Puffer's Pond in Amherst is a place that I like to stop in at when traveling through the area. The…read morepond itself is a nice place to come and swim at, but it is also nice to walk around the pond and eventually come out at their waterfall. I also make it a point to come in the winter just so that I can see the waterfall get frozen over. The only critique about this place is that at the end of UMass' school year the place tends to be packed and at times people leave their trash everywhere. Besides that this place is nice and relaxing.

A great place to swim, but get here early on a hot day because parking does fill up fast…read more Please keep an eye on your stuff though people have had stuff gone through before. The swimming hole closes at dusk and alcohol is prohibited alone with smoking

While driving around the area aimlessly (that was the plan), I passed by this reservoir and had to…read morestop because of the breathtaking view. This area which to me is a hidden gem, is hidden in Whately. Parking at the bottom reservoir is a little tough, but there are a few spots at the intersection of Conway and Williamsburg. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my short stroll through the area and I will be back during the fall and winter to hopefully take a few more pictures.

One thing about me: I'm gonna make my annual pilgrimage to Vermont for a maple latte, maple buffalo…read morewings, and some clean air hiking. Read on for the hike, the campground, and the park. Me, husbo, and dog hit a twofer this weekend - 2 hikes, 1 day. What can I say - I was feeling inspired. Hike We did the Mount Olga trail - accurately rated moderate. It was up, up, and more up. There's no lookout after all that uphill but there is a fire tower that gives 360 degree views. Ordinarily, I like to see fire towers, but not climb them. I was determined this time, tho. Unfortch right at the turn off for the tower my hamstring started to twitch which means I have about T-5 minutes until a debilitating cramp unless I get myself together. I didn't want to chance it so we continued around the loop. I REALLY liked this trail. I found all the uphill interesting, somewhat challenging, a few good rock scrambles, too. On the way down there were a few butt sits, and a water crossing, too. I love varied terrain like this. Minimal bugs and just enough people out to not feel alone, but to also go for 20 minutes at a time without seeing anyone else. The hike starts outside the visitor center and ends just above the campgrounds. About the campground: It's beautiful, wooded yet airy. Huge sites with sturdy picnic tables and glorious fire pits. They even have lean-tos! I've a right mind to book one this week before they close for the season. Bathrooms My husband used them before the hike and said they were CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Now I know that well-run campgrounds always keep a pristine bathroom but this was a surprise to him. Between the bathrooms and the camp sites he was really excited about finally going camping as a family (I usually go solo). Visitors Center Charming building and wonderful staff. The man checking us in provided accurate information and was very warm and friendly. I cannot WAIT to go back here once the spring rolls around. Lovely all around. Things to Know: -parking and overflow parking at Visitor Center -$5 entry fee per adult person. Day pass also valid at other state parks during the same day -dog friendly

Vermont will nickel and dime out of state visitors instead of building a stable fiscal state…read moreinfrastructure. It gets tiresome after a while. No sites are level, costs 20$ for residents nightly yet 25$ to use the dump station once. And they wonder why the politics are a mess

Really impressive playground. Tons of things to play on that I have never seen before. Fun for…read moretoddlers all the way up to 10-12 year olds. Nice to see the river from the playground.

Not sure how I even heard of this place. But I did. So here I went. As far as state parks go, this…read moreone is pretty small. Only 48 acres. But a lot to see in those 48 acres. Takes about an hour to see every thing. When you are first driving in, you see the marble amphitheater. A grassy circle with tall marble walls surrounding it. Apparently there is an "art installation" here. Classical music plated at astronomical sundown every evening. HOWEVER the park closes at 4:45. So - if there are no visitors to hear it, do the rocks make a sound??? It looked like it would have been a gorgeous spot to sit with a bottle of wine, a loved one, and some tapas, enjoy sunset and some Classic Rock music. BUT the park is closed. When you reach the parking lot, there is a short trail that leads you to the white marble dam. A sign tells you that this is the only WHITE marble dam in the USA. Which leads me to believe there are other marble dams, just not white ones? It was pretty and peaceful. Further down the trail you come to the Natural Bridge. The parks namesake. And this was pretty disappointing. Maybe since I go out west every year and I've seen all the huge sandstone arches and bridges, I saw this bridge and it looked more like a teeny tiny slot tunnel. I guess it's a natural bridge in the Webster dictionary sense. But this was supposed to be the highlight. My advice to DVR - change the park name to be White Marble Dam State Park. Not as many disappointed customers.

