Great hiking trails, moderately challenging, with exhilarating views at the summits. We did just a…read moreshort hike, going up to Bare Mountain from the Notch, and it was a fun ascent with marvelous views of the countryside, farms, and other hills. The visitor center at the Notch is terrific, with friendly and knowledgeable staff, useful interpretive displays and maps, and clean restrooms. A great place to rest up and refresh after a hike. Just terrific and we plan to return in the fall to see the autumn colors!

Talk about a "Top Notch" place to go hiking!! Complete with a visitor center and everything. The…read moreonly thing I'll say is that I wish the trails would be better marked, but other then that it's a very nice place to stop and walk for a bit in the cool weather; very enjoyable.

Miles of hiking trails, paved and graveled mountain roads, and scenic overlooks whichever way you…read moreascend, this is a perfect spot for a quiet weekend getaway, Even on a Sunday morning around peak Autumn foliage you can find many scenic spots no else already found. This can be a quick drive kind of spot or a great morning hike as trails to beaver ponds, glacial erratics, and picnic tables are all within a short distance of the forest roads. The fire tower was out of commission for years but has happily been restored, and interpretive signs at the top show each visible peak including, Mt. Tom and Mt. Monadnock among them, on clear enough days. The only facilities are a port-o-let at the bottom of Soapstone Road, so plan accordingly if you don't want to make the ten minute trip back down to Ellington.

Great views, easy hike through the woods, or up the paved access road, or drive up if you prefer!…read more Awesome local option for some nice views. Tips: Bring lunch if the weather is nice, there are picnic tables everywhere. DON'T MISS THE TOWER. It was repaired (major overhaul) recently and reopened to the public. Can't see it from the end of the access road, but it's an incredibly short walk from there. Go up toward and around the chain fence.

Great walking trails, that are well maintained and clean. Good locational posts along the way. I…read morelived the meadows and the variety of plants and trees. The wildflowers are beautiful and still in bloom even though autumn is in a couple of weeks.

Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary is education based, with scientific backing. With lectures like…read moreforestry 5 years after the tornado... 85 people showed! They host so many great events and even have school trips to learn about nature. With an outstanding staff of naturalists, great museum / facility, and a gorgeous property of trails, Norcross is tops!

Skinner State Park really surprised me. The drive up was beautiful and the view at the top over the…read morePioneer Valley made me stop and just take it in. I also liked reading about the old Mt. Holyoke Summit House and the incline railway that used to bring people up the mountain. I'm a sucker for places with a bit of history mixed in with the views And of course I loved seeing it with our friends we met on a cruise 24 years ago!

Iconic set of rolling wooded hills over looking the Connecticut River and surrounding lowlands…read more Skinner State Park is approximately 3,000 acres once privately owned now overseen by the Mass DCR. There are an intertwining network of trails from the base, along the ridge, and through the wooded parkland. Bring a GPS and trail maps are available at the gates and in the Summit House. This was my first time hiking here. A life long buddy & hiking pal encouraged me to join him. He was excited to try out his new hip on some varying terrain. He drove in from Vermont, me from CT. Both of us aging (gracefully) we each used an adjustable pair hiking sticks, which did come in handy both ascending and descending the hills. We found the trails were all very well maintained and well traveled. There's a system of trail markers and blazes to follow. Keep in mind bikes and horse are allowed, so hikers, keep your eye open and give way to wheels & hooves. The Summit House does have access too by vehicle, but (!) parking is very limited up top and DRC Rangers control traffic flow. We parked very close to Hockanum Road (Rte 47) and hiked up. Views at the Summit House stunning 360 degrees. If the House is open (seasonally) take time to tour the former residence and Lodge. View from the House decks are even better. My foot recently repaired foot & my buddies new hip passed the test!

This is one of my absolute favorite places to hike! The trail around the main pond is very easy and…read morea very short hike. There are also a few places that have picnic table sites for you to grill at! I always notice people fishing, and I see people in the water with their inflatables. There are a few other trails to hike, which I highly recommend! The birding here is also fantastic. This place is magical!! Bring the pups! .... One last thought, just be aware that service is very patchy here!

Gorgeous lake and nature trails in a scenic, quiet, rural area. Nature-filled beauty! Picnic tables…read moreare great and often busy on holidays/weekends. I love this serene, beautiful place!

There's 4 access total, this one on S. Maple is the closest to the water. However, parking lot is…read moresmall & in the summer, I run into several vans parked there were working on AC. Looks like HVAC companies taking over the parking lot for work, one dude working out of his van was shirtless with full bear belly on display. I felt uncomfortable & left quickly. There's no park bench or anything like that along the river. The West entrance is the worst, smallest lot only fits 3 cars, long walking path to the river that's super narrow, some times only a foot wide & feels creepy, I'd avoid. The east entrance is very roomy, easily park 10 cars there with walking path 12 feet wide. However, it's very far to the river, at least half a mile walk. The 4th entrance is on Bayleys, I couldn't even find the parking lot, lol, nothing there.

A nice little secluded riverside scenic park. There are three trails, two of which are pretty…read moreovergrown once you get into the summer season. One follows along the river, one crosses the river into the woods, and the third goes up a small hill. They're all three quiet and surrounded by greenery and a pleasant, although not particularly long, walk. There's also parking for a few cars at the end of the road leading up to the trails.

Came here for a run while staying near BDL and really enjoyed the trail along the Connecticut…read moreRiver! You really get that feeling that you're out in nature--the sights, the smells, the sounds, everything. The path is suitable for walking, running and cycling. How I wish I could enjoy it in the fall with the changing colors!

Absolutely gorgeous, magical day, the kind that makes one thankful for the opportunity to enjoy…read morenature...sunny, mid 60's, low humidity, gentle breeze. Blue heron right after you enter from the south terminus. Lots of turtles basking. Eagles (adult and 2 juvies) visible in their nest, with another adult high above about 50 yds north. Another uge (we don't pronounce the "h" where I'm from) blue heron about 7/10ths of a mile from the start. Ducks, geese, hawk. Haven't seen a rabbit yet this year. My theory is that overcutting on the bank of the canal-side has caused rabbits to change their habits (seriously). No place to hide from predators. Everyone friendly...strollers, fishermen, bicyclists.... I tried to make a video of the song, "I was strolling thru the park one day, in the very merry month of May...". Lucky for the reader / listener that my phone was having memory issues. Always a 5 star!

Love walking on this trail! It's very peaceful and calm, just make sure to stay to the side when…read morebikers are passing. Lots of people tend to walk on this path and the path extends pretty far which is nice.

This was a great day and a fun trail. Not too crowded on the day that I went. People are pretty…read morerespectful to stay in their lanes and not wandering all over. Electric bikes, and some gas powered scooters were on the trail exceeding safe limits. This is the only issue I had with the trail. 11 1/2 miles each way. I started at the Belchertown trailhead. Approximately 30 spots for parking and maybe a few along the street. There's also random parking along the trail and some of the smaller towns. There is a cute stop along the trail for refreshments/food. That's about the 4 mile mark.