My family and I are just getting into the hiking scene, now that our son is old enough to walk most…read moreof the time and a stroller is no longer absolutely necessary. This isn't a very hard hike to find, but the turn into the parking is easily missed, the driveway into the hike entrance seems to be much smaller than the driveways of the houses nearby. LOL. There is a sign, you just have to pay attention, that's all. There isn't a huge amount of parking; I think there is enough for about eight cars. The hike is really dog friendly. My Vivian loved it. It was mostly in the shade, which is another plus. It is marked really well, so it is rather hard to get lost. My four year old son was our navigator, just to give you some perspective. You just have to follow the yellow dots, and if there is a possibility of confusion, then there is an arrow in the circle as well as a sign informing you where you are. There are informational signs scattered throughout, which I really liked, of various plants and animals. This mountain is well maintained, so please keep it that way. It's about a two mile hike and not hard at all. All I have to say is bring bug spray because we literally were eaten alive; I know not use organic stuff and go with some strong stuff next time. Would I come again? Totally! Loved this hike! Kid and dog friendly is a total score for us.

My hiking group hikes here often. It's a lovely 2 mile loop. Low side of moderate and a perfect…read morebeginner hike. There is a very well blazed yellow trail. There are vernal pools, an erratic boulder and lush greenery. It's very close to great eateries and a great jaunt in the woods post breakfast or dinner.

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!

Nice place mainly for dogs I guess saw about 4 dogs without leashes just roaming around minding…read moretheir own business. The trail is well paved but there's extensive damage from the past winter season looks like a bridge that was there has been completely destroyed too. There was no place to sit down and relax.

This is a great easy walk! So beautiful with the bridges. You can even take your dog off leash…read moreearly in the morning!

Seeing that we were already on a "recreational adventure" to the great state of (legal recreational…read moremarijuana) Massachusetts, we stopped for some natural highs at Mt. Tom State Reservation on the drive home to Connecticut. I remember night skiing, under the lights, when I was a youngin'. The drive we took (yes, we were drive-hiking on this visit) thru the park just before the sun started to set, was filled with so much natural wonder and memorable scenery and greenery that even I, an avowed (and par-for-the-course, lazy) pothead, am compelled to write this 5 star review, if only so that more of my fellow nutmeggers may have the same experience. The most strenuous climb was handled by the Prius, but the most scary climb was up the wooden observation tower, with views over seemingly the entire Western half of the state of Massachusetts. If it was still open, and winter, and I still had the gear, and the weather was perfect, it was conceivable that I could still ski down, I told my girlfriend. And then we drove home thru (and with!) the trees.

Nice trail to go on with other trails along it if you wanted something longer. It was a simple…read moretrail that's was easy to follow with the marks and enjoyable with friends.

The Fort River Trail here at the wildlife refuge was a very nice loop trail, perfect for a little…read morewalk with great views. It's mainly forested, other than some meadow at the very beginning and end, with some overlooks along the way. A very nice turtle pond provides a great opportunity to look for critters, and we enjoyed seeing a green heron fishing. A very nice area to explore. Parking is located near the trailhead.

Breathtaking views , just the signs are very confusing and you don't know where to turn or what to…read moresee where . They certainly need to work on that . It the views are amazing .

Lots of options for different hikers, with similar but slightly-different views throughout the…read morerange. Bare Mountain and Hitchcock Mountain are personal favorites and can be made into a 3.5ish-mile loop with the Robert Frost Trail. I did have one weird experience here with a guy who was acting fishy. As a solo female hiker, I find that the further into the backcountry you go, the safer you are, as all the other people out there are committed hikers, too. Since all of these trails are fairly accessible, you can meet just about anybody out there. I'd recommend a personal alarm or hiking with a buddy (which, as a woman, is unfortunately just good practice, anyway).

My friend and I started our 6 mile hike here by climbing up Bare mountain and then making our way…read moreover the 7 sister peaks. We left a car at the other end (bottom of Mt. Holyoke) so that we didn't have to make our way back the same way. This was a great hike because instead of just one peak and view, we got a bunch (not really 7 views). The path is well marked and maintained throughout. We followed the white trail the whole way. It's nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors and not feel like you're going to get lost along the way. Definitely a great long but easy hike.

A new "accessible" nature walk…read more A great way for anyone with walking limitations, wheelchair or scooter (or stroller) to enjoy a real nature walk. A lot of thought was put into this new trail. It's a very small 1800 foot thoughtfully manicured trail/loop which only takes about 15 minutes to complete. A peaceful spot with a great view of Mt Tom.

What a beautiful trail for handicapped persons. I use a walker and I am so glad I found this…read moreplace. There are benches to sit every 300 feet or so and 2 picnic tables. The path has small gravel and is easy for a wheelchair or walker. Also, placards describing the plant life and native birds dot the path. An easy trail for young children and don't forget to bring a lunch!