permitted at designated sites. With one exception (Laurel Ridge), fires are permitted in established fire rings at all Mass AT campsites (they are not permitted at all in CT).

Cosmo


Does anyone know if you're allowed to make campfires up at upper oose pond if you tent by the lake??? i know that someone is going to say DUH!! but i'm new at all of this... thanks so much for the info!

celt
04-20-2009, 08:47
I won't add to the already excellent list of sites in Mass but I'd warn that there are lots of trees across the trail in Massachusetts right now. I just hiked from Salisbury CT to Lee MA and encountered frequent thick trail obstructions starting near Sages Ravine. The obstructions up to Tyringham were easy to deal with but the seven miles from Tyringham to the Mass Pike were starting to get bad. Before my hike a thru hiker I met on my bus ride from Williamstown to Canaan CT had just finished Mass and warned me. He said the worst was north of the Mass Pike especially on Beckett Mountain and in the October Mountain area.

I guess I will add my opinion on Campsites. My favorite was the tent platform at Tom Leonard. It sits on a ledge well above the brook in front of the shelter with a great view to the west. Its an short easy hike (not too many fallen trees) from either Lake Buel Rd or Mass Rte 23.

It was estimated to me it could take volunteers about a month to clear all of the trail in Massachusetts.

I'd recommend getting in touch with the Berkshire Chapter of the AMC when making any plans to hike in Mass this spring.

celt
04-20-2009, 09:42
AMC's Berkshire Chapter web page concerning trail conditions:

http://amcberkshire.org/node/196

Cosmo
04-21-2009, 07:51
As of last weekend, we are pretty much cleared between Jug End and the Pike, a few blowdowns remain, but the trail is passable.

Problem spots at this time are: Glen Brook Campsite to Elbow Trail, Mass Pike N to Oct Mtn Shelter (to be cleared this weekend), near Gore Pond between Cheshire and Dalton (pretty bad there), and Between Outlook Ave in Cheshire and Mark Nopel Shelter. These are the areas with the most severe damage, route finding can be difficult as there are enough downed branches in some locations to mask the footpath. The storm damage is concentrated between 1800 and 2200 feet, higher and lower areas just have "normal" winter debris.

I can provide the latest info, just PM or e-mail me.

Cosmo
Berkshire AMC AT Committee


I won't add to the already excellent list of sites in Mass but I'd warn that there are lots of trees across the trail in Massachusetts right now. I just hiked from Salisbury CT to Lee MA and encountered frequent thick trail obstructions starting near Sages Ravine. The obstructions up to Tyringham were easy to deal with but the seven miles from Tyringham to the Mass Pike were starting to get bad. Before my hike a thru hiker I met on my bus ride from Williamstown to Canaan CT had just finished Mass and warned me. He said the worst was north of the Mass Pike especially on Beckett Mountain and in the October Mountain area.

I guess I will add my opinion on Campsites. My favorite was the tent platform at Tom Leonard. It sits on a ledge well above the brook in front of the shelter with a great view to the west. Its an short easy hike (not too many fallen trees) from either Lake Buel Rd or Mass Rte 23.

It was estimated to me it could take volunteers about a month to clear all of the trail in Massachusetts.

I'd recommend getting in touch with the Berkshire Chapter of the AMC when making any plans to hike in Mass this spring.

srestrepo
06-29-2009, 22:20
i just wanted to add that i spent a night on the way to the hemlocks at race brook trail campsite. that place was pretty cool there's a huge waterfall up there and the water source from the tent platforms is about a tenth of a mile away, very clear water. privy was nice too, still a privy though.

does anyone else have any recent updates to shelter/campsites in western mass that would be interesting?

Homer&Marje
06-30-2009, 08:02
I'll re post my vote on Kay wood lean to. Historic in who's shelter it was (Grandma Kay)....still maintained by her husband. Great shelter, great view with a nice fire pit on top of a tall ledge....just a very peaceful spot.

wystiria
07-13-2009, 15:33
I love the tent site at Tom lenord! love it!

Upper goose pond is one of my all time favorite spots and there is great swimming there in the summer.

Racebrook falls and Sages are also fantastic. **no fires at sages but lots of things to investigate in that area.

There is a lot of camping on and around Greylock! lots of loop trails too!!!

October mountain are is great but I have multiple time run in to groups camping at the site for the weekend so I attempt to avoid it now.

if you don't mind CT, Riga has the best view - no fires though.