kjoyce4Our Top Tips:
- Check trail conditions ahead of time, especially in the winter
- Make time for a stop in North Adams
Hike Basics:
- Length: 6 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 938 ft.
- Dog Friendly? Yes
- Dogs off leash: During coronavirus, all dogs are required to be on leash in Massachusetts
Coming back to Massachusetts, I’ve missed the tall mountains of New York and Northern New England, but the vistas on this trail are truly breathtaking.
A couple weeks ago, I drove through North Adams on an ill planned trip to see the top of Mount Greylock (fyi the summit road is closed to cars in the winter). Instead, I spent the afternoon driving through the small city and up the hairpin turn on Route 2.
At the top, there’s a platform overlooking the city and surrounding mountains that says “Welcome to America’s Switzerland.” I’m a sucker for kitschy stuff like that, so I pulled over and took some pictures of Chloe posing in front of the sign.
After our photo shoot, I noticed a trailhead 100 feet away. It looked perfect. Flat and the sign said it was only 1.6 miles to the first viewpoint. So I set off and quickly realized it was too cold to walk very far without my winter coat. (Ill planned trip remember?)
Two weeks later, I came back with my sister, Chloe and enough layers for a 30 degree day. The trail is about as good as you can get for a beginner winter hike. The incline isn’t anything concerning if you have some for of traction. I hiked in my micro spikes and my sister borrowed my Yak Trax. And while six miles isn’t insignificant, it’s worth the miles for the views. The payoff on this trail is amazing.
The summit of Spruce Hill boasts 270 degree views of the surrounding mountains and valley, including Mt. Greylock, the tallest peak in Massachusetts.
If you’re looking for a shorter route, Sunset Rock is about .8 miles into the trek and has nice views north toward Vermont and west overlooking North Adams.
For the amount of work you put in, the payoff is huge. So pack your traction, and be prepared to dodge some icy branches, but this is definitely a winter hike, I’d recommend.