After visiting Mass MOCA spend an hour down the road at this park - you will not be disappointed!!…read moreNatural Bridge State Park gets its name from its natural white arch made of 550-million-year-old bedrock marble that was carved by a glacial melt some 13,000 years ago. The bridge spans Hudson Brook as it runs through a 60-foot gorge, which DCR calls "one of the best demonstrations of glacial erosion in New England." The park contains North America's only white marble dam, built in 1838. It was first used to supply water to an industrial quarry mill that operated from 1810 to 1947. In 2022 the state closed an unsafe portion of the viewing platform that goes over the chasm along with other unsafe areas of the park. The park department is planning improvements including improved parking and visitor center arrival areas, expanded universal access, and a "reimagined chasm viewing experience" with new accessible overlooks of the dam, brook, and natural bridge. It really is a remarkable natural park and deserves attention so that people can come and enjoy all its beauty. Giving it four stars for its spectacular wonder and for the visitor center that has interesting information about the glacial formations.

This afternoon while walking in downtown Greenfield we decided to walk down to Energy Park for the…read morefirst time. When we got to the park we were surprised to see how large it was and how unique it was as well. This park has an old train caboose which is used as an exhibit, has a cute playground area for children, and also has the towns old train station platform which is now used as a stage for performances during the summer. The park itself is fairly large and it has a great layout. It has multiple stone benches and picnic tables. It was great to walk around the park but at this time it was really dirty. During the winter the park isn't maintained and seems as though it is a haven for people to go to and drink. There was a ton of empty alcohol bottles as well as trash. In the park there was also a few people who seemed a bit out of place, but they didn't bother us as we walked around and enjoyed the fresh air. This park seems as though it is a great place to hang out when the weather is nice. From what it says on their website it seems as though it hosts some great celebrations during the summer and fall as well. The only thing is that it seems like a place where you should be cautious of going during off peak hours or during the night. This park has great potential, and we can't wait to go back when the weather is warmer!

Wwe visited Poets Seat Tower while we were in the area for a weekend of music at the Franklin…read moreCounty Fairgrounds. There is parking right at the base of the tower, and the stairs leading to the tower's topmost level are sturdy and easy to climb. The view from the top is expansive, and we could see thunderstorms approaching from several miles away. The tower is pretty cool, but there is quite a bit of graffiti and trash in the area. I felt safe here with our group during the daytime, but it does seem kind of isolated, so not sure if I would come here alone or after dark. Glad we visited, though, and the view from the top was pretty awesome!

Nicely constructed tower in honor of a greenfield resident poet, nice view that I will include a…read morephoto of. Hike or drive to the top. Perfect for sunsets! While I have been here, 4 cars have driven up, sat in their car with a modest view through their dirty windshields and then left after a few spare minutes. Strange way to take it in. I recommend ascending the tower or at least getting out of your car ; )

"There was a shopping mall Now, it's all covered with…read moreflowers" (Talking Heads) Our May 10th visit to the Bridge of Flowers was marked by two things -one thing we saw and one thing that we didn't see. What we saw were gates locked on both sides of the 400-foot-long bridge to prevent foot traffic. What we didn't see were any flowers on the Bridge of Flowers! We learned that when the Bridge was opened in the Spring, something was wrong with the soil in the flower beds that line the bridge. I heard that the vendor that delivered the soil delivered the wrong thing, so the planted flowers weren't exactly flourishing. Everything (over 500 varieties of annuals and perennials) had to be dug out, all of the plants went to temporary" foster homes" in the community, and the bad soil was removed and replaced with the correct type of soil. Everything should be back to normal very soon, so we'll have to make a second visit to the Bridge of Flowers to actually see the flowers.

I absolutely love visiting The Bridge of Flowers in the lovely New England town of Shelburne Falls,…read moreMA. I've been here several times over the years, and the bridge is just so beautiful in the summertime when it is filled with blooms. I love that it's free to walk over the bridge and enjoy the flowers, and I love browsing the shops and stopping for ice cream nearby. The bridge gardens are well maintained by a crew of volunteers, and although they have had hardships to endure such as structural repairs to the bridge and most recently problems with the soil, they always persevere and keep this beautiful landmark going. I will always stop in and enjoy the Bridge of Flowers whenever I'm in the area. Thanks so much to each and every person who keeps this bridge in bloom!