Hiking the Taconic Range


Mt. Greylock is the highest peak in Massachusetts with an elevtion of 3491 feet.  It is also a hiking mecca with well-marked and well-maintained trails going all around it.  You can also reach the peak on the very impressive tourist road.   Mt. Greylock is a major tourist attraction, and the park receives many visitors, especially in good weather and on weekends.  There are many other smaller peaks that are all a part of the Mt. Greylock complex.  

OpenTopoMap of Mt. Greylock-southern region

I entered the park from the south entrance (past the visitors' center) and stopped at the Rounds Rock parking lot.  You can walk to the two lookouts in about 15 minutes.  The photo below is near the peak of Rounds Rock.

 A view to the southwest from Rounds Rock.

Driving up a little farther, I then parked at the Jones Nose lot. Jones Nose is another peak a few miles from the Greylock summit.  Ragweed was in bloom, and the bees were buzzing all around. You can see the narrow trail winding off to the left if you look carefully.

Looking back toward the southwest from the Jones Nose Trail. 

A view from the Jones Nose lookout.  Brodie Mountain is in the distance.  I was told that the ski area is no longer in operation and that Jiminy Peak acquired all of their snow-making machinery. 

This photo is from the Saddle Ball Mountain area.  One of the unfortunate things about hiking on mountain ridges is that you can see the sky on both sides of the trail, but you can't see much else because too many trees are in the way.  In this region, elevation doesn't make much difference.  If there is soil, the trees will grow.

Getting closer to the summit of Mt. Greylock.  You can see the summit twice in the distance on the Appalachian Trail approaching from the south. 

The peak of Mt. Greylock.  You can climb up the stairs of the monument and see all over the region including the states of Vermont and New Hampshire.

The view east into Adams, Massachusetts.  This is the least obstructed view from the mountain.

 Another view from the summit toward the northeast.

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